This Ultra-Thin Device Controls Light Like a Microscopic Spotlight

Scientists have developed an ultra-thin metasurface chip that can precisely control light like a microscopic spotlight, converting invisible infrared light into visible light and directing it without any moving parts. The device uses nanoscale structures to both change the color of light and steer it simply by adjusting the light's polarization. It also overcomes a long-standing tradeoff between efficiency and control in optical devices, achieving up to 100 times greater efficiency in some cases. This breakthrough could enable ultra-compact, chip-based light sources for technologies such as LiDAR, quantum systems, and advanced optical computing.