Freeform optical flow based on meta-conveyors for compact, programmable in situ nanomanipulation
7 affiliations
- 1Department of Physics and State Key Laboratory of Optical Quantum Materials, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China
- 2Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Quantum Functional Materials, and Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Quantum Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- 3Institute of Applied Physics, Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
- 4Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany. [email protected]
- 5Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas Materials Institute, and Materials Science and Engineering Program, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. [email protected]
- 6Department of Physics and State Key Laboratory of Optical Quantum Materials, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China. [email protected]
- 7Institute for Advanced Study, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China. [email protected]
Abstract
Programming light flow offers significant potential for diverse applications. However, conventional spatial light modulators are bulky, have large pixels, and slow switching. Miniaturized metasurface strategies offer flexibility but are limited to radial or azimuthal phase gradients, hindering free shaping of light flow in ultracompact footprints. Here, we present a meta-conveyor technique (MCT) using metasurfaces to encode user-defined optical flow, demonstrating programmable stable transport of nanoparticles (NPs) with arbitrary open-path round‑trip movement and on‑demand stopping. Theoretical analysis reveals efficient phase gradient switching from hybrid propagation and geometric phases, enabling tunable lateral optical forces via input and output polarization control. We validate universality with a maze‑solving meta‑conveyor that drives NPs from entrance to exit while avoiding dead ends. The MCT provides a compact, passive platform for programmable on‑chip manipulation, opening avenues for heterogeneously integrated clinical devices in minimally invasive and extreme environments. A meta-conveyor technique programs light flows with multichannel metasurfaces, enabling stable nanoparticle transport along arbitrary open-path round-trip movement and on-demand stopping for compact on-chip clinical devices.
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BibTeX
@article{li2026freeform,
title = {{Freeform optical flow based on meta-conveyors for compact, programmable in situ nanomanipulation}},
author = {Tianyue Li and Xiao Li and Zengyang Gao and Jack Tsz Fai Ng and Vladan Blahnik and Fan Nan and Yuebing Zheng and Che Ting Chan},
journal = {Nature Communications},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-73024-0},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-73024-0},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Freeform optical flow based on meta-conveyors for compact, programmable in situ nanomanipulation
AU - Tianyue Li
AU - Xiao Li
AU - Zengyang Gao
AU - Jack Tsz Fai Ng
AU - Vladan Blahnik
AU - Fan Nan
AU - Yuebing Zheng
AU - Che Ting Chan
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/09
JO - Nature Communications
DO - 10.1038/s41467-026-73024-0
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-73024-0
AB - Programming light flow offers significant potential for diverse applications. However, conventional spatial light modulators are bulky, have large pixels, and slow switching. Miniaturized metasurface strategies offer flexibility but are limited to radial or azimuthal phase gradients, hindering free shaping of light flow in ultracompact footprints. Here, we present a meta-conveyor technique (MCT) using metasurfaces to encode user-defined optical flow, demonstrating programmable stable transport of nanoparticles (NPs) with arbitrary open-path round‑trip movement and on‑demand stopping. Theoretical analysis reveals efficient phase gradient switching from hybrid propagation and geometric phases, enabling tunable lateral optical forces via input and output polarization control. We validate universality with a maze‑solving meta‑conveyor that drives NPs from entrance to exit while avoiding dead ends. The MCT provides a compact, passive platform for programmable on‑chip manipulation, opening avenues for heterogeneously integrated clinical devices in minimally invasive and extreme environments. A meta-conveyor technique programs light flows with multichannel metasurfaces, enabling stable nanoparticle transport along arbitrary open-path round-trip movement and on-demand stopping for compact on-chip clinical devices.
SN - 2041-1723
ER -