Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
190,332 studies31 sourcesUpdated 32 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BYNature Communications

Varifocal Alvarez metalens array for adaptive light-field imaging

  • Xiaoyu Che1,2
  • Xiaoyuan Liu1
  • Xin Zhang3
  • Yuhao Lei3
  • Yefeng Yu2
  • Lei Wang3
  • Junxiao Zhou4
  • Zhishan Gao5
  • Din Ping Tsai6,7,8
8 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Electrical Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
  2. 2School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
  3. 3State Key Laboratory of Integrated Optoelectronics, College of Electronic Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China
  4. 4Department of Electrical Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. [email protected]
  5. 5School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, China. [email protected]
  6. 6Department of Electrical Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. [email protected]
  7. 7Department of Physics and State Key Laboratory of Optical Quantum Materials, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. [email protected]
  8. 8Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China. [email protected]
Open at sourcePDFDOICite

Abstract

Metalens arrays hold great promise for compact light-field imaging systems owing to their compactness and wavefront shaping capabilities. However, their fixed focal lengths fundamentally limit depth-of-field modulation and axial scanning, restricting their adaptability to diverse light-field imaging scenarios. Here, we demonstrate adaptive light-field imaging using a varifocal Alvarez metalens array. The array is composed of two closely bonded metasurfaces, each patterned with 24 × 20 cubic-phase sub-regions. Through relative lateral displacement, the Alvarez metalens array achieves continuous focal length tuning from 3.33 mm to 4.50 mm. Integrated into a plenoptic imaging system, the proposed metalens array enables dynamic focusing and an expanded depth range. We further introduce a MultiLensFusion algorithm that combines these multi-focus captures into high-resolution, all-in-focus renderings. This work offers a compact and versatile platform for next-generation light-field imaging systems with dynamically tunable optical response.

Related

  1. Continuously Tunable Alvarez Metalenses for Varifocal Imaging
    Lin Liu, Qun Hao, yunhai zhang +2
    Optics ExpressPeer-reviewedLicence not statedMaterials & polymersCrossref
  2. Phase model for analysis and compensation of metalens fabrication errors in a refractive–metalens hybrid imaging system
    Junsong Wang, Mingxu Piao, Xian Zhang +3
    Optics ExpressPeer-reviewedLicence not statedMaterials & polymersCrossref
  3. Megapixel snapshot hyperspectral imaging with high resolution Fabry-Pérot color filter array.
    Yu Chen, Jiaming Huang, Zixian Hu +9
    National science reviewPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textMaterials & polymersEurope PMC
  4. Metalens-assisted hybrid optics system for compact Micro-LED projection
    Gaoyu Dai, Xiaohui Xie, Shantong Jia +3
    Optics ExpressPeer-reviewedLicence not statedMaterials & polymersCrossref
  5. Four-channel polarization-multiplexed metalens for 3D optical trapping
    Kexin Tong, Yuqing Zhang, Wangzhe Zhou +4
    Optics ExpressPeer-reviewedPublisher termsMaterials & polymersCrossref

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{che2026varifocal,
  title = {{Varifocal Alvarez metalens array for adaptive light-field imaging}},
  author = {Xiaoyu Che and Xiaoyuan Liu and Xin Zhang and Yuhao Lei and Yefeng Yu and Lei Wang and Junxiao Zhou and Zhishan Gao and Din Ping Tsai},
  journal = {Nature Communications},
  year = {2026},
  month = jun,
  doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-74606-8},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-74606-8},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Varifocal Alvarez metalens array for adaptive light-field imaging
AU  - Xiaoyu Che
AU  - Xiaoyuan Liu
AU  - Xin Zhang
AU  - Yuhao Lei
AU  - Yefeng Yu
AU  - Lei Wang
AU  - Junxiao Zhou
AU  - Zhishan Gao
AU  - Din Ping Tsai
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/23
JO  - Nature Communications
DO  - 10.1038/s41467-026-74606-8
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-74606-8
AB  - Metalens arrays hold great promise for compact light-field imaging systems owing to their compactness and wavefront shaping capabilities. However, their fixed focal lengths fundamentally limit depth-of-field modulation and axial scanning, restricting their adaptability to diverse light-field imaging scenarios. Here, we demonstrate adaptive light-field imaging using a varifocal Alvarez metalens array. The array is composed of two closely bonded metasurfaces, each patterned with 24 × 20 cubic-phase sub-regions. Through relative lateral displacement, the Alvarez metalens array achieves continuous focal length tuning from 3.33 mm to 4.50 mm. Integrated into a plenoptic imaging system, the proposed metalens array enables dynamic focusing and an expanded depth range. We further introduce a MultiLensFusion algorithm that combines these multi-focus captures into high-resolution, all-in-focus renderings. This work offers a compact and versatile platform for next-generation light-field imaging systems with dynamically tunable optical response.
SN  - 2041-1723
ER  -