Integration of chalcogenide-based phase change materials and metasurfaces

Metasurfaces exhibit excellent performance in optical field modulation, but traditional designs are typically fixed once manufactured, which limits their adaptability to dynamic tuning requirements. Then, tunable materials, such as phase change materials (PCMs), have attracted significant attention in nanophotonics due to their ability to reversibly modulate optical and electrical properties through structural phase transitions. Among these, chalcogenide-based PCMs offer distinct advantages over alternatives such as VO₂ and graphene, including lower optical loss and superior phase stability. Integrating chalcogenide PCMs with metasurfaces is therefore anticipated to expand their application potential across emerging photonic fields. This review systematically summarizes recent progress in the integration of chalcogenide PCMs and metasurfaces. Key phase‐transition mechanisms—photo‐induced and electrically driven—as well as integration strategies (direct and indirect) are outlined, along with their respective advantages and limitations. Furthermore, several application areas and future development directions for chalcogenide PCM–metasurface-integrated devices are discussed.