Real-time holographic video display: Meta-SLM

• Applicant: Dr.-Ing. Maryna Meretska
• Subject Area: Communication Technology and Networks, High-Frequency Technology and Photonic Systems, Signal Processing and Machine Learning for Information Technology ; Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 513531433

Light is one of the fundamental aspects of our universe. It surrounds us, allows us to survive, and prosper as a species. Humanity has endeavored to manipulate light to its advantage for decades. Since the invention of the lenses by Egyptians and Mesopotamians, technology has taken a great leap forward, allowing for dynamic manipulation of phase and amplitude of light at a nanoscale level using spatial light modulator technology (SLM). SLM technology has been widely applied in research and commercial applications, including microscopy, imaging, wavefront shaping, and holographic displays. Modulation speed and viewing angle are key characteristics of this technology. Unfortunately, current devices cannot satisfy the growing need for wavefront manipulation in different fields of science. This proposal aims to create an optical instrument - Meta-SLM - that achieves orders of magnitude higher modulation speed and has a large viewing angle that exceeds the requirements for human stereoscopic vision. Its design inherently removes the restrictions that are present in current devices. The subwavelength-sized meta-pixel of the Meta-SLM constitutes a multilayer photonic structure that includes magneto-optically active material. I will study a dynamic light-matter interaction to realize light manipulation with small external magnetic fields. This mechanism relies on the novel topological transition that will be studied here. Manipulation of unpolarized light will be achieved by careful design of permittivity and permeability tensors of matter. As a result of this project, my team will create a real-time holographic video display. The developed technology will benefit commercial and scientific applications, including automotive technologies, microscopy, holography, quantum computing, and other fields.

• DFG Programme: Independent Junior Research Groups