IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,748,244
Granted Patent B2
US 12,748,244 · App. 18/224,990 · Granted Sep 29, 2026

Meta lens and optical apparatus including the same

Inventors: Hyunsung Park (Suwon-si, KR); Hyeonsoo Park (Seoul, KR); Seunghoon Han (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
G02B3/04G02B1/002G02B5/126G02B1/14
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,748,244
App. No.
18/224,990
Granted
Sep 29, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A meta lens includes a first lens surface, and a second lens surface provided opposite to the first lens surface, wherein at least one of the first lens surface and the second lens surface is a metasurface including a plurality of nanostructures having a sub-wavelength dimension that is less than a central wavelength λ 0 in an operation wavelength band of the meta lens, and wherein a deflection property of the first lens surface and a deflection property of the second lens surface based on positions of incident light are opposite to each other in at least some regions of each of the first lens surface and the second lens surface.

Claims (67)

1 . An imaging lens comprising a plurality of lens elements, the imaging lens comprising:

a plurality of refractive lenses;

a first meta lens provided in a position of a light path before a medium position along an arrangement order of the plurality of lens elements, the first meta lens comprising a first metasurface comprising a plurality of nanostructures, wherein the arrangement order is in a direction toward an image sensor corresponding to the imaging lens;

a second meta lens, provided at a position of the light path after the medium position along the arrangement order of the plurality of lens elements,

wherein the second meta lens comprises:

a first lens surface; and

a second lens surface opposite to the first lens surface,

wherein at least one of the first lens surface and the second lens surface is a metasurface comprising a plurality of nanostructures having a sub-wavelength dimension,

wherein the first lens surface has a first deflection property based on positions of incident light in at least some regions of the first lens surface and the second lens surface has a second deflection property based on positions of incident light in at least some regions of the second lens surface,

wherein the first deflection property is different from the second deflection property,

wherein the first meta lens is configured to correct longitudinal chromatic aberrations of the imaging lens, and

wherein the second meta lens is configured to correct lateral chromatic aberrations of the imaging lens.

2 . The imaging lens of claim 1 , wherein a shape distribution of nanostructures of the first metasurface is configured such that the first meta lens operates as a convex lens in a range from a center to half of an effective diameter of the first meta lens.

3 . The imaging lens of claim 1 , wherein a range of an angle at which the first meta lens deflects incident light is from −5° to +5°.

4 . The imaging lens of claim 1 , wherein the second meta lens has an integral structure comprising a substrate with a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface.

5 . The imaging lens of claim 4 , wherein the second meta lens comprises:

a second metasurface comprising a plurality of nanostructures arranged in a second shape distribution on the first surface, and

a third metasurface comprising a plurality of nanostructures arranged in a third shape distribution that is different from the second shape distribution on the second surface.

6 . The imaging lens of claim 5 , wherein with respect to a central wavelength λ0 of an operation wavelength band of the second meta lens, a distance between the second metasurface and the third metasurface is greater than 10020 and less than 1,00020.

7 . The imaging lens of claim 5 , wherein the at least some regions of the second meta lens comprises regions from centers of the second metasurface and the third metasurface to half of each of effective diameters of the second metasurface and the third metasurface.

8 . The imaging lens of claim 5 , wherein the second metasurface is configured to deflect incident light in a direction toward an optical axis, and a magnitude of a deflection angle gradually increases from a center to a periphery of the second metasurface in a radial direction of the second metasurface, and

wherein the third metasurface is configured to deflect incident light in a direction away from the optical axis, and a magnitude of a deflection angle gradually increases from a center to a periphery of the third metasurface in a radial direction of the third metasurface.

9 . The imaging lens of claim 5 , wherein at two opposite positions of the second metasurface and the third metasurface, a deflection direction of incident light on the second metasurface and a deflection direction of incident light on the third metasurface are opposite to each other with respect to a direction of an optical axis of the imaging lens.

10 . The imaging lens of claim 5 , wherein at two opposite positions of the second metasurface and the third metasurface, a difference between a deflection direction of incident light on the second metasurface and a deflection direction of incident light on the third metasurface is in a range from −30° to +30°.

11 . The imaging lens of claim 5 , wherein the second metasurface has a positive refractive power and the third metasurface has a negative refraction power.

12 . The imaging lens of claim 1 , wherein with respect to a central wavelength λ0 of an operation wavelength band of the second meta lens, a distance between the first lens surface and the second lens surface is greater than 100λ0 and less than 1,000λ0.

