Fowler Engineering Presents: Multiscale Modeling of Hybrid Metaoptics Refractive Lenses

Speaker: Dr. Philip Hon

Abstract: Northrop Grumman Corporation’s NG Next conducts basic research in collaboration with universities, government laboratories, and small businesses. In this seminar, an overview of the organization’s research will be highlighted, followed by a survey of recent work in maturing planar optics.

Combining planar optics such as metalenses or metacorrectors with conventional lenses can drastically improve the optical performance of imaging systems with additional benefits such as cost, size and weight improvements. However, incorporating metacorrectors into conventional lens design requires multiscale simulations to account for the different length scale interactions. Namely, full wave scattering and geometric optics analysis is needed for the metacorrector and hybrid lens design, respectively. Multiscale inverse optimization using Sandia National Laboratories’ MIRaGE along with different wave propagation techniques and commercial-off-the-shelf GO tools are considered to accurately predict hybrid design optical performance.

Bio: As the Nanophotonics and Plasmonics Group Lead within Northrop Grumman's NG Next’s Basic Research, Dr. Philip Hon leads a group of multidisciplinary Research Scientists in conducting use-inspired, scientifically fundamental research. The team investigates light matter interaction in the nanoscale regime, which have revealed unique absorption, scattering, and transmission characteristics. Recently published work includes optical coatings for radiative cooling, broadband planar optics, and optimized nanophotonic devices using global optimization algorithms. He is the NG program manager of an AFRL Seedlings for Disruptive Capabilities Program. He also holds a visiting researcher appointment at Caltech and USC and is a part-time lecturer at UCLA.