Spin-selective and frequency-shift meta-holography based on reconfigurable origami chiral metasurface

Abstract

Origami-based reconfigurable metasurfaces have emerged as a versatile paradigm for dynamically manipulating electromagnetic (EM) waves due to their advantages, such as low manufacturing cost, lightweight, and structural deformability. Three-dimensional (3D) deformation can intensify asymmetry among structures, making origami metasurfaces particularly suitable for realizing reconfigurable chiral responses. However, previous studies have primarily focused on modulating spectral properties, such as chiral switching and resonant frequency shifting. There remains ample room for further exploration in complex wavefront manipulation and holographic imaging applications. This paper proposes a simple and efficient deformation method for origami metasurfaces that transforms a spin-insensitive planar metasurface into a 3D metasurface by folding. The breaking of mirror symmetry induces a pronounced chiral response. The binary amplitude is modulated within each pixel. When folded at angles of +θ and −θ, the designed origami metasurface generates distinct images under left-handed circularly polarized (LCP) wave incidence. Meanwhile, holographic encryption is achieved under right-handed circularly polarized (RCP) wave incidence. Furthermore, by leveraging origami’s reconfigurability, the holographic imaging’s operating frequency can be shifted. The experimental results agree well with the numerical calculations and full-wave simulations, demonstrating the broad application potential of this method in areas such as multi-channel imaging, information encryption technologies, and stealth.