Bi-functional and tri-channel image displays based on a single-size nanostructured metasurface enabled by dual-orientation-degeneracy

Benefiting from the extraordinary ability of manipulating lightwaves at the subwavelength scale, nanostructured metasurfaces are expected to achieve multifunctional and multichannel integration to expand functionality and increase information capacity. However, multifunctional and multichannel metasurfaces always consist of various anisotropic nanostructures, inevitably bringing challenges to design and fabrication. In this study, we propose a concept of dual-orientation-degeneracy containing twofold orientation degeneracy. The first-level degeneracy is a one-to-four mapping scheme between the intensity of Channel 1 and orientation angle and the second-level degeneracy refers to a one-to-two mapping between the intensity of Channel 2 and orientation angle. Additionally, we provide a minimalist design of bi-functional and tri-channel image displays based on a single-size nanostructured metasurface. The designed metasurface integrates two functionalities of nanoprinting and holography, which can generate a continuous grayscale meta-image, a binary meta-image and a phase-only holographic image. Three channel displays can be readily switched by polarization controls. More importantly, the metasurface is achieved merely by reconfiguring the orientation angles of the nanostructures with fixed geometries, relieving the structure design and fabrication burden. The presented minimalist design strategy is universal and applicable, which can contribute to advanced research and applications in ultra-compact image displays, high-dense optical storage, multi-folded optical anti-counterfeiting, etc.