Scalable high-efficiency metasurface-refractive retro-reflector

Abstract A retroreflector, an optical device that reflects light back along its incident path, plays a crucial role in optics. However, achieving high-efficiency, large-area retroreflection in planar optical systems remains a persistent challenge, constrained by the bulky nature of traditional designs like corner cube mirrors and cat’s eye retroreflectors. Here, we demonstrate a scalable metasurface-refractive retroreflector (MRR) that combines a refractive lens and meta-lens, achieving polarization-independent retroreflection with a half power field of view (FOV) of 70° and 88.5% efficiency at normal incident. The scalability of the MRR enables straightforward planar expansion into arrays, facilitating large-area effective retroreflection. Additionally, a moving object equipped with MRR is observed in a laser tracking experiment. The metasurface-refractive architecture evidently improves the functionality of the retroreflector, and paves a new path in the field of smart optical device design.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
PhotoniX
Published
2025-05-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s43074-025-00172-9
Citations
6
Primary Topic
Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.56

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Scalable high-efficiency metasurface-refractive retro-reflector

Boyan Fu, Ge Qin, Ruoyu Lin, Shuming Wang et al.
6 citations
PhotoniX
Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications
2.56
article

Scalable high-efficiency metasurface-refractive retro-reflector

Boyan Fu, Ge Qin, Ruoyu Lin, Shuming Wang, Din Ping Tsai, Quan Yuan, Yuhang Yang, Zhenlin Wang, Boxin He, Xiujuan Zou, Yi Zhang, Shining N. Zhu
article en
6 citations

Abstract

Abstract A retroreflector, an optical device that reflects light back along its incident path, plays a crucial role in optics. However, achieving high-efficiency, large-area retroreflection in planar optical systems remains a persistent challenge, constrained by the bulky nature of traditional designs like corner cube mirrors and cat’s eye retroreflectors. Here, we demonstrate a scalable metasurface-refractive retroreflector (MRR) that combines a refractive lens and meta-lens, achieving polarization-independent retroreflection with a half power field of view (FOV) of 70° and 88.5% efficiency at normal incident. The scalability of the MRR enables straightforward planar expansion into arrays, facilitating large-area effective retroreflection. Additionally, a moving object equipped with MRR is observed in a laser tracking experiment. The metasurface-refractive architecture evidently improves the functionality of the retroreflector, and paves a new path in the field of smart optical device design.

PhotoniXVol. 6(1)
City University of Hong Kong (HK), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (CN), Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures (CN), Nanjing University (CN)
City University of Hong Kong, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing University, State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Openalex Percentile: Top 10%
Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications
2.56
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.