Enhanced Infrared Vision by Nonlinear Up-Conversion in Nonlocal Metasurfaces

The ability to detect and image short-wave infrared light has important applications in surveillance, autonomous navigation, and biological imaging. However, the current infrared imaging technologies often pose challenges due to large footprint, large thermal noise and inability to augment infrared and visible imaging. Here, infrared imaging is demonstrated by nonlinear up-conversion to the visible in an ultra-compact, high-quality-factor lithium niobate resonant metasurface. Images with high conversion efficiency and resolution quality are obtained despite the strong nonlocality of the metasurface. The possibility of edge-detection image processing augmented with direct up-conversion imaging for advanced night vision applications is further shown. Imaging of short-wave infrared (IR) light has essential applications in surveillance and autonomous navigation. However, it typically relies on complex cameras that incorporate narrow-band semiconductors. This research demonstrates IR imaging using nonlinear up-conversion to the visible with an ultra-compact, high-quality-factor lithium niobate metasurface. Despite the strong metasurface nonlocality, the method produces high-quality images with efficient conversion and high resolution. image