Nano-optics for spatial polarization transformation

Nano-optics offer a novel approach to manipulating light through engineered nanoscale light confinement. In this seminar, I will introduce a new type of nano-optical devices - polarization metasurfaces, where the optical anisotropy can be tailored spatially at a subwavelength scale. These devices offer unprecedented control over the polarization state of light, opening up new possibilities in classical and quantum optics. I will discuss several examples of polarization metasurface systems. The first example introduces a new class of polarization wavefront transformation that features the classical entanglement between polarization and spatial degrees of freedom of light. They exhibit nonconventional far-field interference behavior, and could enable new types of holograms and optical traps. In the second example, I will explore the application of polarization metasurfaces in depth sensing, enabled by polarization-dependent engineered point spread functions . Finally, I will talk about potential future directions, such as spatial-temporal light control using dynamic polarization metasurfaces.