News Summary

• The research team demonstrated the broadband imaging performance of the engineered structures under white light and red, green, and blue narrowband illuminations.The outcomes highlighted the capacity of the 3D-printed multilayer structures to realize broadband and multifunctional meta devices..
• For instance, achromatic lenses show broadband responses to capture color information, to expand the design possibilities and application scenarios for photonic devices.Such constructs are ultra-compact, ultra-thin, light-weight, and well-suited to make compelling metalenses for imaging systems..
• Using two-photon polymerization, the scientists realized a variety of 3D designs, including complex microlenses, gradient index lenses, and diffractive lenses.In this work, Pan and colleagues used topology optimization to achieve achromatic lensing behavior..
• The outcomes are now published on Science Advances and are featured on the cover page of the journal.Recent progress in metalenses at the micro- and macro-scale have shown significance to achieve remarkable imaging performance suited for a variety of applications across light-field imaging, bioanalysis, medicine, and quantum technologies..
• The 3D printing methodThe research team lifted the fabrication challenges underlying multilayer achromatic metalenses by using three-dimensional printing..
• The nanoscale 3D printing method allowed the patterning of a multilayer lens in one lithographic step to rapidly prototype complex structures..