  The emergence of van der Waals (vdW) materials resulted in the discovery of
their giant optical, mechanical, and electronic anisotropic properties,
immediately enabling countless novel phenomena and applications. Such success
inspired an intensive search for the highest possible anisotropic properties
among vdW materials. Furthermore, the identification of the most promising
among the huge family of vdW materials is a challenging quest requiring
innovative approaches. Here, we suggest an easy-to-use method for such a survey
based on the crystallographic geometrical perspective of vdW materials followed
by their optical characterization. Using our approach, we found As2S3 as a
highly anisotropic vdW material. It demonstrates rare giant in-plane optical
anisotropy, high refractive index and transparency in the visible range,
overcoming the century-long record set by rutile. Given these benefits, As2S3
opens a pathway towards next-generation nanophotonics as demonstrated by an
ultrathin true zero-order quarter-waveplate that combines classical and the
Fabry-Perot optical phase accumulations. Hence, our approach provides an
effective and easy-to-use method to find vdW materials with the utmost
anisotropic properties.
