Research progress on the principle and application of metalenses based on metasurfaces

The metalens discussed in this article is a planar optical device built on metasurfaces, utilizing precisely engineered subwavelength nanostructured wires to manipulate electromagnetic waves. This enables precise control over the phase, amplitude, and polarization of these waves. Recent advancements in metalens research primarily focus on their design principles, performance optimization, imaging enhancement, manufacturing techniques, and various application domains. This article reviews the progress in metalens development, highlighting their design principles across different frequency bands and their applications in science and technology. Future research directions are expected to emphasize material innovation, simplification of manufacturing processes, and further performance improvements to drive their adoption in cutting-edge fields. (c) 2025 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).