How Metalenses Will Transform Satellites and Drones

Optical technology has seen significant improvements over the last few decades. Today, technologies like microlenses are a critical component of everyday items, such as your smartphone. As such, it would be hard to imagine life without them. From your phone’s facial recognition camera to advanced medical imaging software, specially designed metalenses continue to drive innovation across various sectors.

What Are Metalenses? Origins and Evolution

The roots of metasurface-based optics can be traced back to the 1940s, when W.E. Koch developed microwave diffractive lenses. While not true “metalenses” as we know them today, these early experiments laid the groundwork for flat-lens technology that decades later evolved into the nanoscale metalenses in use today. Microwave diffractive lenses are credited with being the first showcase of this technology to be effectively used.

Fast forward 50 years to the 1990s, and the technology underwent significant improvements. This decade saw innovations such as graded subwavelength gratings, which allowed engineers to accurately document the phase of light. These developments also led scientists to create lenses specifically designed to work with shorter wavelengths, resulting in the emergence of infrared light-based systems.

The Technology Expands

In 2016, the technology made another leap forward when Harvard optical engineers demonstrated a metalens at visible wavelengths using titanium dioxide nanopillars. This innovation represented a major milestone in metalenses development, providing higher performance.

Notably, metalenses are a crucial component of the tech industry, and modern metalenses have been shrunken down to the nanoscale, meaning they are thinner than a strand of your hair. To accomplish this task, engineers employ the use of meta-atoms.

Meta-Atoms

These custom-designed subwavelength-sized scatterers are laid out in flat designs, enabling them to provide superior subwavelength control. Today’s devices can be used to fine-tune polarization, amplitude, phase, and frequency of lightwaves.

They enable engineers to design devices that utilize ultra-short focal lengths, allowing them to be used in the construction of miniaturized electronic devices. As such, you may not realize that you’re surrounded by metalenses every day as they assist in everything from communication to travel and medical treatments.

Problems with Metalenses Today

Obviously, there were numerous technical roadblocks that engineers had to overcome to make metalenses a reality. Despite their advancements over the last few years, these devices still have some restrictions that have limited their ability to meet their full potential.

For one, they have proven to be notoriously hard to scale up. To date, manufacturers have struggled to produce reliable metalenses with centimeter-sized apertures. These devices are important as they would enable broadband or multiwavelength operations.

Sadly, limiting factors such as achieving the necessary group delay (GD) continue to hinder advancements. Specifically, the GD, also called the maximum required linear phase-dispersion, needs to be sized relevant to lens diameter. If not, the achromatic focusing is nearly impossible.

Expanding Layers

To date, engineers have only been able to utilize single-layer nanostructured metalenses with existing dielectrics. This limitation has left them restricted on lens diameter and design options. One way engineers attempted to circumvent these restrictions is through the use of geometric phase to independently control the phase and GD over the surface, but this approach has proven to make the lenses polarization-sensitive.

Until recently, it was impossible to make metalenses that were big enough to be resonant at the longest wavelength without receiving overwhelming interference from shorter wavelengths. However, a team of innovative engineers may have just figured out a solution to these problems.

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New Metalens Study for Satellites and Drones

The paper Design of multilayer Huygens’ metasurfaces for large-area multiwavelength and polarization-insensitive metalenses¹ published in Optics Express sheds light on a new manufacturing method and approach to metalenses. The study demonstrated a polarization-insensitive multiwavelength metalens design that leverages the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum to improve performance and capabilities.

Models

The engineer began by utilizing advanced computer models to research and test millions of metasurface shapes and their effects on light. Interestingly, the computations demonstrated unique designs that the engineers put into a library. The shapes included rounded squares, four-leaf clovers, propellers, and other unexpected variations. Impressively, the software could accurately predict single-wavelength resonances in both the electric and magnetic dipole. These wavelengths are known as Huygens resonances.

Source – Australian National University

Metalenses

Once the engineers determined the exact shape of the surface of the nanostructures on the lenses, they began developing the surface of the lenses. The engineers designed meta-atoms using an inverse shape-optimization method to create a multizone dispersion-engineered metalens.

Huygens’ Metasurface Layers

In this strategy, the metalenses use meta-atoms arranged to support spectrally overlapping electric (ED) and magnetic (MD) dipolar resonances. In this strategy, the GD gets coated into several zones. This approach ensures that each zone is bounded by the attainable maximum value of the meta-atoms.

Initially, the team attempted to focus multiple wavelengths with a single layer. However, they quickly realized that they needed to turn toward a multiwavelength strategy. They determined that the use of multiple Huygens’ metasurface layers would provide the perfect way to separate and modulate specific wavelengths.

Multi-Wavelength Strategy

Each Huygens metasurface was designed to modulate a specific wavelength while maintaining high transmittance. This strategy also reduces phase disturbance at other wavelengths, making it ideal for the multilayer approach that engineers desired.

To accomplish this task, layers of metamaterials work together to focus a range of wavelengths from an unpolarised source over a large diameter. This strategy provides a reliable method to exceed the maximum group delay attainable in a single-layer metasurface. Specifically, it eliminates the sparse phase sampling of spatial interleaving designs.

Consequently, it enables engineers to adjust crucial components, including the numerical aperture, physical diameter, and operating bandwidth. The engineers noted that their creation could operate with a maximum of five varying wavelengths while providing polarization-insensitive operations.

Upgrading Satellites and Drone Cameras via Metalenses Test

To test their device, the scientists set off to create an enhanced metalens. As step one, the team designed and fabricated a metalens that could operate at 2000 and 2340 nm with a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.11. The device was only 300 nm tall and 1000 nm wide, making it invisible to the eye.

