Bridging Optical and Mechanical Metamaterial/Metasurface Realms Toward Integrated Meta‐Systems

ABSTRACT Metamaterials, metasurfaces, and underlying structures introduce an additional degree of freedom, geometry, and tunability in materials design spaces in optics, mechanics, and other functionalities. Materials with a negative index of refraction, realized through precise geometric light‐matter‐geometry interactions, were the first experimental demonstration of metamaterials. Since then, the field has expanded to cover various metamaterial and metasurface functionalities, including mechanical, thermal, electrical, and magnetic, further growing the tunable class of multi‐functional metamaterials. Despite the research growth, challenges remain in coupling different functionalities to create high‐impact devices and systems capable of dynamic modulation and programmable non‐traditional multifunctionality beyond individual properties. This perspective provides a brief overview of classical optical and mechanical metamaterial fundamentals before discussing optomechanical coupling within multifunctional metamaterials and their corresponding systems. Next, we briefly discuss integrated metamaterial systems for real‐world applications across diverse applications, spanning sensing, optical communication, augmented reality, and energy harvesting. Finally, we suggest a future outlook on the field of multifunctional metamaterials, including the next steps of metamaterials selection and design, followed by the importance of computational design and the remaining challenges in scalability and sustainability, while highlighting the necessity for continued advancement in metamaterial fundamentals.