Emerging engineered optical materials, including metasurfaces and metamaterials, offer unprecedented control over electromagnetic behavior by engineering subwavelength structural degrees of freedom. However, a critical "simulation-to-reality" gap persists: current experimental implementations frequently fail to meet the performance bounds predicted by idealized computational designs due to fabrication defects, compositional and morphological material constraints, and coupling effects—still discounted in many simulation and design approaches. Additionally, performance bounds on traditional single layer metasurfaces are increasingly well understood and often (these idealized performance bounds) fail to meet required levels for real-world applications. This motivates foundational efforts to realize multilayer and grayscale (i.e., 2.5D) metasurfaces capable of overcoming these performance bounds. This research opportunity focuses on bridging these gaps through a synergistic program of fabrication-constrained inverse design and rigorous experimental nanofabrication efforts.

This research opportunity will explore the development of next-generation optical metasurfaces. To include projects that focus on (1) metasurfaces that are intrinsically robust to manufacturing imperfections, (2) complex metasurface designs which can overcome performance bounds of conventional single layer metasurfaces, and (3) other cutting-edge experimental efforts, such as flexible and conformal metasurface design and fabrication. Candidates will work with internal and external collaborators to employ advanced computational frameworks to explore vast design spaces involving freeform meta-atoms. Crucially, these algorithms will incorporate constraints that reflect physical fabrication limits (e.g., minimum feature size, aspect ratio, sidewall verticality) and perform uncertainty quantification for process variations through extensive fabrication runs.

The primary focus of this research will emphasize the experimental realization of representative computational designs using state-of-the-art lithographic techniques at the sponsoring laboratory, including (but not limited to) template lithography, electron-beam lithography (EBL), direct write lithography (DWL), and nanoimprint lithography (NIL). The project scope includes the synthesis and processing of emergent high- and low-index dielectric materials and the comprehensive characterization of metasurface devices using advanced spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and microscopy.

Candidates should possess a strong background in optics, applied physics, physical chemistry, materials science, or materials chemistry, with demonstrated expertise in cleanroom micro/nanofabrication and optical characterization. Complementary competency in computational electromagnetics and scientific programming is preferred but not required.

Recent Publications:

[1] "Coronographs for Laser-Guide Star Adaptive Optics at the Starfire Optical Range,” Sun, L.; Schatz, L.; Episcopo, N.; Laurvick, T.; Gaulding, J.; Lankford, M.; Morren, A.; Mateen, M.; Johnson, R.L.; Carter, M.; Stevenson, P.R., Optical Interference Coatings, 2025, ThA, 7.

[2] “Design of fabrication-tolerant meta-atoms for polarization-multiplexed metasurfaces,” Klopfer, E., Idehenre, I., Sessions, D., Carter, M. J., Buskohl, P. R., & Harper, E. S. (2024), MRS Communications, 14(5), 990-999.

[3] “Selection rules for quasibound states in the continuum,” Overvig, A. C., Malek, S. C., Carter, M. J., Shrestha, S., & Yu, N. (2020), Physical Review B, 102(3), 035434.

Distribution A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. AFRL-2026-0486

Computational Electromagnetics; Meta-Optics; Nanofabrication; Nanophotonics Optical Characterization; Optical Materials; Optical Metamaterials; Optical Metasurfaces; Optical Nanomaterials; Optics; Photonics

citizenship

Open to U.S. citizens

level

Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants

Additional Benefits

relocation

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

health insurance

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.