Vortex phenomena are widespread in nature, from typhoons to ocean currents. In the field of optics, vortex beams, which carry orbital angular momentum, have spiral wavefronts and ring-shaped intensity distributions, showing great potential in quantum information processing, particle manipulation, and other applications. However, the ring-shaped intensity and orbital angular momentum of traditional vortex beams are influenced by the topological charge, limiting their use in scenarios involving multiple beam superposition. The advent of perfect vortex beams has addressed this issue their ring-shaped intensity distribution remains constant, and the beam diameter is independent of the topological charge, offering new possibilities for high-precision optical applications. Nevertheless, traditional methods for generating perfect vortex beams rely on optical elements such as spiral phase plates and axicons, which pose challenges due to the complexity of the system, large volume, and stringent alignment requirements.
Metasurfaces, as two-dimensional engineered materials, can precisely manipulate electromagnetic wavefronts through subwavelength units. They offer advantages such as compact structure, ease of integration, and simple fabrication, making them an ideal platform for the miniaturization and integration of perfect vortex beam generation. Based on this, the research team led by Xu Feng Jing at China Jiliang University has systematically reviewed the latest advancements in metasurfaces for the generation and control of perfect vortex beams, providing a comprehensive reference for future research and applications in this field.
The research team led by Xufeng Jing at China Jiliang University was invited to publish a review article titled " Research Progress on Generating Perfect Vortex Beams Based on Metasurfaces" in Opto-Electronic Science , Volume 4, 2025 (DOI: 10.29026/oes.2025.250007). The article systematically reviews the latest advancements in the field of generating and controlling perfect vortex beams using metasurfaces.
The paper is organized into three main sections:
Conclusion:
This review comprehensively summarizes the technological breakthroughs and current application status of metasurfaces in the generation of perfect vortex beams. It highlights the challenges metasurfaces face in areas such as broadband applicability, high topological charge purity of the beams, and control over fabrication costs. Future research can further improve the generation quality and application flexibility of perfect vortex beams by developing low-loss, high-refractive-index new materials, optimizing nanofabrication processes, and constructing dynamically tunable metasurfaces. These advancements are expected to drive the industrial application of perfect vortex beams in cutting-edge fields such as quantum information, super-resolution imaging, and laser processing.
Funding Support: This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 62175224), the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation (Project No. LY22F050001), and the Zhejiang Provincial High-Level Talent Special Support Program (Project No. 2021R52032).
Introduction of the research group:
The research team led by Professor Xufeng Jing at China Jiliang University primarily focuses on metamaterials, metasurfaces, micro-nano photonics, terahertz waves, microwave communications, and coded metamaterials metasurfaces. In recent years, they have published several high-level papers in renowned international journals such as Opto-Electronic Science, Opto-Electronic Advances, and Nanophotonics. Their research findings provide key technical support for the application of metasurfaces in fields such as optical communication, particle manipulation, and biomedicine.
Read the full article here: https://www.oejournal.org/oes/article/doi/10.29026/oes.2025.250007
Opto-Electronic Science
From Generation to Complex Control - Metasurfaces Make Perfect Vortex Beams "Within Reach"
25-Nov-2025