Spectral-acoustic-coordinated astigmatic metalens for wide field-of-view and high spatiotemporal resolution 3D imaging

Abstract

Metasurface-based light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is essential for high spatiotemporal resolution three-dimensional (3D) imaging in robotic and autonomous systems. Recent advances in inertia-free scanning techniques-such as acousto-optic and spectral scanning-have propelled the field forward. Nevertheless, key spatiotemporal metrics, including point acquisition rate (PAR), field-of-view (FOV), and imaging resolution, remain fundamentally constrained. These challenges are particularly acute in dual-axis LiDARs, where inter-axis rate mismatch and beam astigmatism degrade temporal and spatial resolution, respectively. Here, we present a wide-FOV, high spatiotemporal resolution LiDAR architecture with astigmatic metalens (AML) coordinated spectral-acousto-optic scanning. Consequently, a frame-wise point acquisition rate (FPAR) of 36.6 MHz (∼5-fold improvement over existing reports) and a wide FOV of 102° are simultaneously achieved. This breakthrough redefines LiDAR's potential for ultra-high-speed, high-precision perception, enhancing applications such as autonomous driving with improved obstacle detection and safety at high speeds.