Optical metamaterials show great potential in imaging, computing, communications and energy technologies. However, their broader adoption has long been limited by several persistent challenges, including single-scale structural design, limited tunability, and complex, high-cost fabrication processes.

In a study published in Nature, a research team from the Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with researchers in Singapore, has proposed a strategy for printing multiscale optical metamaterials and developed a roll-to-roll additive nanoprinting manufacturing system. This system overcomes the long-standing dilemma of balancing cost, customization, and mass production in the field of optical metamaterials.

The researchers first established a multiscale optical framework designed to coordinate material properties with structural architecture across different length scales. Building on this framework, they integrated high-throughput inkjet printing, continuous roll-to-roll manufacturing, and precise interfacial self-assembly to fabricate multiscale optical metamaterials with both scalability and structural precision.

According to the researchers, the fabricated metamaterials efficiently interact with light due to the synergistic enhancement of multiple physical effects, including scattering, photonic band gaps, and total internal reflections, within a single structure.

Through systematic characterization and theoretical analysis, the researchers elucidated the fundamental regulatory principles and core structure-property relationships in cross-scale structural systems. These findings provide new insights into the underlying physics of multiscale optical metamaterials.

The fabricated multiscale printing technology offers a unified metamaterial platform with scalable fabrication capability and multiscale structural design ability, enabling the customized and low-cost manufacturing of hierarchical optical architectures.

Additionally, the as-fabricated metamaterials can be applied to various practical scenarios, ranging from information security to intelligent displays, due to their remarkable flexibility and stability.

Overall, this study addresses the trade-off between optical functionality and engineering performance, providing key insights for multiscale photonics research.