Notably, the team tested the device across several wavelengths. They focused on testing the full range of phase shifts, from zero to two pi, and other crucial steps via simulations. Notably, the lenses performed similarly to much larger devices but required far less space and energy to operate.

Metalens Test Results

The test confirmed the engineer’s simulations. The metalens design outperformed its predecessors across the board. It achieved a normalized modulation transfer function (MTF) successfully. Specifically, the team documented absolute focusing efficiencies are 65% and 56%. These results aren’t perfect, but they are a massive improvement and go a long way towards achieving optimal performance from a lens this size.

Benefits of Metalenses for Aerospace and Beyond

There are many benefits that this technology brings to the market. For one, these tiny lenses can be placed into more devices, enabling more compact designs. These microscopic lenses’ added capabilities will help to improve consumer experiences and drive innovation across aerospace, medical, and other fields.

High Tolerance to Layer Misalignment

This design has proven to provide a high tolerance against lateral misalignment. Remember, in this device, each layer only has the tiniest bit of space between the next layer. This separation occurs within the far field, which automatically helps to reduce misalignment.

Easier Fabrication

Another major benefit of this study is that it demonstrates a new manufacturing method. This approach allows scientists to create each layer separately before simply assembling the unit to create the complete metalens. This strategy is much cheaper than attempting to create each device completely in a single process.

Scalable

This manufacturing process can be scaled up to meet the needs of the industry. Additionally, the product itself can be scaled up to meet more applications. These scaling operations are possible thanks to the use of advanced through-silicon nanofabrication strategies.

Upgrading Satellites and Drone Cameras via Metalenses: Real-World Applications & Timeline:

There are many applications for metalenses across the market. For one, this study will help to drive innovation. It will lead to a new generation of microscopic, affordable, and powerful optics that can be used in portable devices and wearables.

Medical Field

This technology will have a positive effect on the medical field, where it can be used in everything from advanced imaging systems to treatment-based wearables. These lenses will provide health professionals with a way to create more effective and sustainable tools that leverage technology to track recovery.

Safety Systems

Another application for this technology is within the safety monitoring sector. High-powered imaging devices play a vital role in ensuring crucial components within operations are functioning and in good condition. In the future, miniature sensors could alert workers to potential risks, such as hairline cracks, hazardous chemicals, or other safety hazards.

Aerospace

The aerospace industry will see immediate integration of this technology as it matures. Metalenses will be used in future drones, satellites, and other aerospace applications. Their lightweight and compact design makes them ideal for applications where these factors are vital to success. As such, drones and earth-observation satellites will probably be among the first to integrate multi-layered metalenses.

EVs

Electric vehicles will utilize this technology to reduce the weight of their smart driving systems. As more EVs turn toward AI for driving and automatic avoidance, auto manufacturers continue to seek out the most effective and lightweight optical systems. This latest development will enable them to get even more battery life out of their future vehicles while improving optical capabilities.

Upgrading Satellites and Drone Cameras via Metalenses Timeline

It could be between 3-7 years before this technology makes its way to the market. For consumers, this tech could get integrated into their smart devices within the next decade. For military applications, the timeline will be shorter as surveillance satellites and drones are a top priority for these organizations.

Upgrading Satellites and Drone Cameras via Metalenses Researchers

Research for the Upgrading Satellites and Drone Cameras via Metalenses study was led by the Research School of Physics at the Australian National University and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems (TMOS). Additionally, engineers from Friedrich Schiller University Jena in Germany, as part of the International Research Training Group Meta-ACTIVE, participated in the work. The paper specifically lists Joshua Jordaan, Alexander E. Minovich, Dragomir Neshev, and Isabelle Staude as main authors.

Upgrading Satellites and Drone Cameras via Metalenses Future

The future of metalenses is bright. These ultra-compact devices will be critical to aerospace operations. Now, the engineers will focus their research on arbitrary multiwavelength phase profiles. Their goal is to exceed past simple lensing and combine other technologies like AI to optimize future designs.

Innovative Company in the Optics Sector

There are several companies that dominate the optics sector. These firms spend millions on R&D yearly with the hope of creating more effective lens options. Here’s one company that has pushed the boundaries of optical computing technology and continues to secure high-level partnerships with the goal of driving innovation.

Juniper Networks, Inc.

Juniper Networks Inc. entered the market in 1996 as a computer router manufacturer. The company is based in Mountain View, California. Its founders include Pradeep Sindhu, joined by Dennis Bushnell and Bjorn Liencres. They envisioned their firm one day supplying high-performance routers optimized for today’s computing needs globally.

Two years after its launch, Juniper introduced the M40 router. This product was a success, which helped the company expand its operations into other ventures. Today, the firm provides a complete portfolio of standards-compliant optics. These products include direct-detect and coherent optical transceivers, application-specific pluggables, and other advanced optical computer hardware.

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Upgrading Satellites and Drone Cameras via Metalenses | Conclusion

Metalenses open the door for a new level of optical capabilities. These devices are already vital to daily operations, and demand for their services is on the rise. Consequently, you can expect to see metalenses in nearly every miniaturized portable optical device in the coming years. As such, these engineers deserve a standing applause for their efforts, which could have a resounding effect on the industry moving forward.

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References

^{1. Joshua Jordaan, Alexander E. Minovich, Dragomir Neshev, and Isabelle Staude, “Design of multilayer Huygens’ metasurfaces for large-area multiwavelength and polarization-insensitive metalenses,” Opt. Express 33, 33643-33654 (2025) https://opg.optica.org/oe/fulltext.cfm?uri=oe-33-16-33643&id=575152}