Disordered optical metasurfaces: basics, design and applications

Optical metasurfaces are conventionally viewed as organized flat arrays of photonic or plasmonic nanoresonators, also called metaatoms. However, recent advancements in nanofabrication capabilities and design opportunities have led to the recognition of the advantages of incorporating disorder for specific optical functionalities. This review provides an overview of the principal theoretical, numerical, and experimental aspects concerning the exploration of disordered optical metasurfaces. It introduces fundamental concepts of light scattering by disordered metasurfaces and outlines theoretical and numerical methodologies for analyzing their optical behavior. Various fabrication techniques are discussed, highlighting the types of disorder they deliver and their achievable precision level. The review also explores critical applications of disordered optical metasurfaces, such as light manipulation in thin film materials and the design of structural colors and visual appearances. Finally, the article offers perspectives on the burgeoning future research in this field.