Prof. Dr. David J. Norris

Thermal scanning-probe lithography can create arbitrarily wavy interfaces with nanometer precision. The resulting diffractive structures, known as Fourier surfaces, allow the manipulation of light for many applications. Here, we will discuss our work related to a specific technology: digital cameras and displays. Despite the rich information content of electromagnetic waves, these devices utilize pixels that only detect or emit light intensity. No pixel exists that both senses and generates optical waves with full control over their amplitude, phase, and polarization. If available, such pixels would enable “camera–displays” for reciprocal control and feedback of sophisticated light fields. To address this need, we demonstrate a versatile platform of miniaturized diffractive elements. We exploit plasmonic surface waves, which propagate coherently and efficiently across metallic surfaces. When these plasmons are launched toward wavy Fourier elements, arbitrary and background-free optical wavefronts are generated. Conversely, incoming light can be sensed and its amplitude, phase, and polarization fully characterized. By combining several such components, we create multifunctional “Fourier pixels” that provide compact and accurate control over the optical field. Our approach, which could also use photonic waveguide modes, establishes a scalable, universal architecture for vectorially programmable pixels with applications in adaptive optics, holographic displays, optical communication, and quantum-information processing.