We develop metasurface optics that shape light through precisely engineered arrays of subwavelength nanostructures. By tailoring the phase, amplitude, polarization, and wavelength response of light, we create planar optical elements for multifunctional focusing, holographic projection, and structured illumination. Our research connects nanoscale optical design with the development of compact imaging and sensing systems. Our holographic metasurfaces encode and reconstruct optical information in multiple channels, enabling polarization-dependent image projection and the integration of structural color printing with holography for optical encryption and security applications. We also investigate computational reconstruction to correct metalens aberrations and improve image fidelity. By bringing together wavefront engineering, nanofabrication, and computational imaging, we aim to build versatile optical systems with tailored resolution, depth of field, and spectral functionality.

We develop reconfigurable metasurfaces by integrating optical nanostructures with materials whose optical properties respond to external stimuli. Our research combines liquid crystals, semiconductor thin films, and phase-change materials with nanophotonic structures to control optical wavefronts, resonances, and absorption. These platforms enable compact optical devices with functions that can be adjusted through electrical signals or environmental changes. A central focus is liquid-crystal-integrated meta-optics for electrically tunable focusing, switchable imaging, and dynamic displays. Our work includes dual-mode metalenses that switch between bright-field and edge-enhanced imaging, as well as Mie-resonant structures for tunable structural colors. Beyond liquid crystals, we investigate refractive-index engineering in semiconductor thin films and phase transitions in materials such as vanadium dioxide to tailor structural coloration and switchable absorption. By connecting material response with metasurface design, we aim to create adaptive photonic systems for imaging, display, sensing, and optical energy control.

We investigate three-dimensional metamaterials and integrated nanophotonic devices that control light through the geometry and spatial arrangement of nanoscale structures. By extending optical design into the third dimension, we explore additional degrees of freedom for tailoring optical coupling, resonances, and light propagation. Our interests include vertically stacked metasurfaces, multilayer optical architectures, and hierarchical nanostructures that bring multiple optical functions into compact devices. Building on our expertise in metasurface design and nanofabrication, we aim to extend these capabilities to photonic integrated circuits (PICs). This emerging direction focuses on connecting free-space meta-optics with on-chip waveguides and optical components to control how light is coupled, routed, and processed. We are particularly interested in metasurface–waveguide interfaces and vertically integrated architectures that connect guided light with tailored free-space optical fields. Our long-term goal is to combine three-dimensional nanostructures, planar meta-optics, and integrated photonics into compact platforms for imaging, sensing, and optical information processing. Through this approach, we seek to bridge nanoscale light control and system-level functionality.

We engineer plasmonic nanostructures that confine light to deeply subwavelength volumes and enhance its interaction with molecules and materials. By tailoring metallic nanoantennas, nanogaps, and resonant metasurfaces, we control local electromagnetic fields, optical resonances, and energy transfer at the nanoscale. A particular focus is the design and fabrication of single-digit-nanometer gaps that create intense optical hotspots for sensitive molecular interrogation. Our research connects these nanoscale interactions with advanced spectroscopy and sensing. We develop surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) platforms for molecular fingerprinting and biomarker analysis, as well as plasmonic metamolecules that exploit anapole states for enhancing light-matter interactions in 2D materials like TMDs and hBN. Recent work extends these capabilities to nanoplasmonic aptasensors for real-time monitoring of neurotransmitters released from living brain organoids, linking optical resonance engineering with dynamic biological measurements.

We develop fabrication strategies that connect nanoscale precision with scalable manufacturing for photonic devices. Electron-beam lithography provides a versatile route to precisely defined nanostructures and master patterns, while multilayer alignment and overlay processes enable suspended, interlayered, and hierarchical three-dimensional architectures. To extend fabrication beyond individually written devices, nanoimprint lithography replicates nanoscale patterns over large areas, and roll-to-roll processing enables continuous manufacturing on flexible substrates. Our recent work demonstrated visible-metalens manufacturing at 300 units per second using roll-to-roll processing. Complementing these approaches, we explore bottom-up self-assembly, colloidal templating, and solution-based processing to organize functional nanomaterials. By combining top-down lithography, bottom-up self-assembly, and scalable replication processes, we seek to control material composition, geometry, and spatial organization across multiple length scales. Our goal is to achieve both the structural precision required for strong light–matter interactions and the manufacturing scalability needed for practical metasurfaces, optical components, and biosensors.