Twist-enabled Transmissive Metasurface with Co-polarized Geometric Phase

Abstract: Metasurfaces have offered unprecedented control over electromagnetic (EM) waves across a wide range of frequency spectrum by manipulating their phase, amplitude, and polarization at subwavelength scales. Full wavefront control using metasurfaces requires 2{\pi} phase modulation, which is essential for advanced optical and photonic engineering. Common approaches, such as the Pancharatnam-Berry (PB) phases and resonant phases, face stringent limitations: PB phases essentially depend on circular polarization conversion, while resonant phases are inherently narrowband and require a complex design process. To overcome these challenges, we propose a broadband metasurface with a co-polarized transmissive geometric phase that achieves 2{\pi} phase coverage while conserving the circular polarization of incident EM waves. This co-polarized phase is enabled by a local twist angle between the upper and lower metallic patterns, forming a branch cut in the parameter space determined by the twist angle and frequency. The branch cut connects phase singularities of opposite chirality, ensuring broadband 2{\pi} phase coverage. We experimentally validate the presence of the branch cut and demonstrate broadband generation of arbitrary orbital angular momentum (OAM) for co-polarized output. Our approach provides a versatile method for designing broadband metasurfaces without altering circular polarizations, paving the way for development of compact optical and photonic devices.