Tunable Nonlocal Metasurfaces for Edge Computing and Processing

Objective: Design, fabricate and characterize tunable nonlocal metasurfaces that perform light-based pre-processing and computing functions on the edge, including Fourier operations, de-noising and object recognition, directly in the optical path of mid-wave infrared thermal-imaging systems under partially coherent illumination. Description: Current thermal-imaging systems rely heavily on digital post-processing to perform feature extraction and image processing, increasing latency, power consumption and system complexity. Recent advances in nonlocal metasurfaces have demonstrated analog optical operations including spatial differentiation, edge detection and image filtering by engineering the optical response in momentum space. However, most prior demonstrations have been limited to coherent illumination in controlled laboratory environments and do not sufficiently address realistic partially coherent mid-wave infrared (MWIR) thermal-imaging conditions. Novel devices are sought to operate directly in the optical path of thermal-imaging systems to perform front-end analog image processing and reduce the computational burden on downstream electronics. Devices should be based on patterned metasurfaces using practical MWIR-compatible materials, including silicon, gallium arsenide or other high-index transparent dielectrics, suitable for scalable fabrication. Offerors must address the effect of partial coherence on device performance and develop predictive design rules linking source coherence, transfer function, contrast, throughput, signal-to-noise ratio, and numerical-aperture compatibility. Preference will be given to approaches providing broadband MWIR operation, low SWaP burden, and clear paths to integration in deployable sensing architectures. Approaches enabling tunability at electro-optical speeds are of particular interest. The successful team will design and demonstrate proof-of-concept devices under realistic illumination conditions. Keywords: nonlocal metasurfaces; analog image processing; edge detection; MWIR; partial coherence; tunable metasurfaces; optical computing. CMMC Level: Level 1