The nanoscale structures inspired by the natural catenaries can achromatically spin light wave.

Allowing subwavelength-scale-digitization of optical wavefronts to achieve complete control of light at interfaces, metasurfaces are particularly suited for the realization of planar phase-holograms that promise new applications in high-capacity information technologies. Similarly, the use of orbital angular momentum of light as a new degree of freedom for information processing can further improve the bandwidth of optical communications. However, due to the lack of orbital angular momentum selectivity in the design of conventional holograms, their utilization as an information carrier for holography has never been implemented. Here we demonstrate metasurface orbital angular momentum holography by utilizing strong orbital angular momentum selectivity offered by meta-holograms consisting of GaN nanopillars with discrete spatial frequency distributions. The reported orbital angular momentum-multiplexing allows lensless reconstruction of a range of distinctive orbital angular momentum-dependent holographic images. The results pave the way to the realization of ultrahigh-capacity holographic devices harnessing the previously inaccessible orbital angular momentum multiplexing.

A twist on optical multiplexing: Information can be encoded using various properties of light. Optical multiplexing frequency, brightness, and polarization have played crucial roles in information technologies, high-capacity data storage, high-speed communications, and biological sensing. Angular momentum is another degree of freedom that could increase capacity further. Typically, however, the bulk optical elements used to determine the angular momentum of light limit possible on-chip processing. Ren et al. take a nanophotonics approach to measure and sort light co-propagating with different states of angular momentum (see the Perspective by Molina-Terriza). The approach is promising for on-chip multiplex processing of optical signals. Science , this issue p. 805 ; see also p. 774