Non-invasive and fully two-dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields enabled by photonic spin-decoupled metasurfaces

Abstract Transparent flow field visualization techniques play a critical role in engineering and scientific applications. They provide a clear and intuitive means to understand fluid dynamics and its complex phenomena, such as laminar flow, turbulence, and vortices. However, achieving fully two-dime...

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Main Authors: Qingbin Fan, Peicheng Lin, Le Tan, Chunyu Huang, Feng Yan, Yanqing Lu, Ting Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-03-01
Series:Light: Science & Applications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-025-01793-2
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author Qingbin Fan
Peicheng Lin
Le Tan
Chunyu Huang
Feng Yan
Yanqing Lu
Ting Xu
author_facet Qingbin Fan
Peicheng Lin
Le Tan
Chunyu Huang
Feng Yan
Yanqing Lu
Ting Xu
author_sort Qingbin Fan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Transparent flow field visualization techniques play a critical role in engineering and scientific applications. They provide a clear and intuitive means to understand fluid dynamics and its complex phenomena, such as laminar flow, turbulence, and vortices. However, achieving fully two-dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields under non-invasive conditions remains a significant challenge. Here, we present an approach for achieving flow field visualization by harnessing the synergistic effects of a dielectric metasurface array endowed with photonic spin-decoupled capability. This approach enables the simultaneous acquisition of light-field images containing flow field information in two orthogonal dimensions, which allows for the real-time and quantitative derivation of multiple physical parameters. As a proof-of-concept, we experimentally demonstrate the applicability of the proposed visualization technique to various scenarios, including temperature field mapping, gas leak detection, visualization of various fluid physical phenomena, and 3D morphological reconstruction of transparent phase objects. This technique not only establishes an exceptional platform for advancing research in fluid physics, but also exhibits significant potential for broad applications in industrial design and vision.
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id doaj-art-c5a5076ea18e46a081e9e9f7542f3efa
institution DOAJ
issn 2047-7538
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publishDate 2025-03-01
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series Light: Science & Applications
spelling doaj-art-c5a5076ea18e46a081e9e9f7542f3efa2025-08-20T02:47:07ZengNature Publishing GroupLight: Science & Applications2047-75382025-03-0114111110.1038/s41377-025-01793-2Non-invasive and fully two-dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields enabled by photonic spin-decoupled metasurfacesQingbin Fan0Peicheng Lin1Le Tan2Chunyu Huang3Feng Yan4Yanqing Lu5Ting Xu6National Laboratory of Solid-State Microstructures and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing UniversityNational Laboratory of Solid-State Microstructures and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing UniversityNational Laboratory of Solid-State Microstructures and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing UniversityNational Laboratory of Solid-State Microstructures and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing UniversitySchool of Electronic Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing UniversityNational Laboratory of Solid-State Microstructures and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing UniversityNational Laboratory of Solid-State Microstructures and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing UniversityAbstract Transparent flow field visualization techniques play a critical role in engineering and scientific applications. They provide a clear and intuitive means to understand fluid dynamics and its complex phenomena, such as laminar flow, turbulence, and vortices. However, achieving fully two-dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields under non-invasive conditions remains a significant challenge. Here, we present an approach for achieving flow field visualization by harnessing the synergistic effects of a dielectric metasurface array endowed with photonic spin-decoupled capability. This approach enables the simultaneous acquisition of light-field images containing flow field information in two orthogonal dimensions, which allows for the real-time and quantitative derivation of multiple physical parameters. As a proof-of-concept, we experimentally demonstrate the applicability of the proposed visualization technique to various scenarios, including temperature field mapping, gas leak detection, visualization of various fluid physical phenomena, and 3D morphological reconstruction of transparent phase objects. This technique not only establishes an exceptional platform for advancing research in fluid physics, but also exhibits significant potential for broad applications in industrial design and vision.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-025-01793-2
spellingShingle Qingbin Fan
Peicheng Lin
Le Tan
Chunyu Huang
Feng Yan
Yanqing Lu
Ting Xu
Non-invasive and fully two-dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields enabled by photonic spin-decoupled metasurfaces
Light: Science & Applications
title Non-invasive and fully two-dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields enabled by photonic spin-decoupled metasurfaces
title_full Non-invasive and fully two-dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields enabled by photonic spin-decoupled metasurfaces
title_fullStr Non-invasive and fully two-dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields enabled by photonic spin-decoupled metasurfaces
title_full_unstemmed Non-invasive and fully two-dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields enabled by photonic spin-decoupled metasurfaces
title_short Non-invasive and fully two-dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields enabled by photonic spin-decoupled metasurfaces
title_sort non invasive and fully two dimensional quantitative visualization of transparent flow fields enabled by photonic spin decoupled metasurfaces
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-025-01793-2
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