13 . The imaging lens of claim 1 , wherein the first lens surface is the metasurface comprising the plurality of nanostructures, and

wherein the second lens surface is a refractive-type lens surface of a refractive lens having a curved surface.

14 . The imaging lens of claim 13 , wherein the refractive-type lens surface has a concave shape, and

wherein a shape distribution of the plurality of nanostructures is configured such that the metasurface has a positive refractive power.

15 . The imaging lens of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures are provided on a surface of the refractive lens opposite to the curved surface.

16 . The imaging lens of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures comprise:

a column-shape structure comprising a material having a refractive index different from a refractive index of a neighboring material, or

a hole structure engraved inside of a medium layer with a preset refractive index in a column structure.

17 . The imaging lens of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanostructures comprise a nanostructure having a stack structure, the stack structure comprising:

a first layer comprising a column-shape structure comprising a material having a refractive index different from a refractive index of a neighboring material; and

a second layer comprising a hole structure engraved inside of a medium layer with a preset refractive index in a column structure.

18 . An imaging lens comprising a plurality of lens elements, the imaging lens comprising:

a plurality of refractive lenses;

a first meta lens provided in a position of a light path before a medium position along an arrangement order of the plurality of lens elements, the first meta lens comprising a first metasurface comprising a plurality of nanostructures, wherein the arrangement order is in a direction toward an image sensor corresponding to the imaging lens;

a second meta lens, provided at a position of the light path after the medium position along the arrangement order of the plurality of lens elements,

wherein the second meta lens comprises:

a first lens surface; and

a second lens surface opposite to the first lens surface,

wherein at least one of the first lens surface and the second lens surface is a metasurface comprising a plurality of nanostructures having a sub-wavelength dimension,

wherein the first lens surface has a first deflection property based on positions of incident light in at least some regions of the first lens surface and the second lens surface has a second deflection property based on positions of incident light in at least some regions of the second lens surface,

wherein the first deflection property is different from the second deflection property,

wherein the second meta lens has an integral structure comprising a substrate with a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface,

wherein the second meta lens comprises:

a second metasurface comprising a plurality of nanostructures arranged in a second shape distribution on the first surface, and

a third metasurface comprising a plurality of nanostructures arranged in a third shape distribution that is different from the second shape distribution on the second surface, and

wherein the second metasurface and the third metasurface are further configured such that the second meta lens does not have a refractive power with respect to light in a green wavelength band.

19 . An imaging device comprising:

an imaging lens comprising a plurality of lens elements; and

an image sensor configured to convert an optical image formed by the imaging lens into an electric signal,

wherein the imaging lens comprises:

a plurality of refractive lenses;

a first meta lens provided in a position of a light path before a medium position along an arrangement order of the plurality of lens elements, the first meta lens comprising a first metasurface comprising a plurality of nanostructures, wherein the arrangement order is in a direction toward the image sensor corresponding to the imaging lens;

a second meta lens, provided at a position of the light path after the medium position along the arrangement order of the plurality of lens elements,

wherein the second meta lens comprises:

a first lens surface; and

a second lens surface opposite to the first lens surface,

wherein at least one of the first lens surface and the second lens surface is a metasurface comprising a plurality of nanostructures having a sub-wavelength dimension,

wherein the first lens surface has a first deflection property based on positions of incident light in at least some regions of the first lens surface and the second lens surface has a second deflection property based on positions of incident light in at least some regions of the second lens surface,

wherein the first deflection property is different from the second deflection property,

wherein the first meta lens is configured to correct longitudinal chromatic aberrations of the imaging lens, and

wherein the second meta lens is configured to correct lateral chromatic aberrations of the imaging lens.

Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0078818 · Jun 26, 2020 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17039068 · Sep 30, 2020
Provisional Application 62912143 · Oct 8, 2019
Related Publication 20230358923A1 · Nov 9, 2023
References Cited (65)
US 9134510B2 · Suzuki · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9946051B2 · Han et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 11079520B2 · Tsai · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11092717B2 · Capasso · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11835680B2 · Groever · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20060087737A1 · Choi et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20110170846A1 · Sung et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20130146770A1 · Jun et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20160306079A1 · Arbabi et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160316180A1 · Han et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170212285A1 · Arbabi et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180267270A1 · Han et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180299595A1 · Arbabi et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190154877A1 · Capasso et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200051263A1 · Han et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200174163A1 · Han et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200355913A1 · Park et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210014394A1 · Han et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210103075A1 · Park et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210132256A1 · Park et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210149081A1 · Groever et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220260754A1 · Dobashi · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230148437A9 · Han et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
CN 107315206A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 108873121A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 109799611A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110161611A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
CN 110376665A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2014112131A · 2014 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019516128A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019519128A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020060036234A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020130064684A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020160125875A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020170112915A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
KR 101846021B1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 101905444B1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020190040681A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020200129034A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017176921A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018204856A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019164849A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
Chen et al., “A broadband achromatic metalens for focusing and imaging in the visible”, Nature Nanotechnology, Mar. 2018, 8 total pages, vol. 13, doi:10.1038/s41565-017-0034-6. [cited by applicant]
Groever et al., “Supplementary Information for: Meta-Lens Doublet in the Visible Region”, Nano Lett, Jun. 29, 2017, 11 total pages, doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b01888. [cited by applicant]
Li et al., “Metalens-Based Miniaturized Optical Systems”, Micromachines, 2019, 21 total pages, vol. 10, doi:10.3390/mi10050310. [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Oct. 27, 2023, issued by China National Intellectual Property Administration in Chinese Patent Application No. 202011184540.1. [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Oct. 27, 2023, issued by China National Intellectual Property Administration in Chinese Patent Application No. 202011037157.3. [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Oct. 27, 2023, issued by the China National Intellectual Property Administration in Chinese Application No. 202011184540.1. [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Apr. 29, 2024, issued by the Korean Patent Office in Korean Application No. 10-2020-0078818. [cited by applicant]
Arbabi et al., “Miniature optical planar camera based on a wide-angle metasurface doublet corrected for monochromatic aberration” Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, No. 13682, pp. 1-9 (9 pages total). [cited by applicant]
Chen Wei Ting et al: “Supplementary Video to A broadband achromatic metalens for focusing and imaging in the visible”, Retrieved from the Internet: URL:https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41565-017-… [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Mar. 12, 2021, from the European Patent Office in European Application No. 20202799.1. [cited by applicant]
Ehsan Arbabi et al., “Controlling the sign of chromatic dispersion in diffractive optics with dielectric metasurfaces”, Optica, Jun. 2017, vol. 4, No. 6, pp. 625-632 (8 pages total). [cited by applicant]
J. Engelberg et al., “Near-IR wide field-of-view Huygens metalens for outdoor imaging applications”, Jan. 22, 2019, pp. 1-21 (21 pages total). [cited by applicant]
Ke Li et al., “Dispersion controlling meta-lens at visible frequency”, Optics Express, Sep. 4, 2017, vol. 25, No. 18, pp. 21419-21427 (9 pages total). [cited by applicant]
Mohammadreza Khorasaninejad et al., “Metalenses at visible wavelengths: Diffraction-limited focusing and subwavelength resolution imaging”, Science, Jun. 3, 2016, vol. 352, No. 6290, pp. 1190-1194 (6 pages total). [cited by applicant]
Sajan Shrestha et al., “Broadband achromatic dielectric metalenses”, Light: Science & Applications, Nov. 7, 2018, vol. 7, No. 85, pp. 1-11 (11 pages total). [cited by applicant]
Wei Ting Chen et al., “A broadband achromatic metalens for focusing and imaging in the visible”, (manuscript), Jan. 1, 2018, pp. 1-30 (30 pages total). [cited by applicant]
Wei Ting Chen et al., “A broadband achromatic metalens for focusing and imaging in the visible”, Supplemental Information for, Nature Nanotechnology, 2018, 16 pages total. [cited by applicant]
Introduction to Modular Transfer Function, May 28, 2018, Edmund Optics, Understanding MTF (Year: 2018). [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Mar. 13, 2023, issued by the European Patent Office in counterpart European Application No. 20198623.9. [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Feb. 19, 2021, issued by the European Patent Office in counterpart European Application No. 20198623.9. [cited by applicant]
He et al., “Polarization-insensitive meta-lens doublet with large view field in the ultraviolet region,” Proceedings of SPIE, vol. 10841, 2019, Total 8 pages, XP060114959. [cited by applicant]
Li et al., “Metalens-Based Miniaturized Optical Systems,” Micromachines 2019, vol. 10, No. 310, Jan. 2019, Total 21 pages, XP055791779, DOI: 10.3390/mi10050310. [cited by applicant]
Communication dated Oct. 29, 2024, issued by Japanese Patent Office in Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-182524. [cited by applicant]