Broadband unidirectional visible imaging using wafer-scale nano-fabrication of multi-layer diffractive optical processors

Che-Yung Shen; Paolo Batoni; Xilin Yang; Jingxi Li; Kun Liao; Jared Stack; Jeff Gardner; Kevin Welch; Aydogan Ozcan

doi:10.1038/s41377-025-01971-2

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Broadband unidirectional visible imaging using wafer-scale nano-fabrication of multi-layer diffractive optical processors

Original Articles

- Broadband unidirectional visible imaging using wafer-scale nano-fabrication of multi-layer diffractive optical processors
- Light: Science & Applications Vol. 14, Issue 9, Pages: 2821-2838(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
  2.Bioengineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
  3.California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI), University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
  4.Micro Optics, Optical Systems Division, Broadcom Inc., Charlotte, NC 28262, USA
- Author bio：
  
  Aydogan Ozcan (ozcan@ucla.edu)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-025-01971-2
  CLC：
- Received：29 April 2025，
  
  Revised：2025-07-16，
  
  Accepted：21 July 2025，
  
  Published Online：11 August 2025，
  
  Published：30 September 2025
- Accepted：
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Shen, C-Y. et al. Broadband unidirectional visible imaging using wafer-scale nano-fabrication of multi-layer diffractive optical processors. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 2821-2838 (2025).
DOI：

Shen, C-Y. et al. Broadband unidirectional visible imaging using wafer-scale nano-fabrication of multi-layer diffractive optical processors. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 2821-2838 (2025). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01971-2.

摘要

Abstract

We present a broadband and polarization-insensitive unidirectional imager that operates at the visible part of the spectrum

where image formation occurs in one direction

while in the opposite direction

it is blocked. This approach is enabled by deep learning-driven diffractive optical design with wafer-scale nano-fabrication using high-purity fused silica to ensure optical transparency and thermal stability. Our design achieves unidirectional imaging across three visible wavelengths (covering red

green

and blue parts of the spectrum)

and we experimentally validated this broadband unidirectional imager by creating high-fidelity images in the forward direction and generating weak

distorted output patterns in the backward direction

in alignment with our numerical simulations. This work demonstrates wafer-scale production of diffractive optical processors

featuring 16 levels of nanoscale phase features distributed across two axially aligned diffractive layers for visible unidirectional imaging. This approach facilitates mass-scale production of ~0.5 billion nanoscale phase features per wafer

supporting high-throughput manufacturing of hundreds to thousands of multi-layer diffractive processors suitable for large apertures and parallel processing of multiple tasks. Beyond broadband unidirectional imaging in the visible spectrum

this study establishes a pathway for artificial-intelligence-enabled diffractive optics with versatile applications

signaling a new era in optical device functionality with industrial-level

massively scalable fabrication.

关键词

Keywords

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