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Chapter 5 notebook: sampled focusing and geometric phase

Topic IDs: ms-08-metalenses and ms-06-polarization. This notebook contains two explicitly separate models: a scalar homogeneous angular-spectrum calculation of a cylindrical line focus, and analytical Jones matrices for ideal anisotropic elements. The library-based aperture field uses Chapter 5’s periodic-cell coefficients as a local approximation. It is not a full-wave finite metalens. The Jones model is not a polarization simulation of the TE ridges. Download the full source bundle to retain their dependencies.

Python 3.12.1 NumPy 2.4.6 SciPy 1.18.1 Matplotlib 3.11.1
Aperture width 31.200000000000003 um; nominal line-focus distance 30.0 um

1. Derive and sample a cylindrical lens phase

For normal incidence, the target outgoing wave has equal accumulated phase at (x,z)=(0,f)(x,z)=(0,f) when ϕ(x)=−kt[x2+f2−f]\phi(x)=-k_t[\sqrt{x^2+f^2}-f]. The paraxial form is −ktx2/(2f)-k_tx^2/(2f). The exact scalar phase is used here. The finite aperture is one-dimensional, so the focus is a line along yy. Compute a continuous ideal aperture, a pitch-wise sampled phase aperture, and a local-library aperture. A fixed grid of global phase offsets minimizes the library selection RMS; no propagated focal metric is used in that selection.

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All fixed-window integrals use the same physical +/- 1.0 um boundaries, with interpolated endpoints.
<Figure size 1375x500 with 2 Axes>

2. Validate scalar propagation

The FFT uses a periodic computational window. The window study holds sample spacing fixed, and the grid study holds the physical window fixed. Both regenerate all three aperture models with the same selected cells and unchanged physical aperture, focal distance, and integration region. The cache reuses shared configurations; no new Maxwell calculation is involved.

Every peak uses the original continuous-aperture peak as one frozen denominator. Fixed-window line intensity is integrated between the same physical endpoints with interpolation, then divided by the physical aperture width for an amplitude-sensitive scalar comparison. The separately reported concentration divides that same integral by each model’s total modeled line intensity. FWHM uses each profile’s own half maximum by definition. None of these scalar ratios is a physical focusing-power efficiency.

The tables retain every refinement, then check the final independent pair for each model: focal-profile change, relative FWHM change, peak change, fixed-window line-intensity change, and concentration change. Limits are declared in the code for this teaching experiment; passing them supports these observables over the tested refinements, not an exact continuum limit or a full-wave finite metalens. Domain guards reject an aperture/region that does not fit, extrapolation, unresolved propagating bandwidth, or a focus without resolved half-maximum crossings.

A homogeneous sampled plane wave also has an exact propagation phase, and retained propagating Fourier bins preserve the discrete field norm. Those limiting checks complement rather than replace the independent aperture refinements.

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Separate window/grid checks passed for continuous, sampled, and local-library apertures under the recorded demonstration tolerances.
Nominal focus: 30.0 um; sampled on-axis maximum: 29.75 um (finite-aperture focal shift is possible).
<Figure size 875x425 with 1 Axes>

3. Jones matrices and geometric phase

Define eσ=(1,iσ)T/2\mathbf e_\sigma=(1,i\sigma)^T/\sqrt2 in the fixed laboratory basis, σ=±1\sigma=\pm1. Use

J(θ)=R(θ) diag(tx,ty)R(−θ).J(\theta)=R(\theta)\,\mathrm{diag}(t_x,t_y)R(-\theta).

Then the same-basis coefficient is (tx+ty)/2(t_x+t_y)/2, and conversion to e−σ\mathbf e_{-\sigma} has coefficient (tx−ty)e2iσθ/2(t_x-t_y)e^{2i\sigma\theta}/2. An ideal half-wave element tx=1,ty=−1t_x=1,t_y=-1 therefore converts fully and contributes phase 2σθ2\sigma\theta.

For a lossless retarder with tx=eiδ/2t_x=e^{i\delta/2}, ty=e−iδ/2t_y=e^{-i\delta/2}, the converted fraction is sin⁡2(δ/2)\sin^2(\delta/2). A rotation angle alone does not guarantee a large converted amplitude. The ideal analytical Jones model here has a common medium and does not describe the TE ridge’s vector response.

<Figure size 1250x450 with 2 Axes>

4. Save model boundaries with the metrics

FWHM and the fraction of modeled line intensity within a specified window are scalar line-focus metrics. They are not a measured or full-wave focusing efficiency, a two-dimensional encircled-energy metric, or proof of a fabricated metalens. Physical dispersion, off-axis aberrations, fabrication tolerance, polarization leakage, and finite-device Maxwell validation require extensions.

Saved wavefront-models.json; model checks passed.

Exercises: change focal distance and aperture width; repeat window/grid checks. Calculate the maximum phase step and discuss spatial sampling. Compare exact and paraxial target phases. Add amplitude apodization and quantify the scalar peak/width/sidelobe tradeoff using a stated normalization. Change Jones retardance and distinguish phase coverage from conversion amplitude.

Reference: Arbabi et al., dielectric phase/polarization control. The ridge supercell, scalar focusing model, and analytical Jones model supply different kinds of evidence and should remain labeled in any report.

References
  1. Arbabi, A., Horie, Y., Bagheri, M., & Faraon, A. (2015). Dielectric metasurfaces for complete control of phase and polarization with subwavelength spatial resolution and high transmission. Nature Nanotechnology, 10(11), 937–943. 10.1038/nnano.2015.186