Multifunctional interface between integrated photonics and free space

Abstract

The combination of photonic integrated circuits and free-space meta-optics has the ability to unclasp technological knots that require advanced light manipulation due their conjoined ability to guide and shape electromagnetic waves. The need for large scale access and component interchangeability is essential for rapid prototyping of optical systems. Such capability represents a functional challenge in terms of fabrication and alignment of compound photonic platform. Here, we report a multi-functional interface that demonstrates the capabilities of a flexible and interchangeable combination of a photonic integrated circuit to a free-space coupling chip with different designs of low-loss meta-optics at a wavelength of 780 nm. We show that robustness and fidelity of the designed optical functions can be achieved without prior precise characterization of the free-space input nor stringent alignment between the photonic integrated chip and the meta-optics chip. A diffraction limited spot of approximately 3 micron for a hyperboloid metalens of numerical aperture 0.15 was achieved despite an input Gaussian elliptical deformation of up to 35% and misalignments of the components of up to 20 micron. A holographic display with a peak signal-to-noise ratio of more than 10 compared to its ground truth is also reported using this platform making this work the first interface to shape photonic integrated modes into free space using different diffractive optical functions.