Complex-Amplitude Janus Metasurface for Asymmetric 3-D Holography

Metasurface holography has emerged as a transformative technology with significant potential in information encryption, virtual displays, and high-capacity data storage. However, developing a holographic display system with ultrahigh information capacity and multidimensional multiplexing remains a major challenge. To address this issue, we propose a Janus metasurface holographic display scheme featuring asymmetric transmission and multi-depth imaging at microwave frequencies, enabled by complex-amplitude modulation. The modified three-dimensional holography method we proposed enables the complex-amplitude modulation devices to acquire the ability of manipulating multi-depth holographic displays. By simultaneously multiplexing the propagation direction and propagation distance of incident waves, a large number of distinct holographic images can be reconstructed throughout the entire propagation space. As a proof of concept, we experimentally demonstrate the reconstruction of five distinct letter images, each located on different planes along opposite propagation directions. The measured results show excellent agreement with simulations, validating the proposed strategy. This approach paves the way for metasurface-based holographic display systems featuring ultrahigh information capacity, robust holographic encryption, and high-efficiency data storage.