Researchers in the lab of Federico Capasso have developed new techniques using metasurfaces to control points of darkness in electromagnetic fields. These dark regions, known as optical singularities, have previously been challenging to manipulate. The team used metasurfaces, which are sub-wavelength-spaced arrays of nanostructures, to create arrays of optical singularities. These optical singularities have potential applications in areas such as trapping atoms and providing precise reference positions for imaging. The researchers also developed a new class of optical singularities called polarization singularities, which are stable and robust against perturbations. These developments could have implications for remote sensing, precision measurement, and covert detection.

This work has been published in Nature Communications and highlighted by SEAS.