PhotoniX, Volume. 3, Issue 1, 29(2022)

Ultracompact multifunctional metalens visor for augmented reality displays

Yan Li1、†, Shuyi Chen1、†, Haowen Liang2、*, Xiuying Ren1, Lingcong Luo2, Yuye Ling1, Shuxin Liu1, Yikai Su1、**, and Shin-Tson Wu3、***
Author Affiliations
  • 1Department of Electronic Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
  • 2State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
  • 3College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
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    Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have found widespread applications in education, engineering, healthcare, and entertainment. However, these near-eye displays are often bulky and heavy, and thus are not suitable for long-term wearing. Metalenses, with an ultra-thin formfactor, subwavelength modulation scale, and high modulation flexibility, are promising candidates to replace the conventional optics in AR display systems. In this work, we proposed and fabricated a novel reflective dielectric metalens-visor based on Pancharatnam-Berry phase with see-through capability. It achieves diffraction-limited focusing behavior for the reflected red light, while keeping a good transmission spectrum in the visible region. Hence, this single piece metalens-visor can perform the function of two integrated elements simultaneously: an eyepiece and an optical combiner, which in turn greatly reduces the weight and the size of an AR display. We have implemented a proof-of-concept AR display system employing the metalens-visor, and experimentally demonstrated color AR images with good image quality. This work reveals the great potential of multi-functional metasurface devices which enables optical integration in interdisciplinary applications including wearable displays, biological imaging, and aeronautic optical instruments.

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    Yan Li, Shuyi Chen, Haowen Liang, Xiuying Ren, Lingcong Luo, Yuye Ling, Shuxin Liu, Yikai Su, Shin-Tson Wu. Ultracompact multifunctional metalens visor for augmented reality displays[J]. PhotoniX, 2022, 3(1): 29

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    Paper Information

    Category: Research Articles

    Received: Jul. 15, 2022

    Accepted: Nov. 14, 2022

    Published Online: Jul. 10, 2023

    The Author Email: Haowen Liang (lianghw26@mail.sysu.edu.cn), Yikai Su (yikaisu@sjtu.edu.cn), Shin-Tson Wu (swu@creol.ucf.edu)

    DOI:10.1186/s43074-022-00075-z

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