High performance imaging system using a dielectric metasurface

1. An imaging system for imaging a subject, the imaging system including:

a light source for generating an input light beam and projecting the input light beam along a path towards the subject;

a dielectric metasurface positioned within the path of the input light beam, the metasurface having a two dimensional array of surface elements configured to impose predetermined phase changes to the input light beam to generate an output light beam for illuminating the subject, wherein the array of surface elements have polarizing properties to polarize the output light beam into a first polarization state corresponding to a left hand or right hand circular polarization; and

an image sensor configured to image returned light being light from the output light beam that is reflected or backscattered from the subject; and

a polarization filter disposed proximal to the image sensor, the polarization filter configured to direct reflected or backscattered light having the first polarization state to the image sensor and to reject light having other polarization states.

2. An imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the array of surface elements has phase properties to produce a two dimensional structured light pattern across the output light beam.

3. An imaging system according to claim 2 wherein the structured light pattern includes a plurality of dots disposed at known locations across the output light beam.

4. An imaging system according to claim 3 wherein the dots are defined as regions of lower contrast than the surrounding output light beam.

5. An imaging system according to claim 4 wherein the contrast ratio of the dots to the surrounding output light beam is in the range of 70% to 90%.

6. The imaging system according to claim 2 wherein the metasurface includes surface elements having different thickness at different locations across the metasurface.

7. An imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the polarization filter includes a dielectric metasurface having a two dimensional array of surface elements configured to pass the first circular polarized light component and absorb the remaining reflected light.

8. An imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the light source is a laser.

9. An imaging system according to claim 8 wherein the laser is a vertical-cavity surface emitting (VCSEL) laser.

10. An imaging system according to claim 1 configured for operation in a driver monitoring system for monitoring a vehicle driver.

11. An imaging system according to claim 1 configured for operation in a mobile device for imaging a user of the mobile device.

12. An imaging system according to claim 1 configured for operation in a LIDAR system.

13. An imaging system according to claim 1 configured for operation in a computer webcam for imaging a user of the computer.

14. The imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the metasurface includes surface elements providing local phase variations which perform a lensing effect to focus or defocus the beam.

15. The imaging system according to claim 1 wherein the array of surface elements have phase properties to shape the output light beam to substantially match a field of view of the image sensor.

16. An imaging system for imaging a scene, the imaging system including:

a light source for generating an input light beam and projecting the input light beam along a path towards the scene;

a dielectric metasurface positioned within the path of the input light beam, the metasurface having a two dimensional array of surface elements configured to circularly polarize the input light beam to generate an output light beam having a circular polarization state for illuminating the scene;

a polarization filter configured to receive reflected light from the scene and to direct the reflected light having the circular polarization state to the image sensor and to reject light having all other polarization states; and

an image sensor configured to image the reflected light to obtain images of the scene.

17. The imaging system according to claim 16 , wherein the two dimensional array of surface elements are configured to produce a two dimensional structured light pattern including a plurality of structural features disposed at known locations across the beam to generate a structured output light beam for illuminating the subject in the scene, wherein the structural features are defined as regions of lower contrast than the surrounding output light beam;

wherein the image sensor is configured to capture light from the structured output light beam that is reflected or backscattered from the subject; and

wherein the processor is configured to process the captured light to estimate depth information about the scene from changes in the two dimensional structured light pattern.

18. The imaging system according to claim 17 wherein the structural features include dots disposed at known locations across the output light beam.

19. The imaging system according to claim 17 wherein the contrast ratio of the structural features to the surrounding output light beam is in the range of 70% to 90%.

20. The imaging system according to claim 16 wherein the dielectric metasurface includes surface elements of different elliptical orientation at different locations across the metasurface to manipulate the electric field at a sub-wavelength scale.