A new upside down fabrication method for light-manipulating metamaterials envelops nanoparticles with a transparent spacing layer followed by a coating of metal. The way the metal coating envelops part of the nanoparticle while maintaining tight, nanometer tolerances allows for a much larger design space than was previously possible.

By turning a traditional lab-based fabrication process upside down, researchers at Duke University have greatly expanded the abilities of light-manipulating metasurfaces while also making them much more robust against the elements.