Emerging Technology Panel

Title: Outline of Frontiers of Metamaterials for Remote Sensing
Presenting Author: David Crouse
Organization: Clarkson University

Abstract:
In this talk, Dr. David Crouse (founder of the National Science Foundation’s Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Metamaterials) will discuss some ongoing and recent efforts to develop metamaterials and metasurface to enhanced or enabled applications in the field of remote sensing. The structures that will be discussed fall under the broader definition of metamaterials and include: traditional split-ring-resonator based metamaterials, metasurfaces, photonic crystals, plasmonic crystals, and hybrids of these structures. The following topics will be discussed:

1. Super-resolution using metamaterials: Recent efforts to realize the breaking of the diffraction-limited-optics using metamaterials based hyperlenses will be discussed, as well as their application to sensing and imaging.
2. Metamaterials/surfaces filters: Metamaterials enhanced/enabled multi-wavelength and hyperspectral filters for remote sensing will be discussed. Metamaterials/surfaces and hybrid patterned components allow for high performance, low cost and increased robustness.
3. Metamaterials/surfaces pixelated polarizers: Polarimetric sensing can be used to glean information on aerosols, information that is important for remote sensing applications. The use of metamaterials and plasmonic structures to create high performing pixelated polarizing filters for use with focal plane arrays will be discussed.
4. Increased SNR and overall performance enhancement using metamaterials: Methods to channel, trap and collect photons using metamaterials and hybrid structures will be discussed. Also, light trapping structures that reduce thermally generated noise will be discussed.
5. Beam steering: Active beam steering that can be used for remote sensing using metamaterials/surfaces will be discussed.

We will discuss how research on these areas are being collaboratively performed by academic and industry researchers within the National Science Foundation’s Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Metamaterials.