Selective Color Reflection through Guided Mode Resonance Transparent Metasurfaces

This paper proposes a polymer-based transparent metasurface supporting multiple guided mode resonances in the visible spectrum. The metasurface achieves selective reflection of two or more colors simultaneously, generating distinct and narrow peaks in the reflected spectrum. This capability makes it promising for integration in Augmented Reality (AR) glasses. A conceptual system possibly involves its integration on tilted transparent lenses of a pair of glasses, with a projector mounted on its temples. The metasurface, composed of polymers with high optical transparency, exploits a grating and a waveguide made of Hydex placed on a Cytop substrate, compatible with large-area manufacturing approaches. Simulations show that the metasurface effectively reflects only two distinct colors (i.e. green and red) within the visible spectrum. This feature holds promise for AR systems, particularly in assisting cognitively impaired individuals and for active and healthy aging. This ability to simultaneously reflect multiple colors, makes the proposed metasurface ideal for the creation of visual cues, that can ultimately support communication, memory, decision-making, and home safety.