Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) is an emerging technology that can transform our world by creating immersive experiences for users to interact with the digital world. Currently, 3D displays - one of the key AR components for visual contents - not only have bulky designs but also show limited performance due to small field of view and degraded image quality (caused by crosstalk between view angles). The fast-growing field of flat optics has attracted broad interest for AR development because of their extraordinary control over light propagation. This presentation highlights how planar optical elements ranging from diffractive gratings to metasurfaces provide game-changing solutions for glasses-free 3D display technology. Using rationally designed nanostructures that tailor the optical wavefront properties (such as phase and polarization) with subwavelength precision, these ultrathin optics are driving advances in 3D displays in all aspects: significantly enlarged field of view, suppressed crosstalk, and reduced vergence accommodation conflict. To realize this precise 3D control over light, we established the crucial multiscale fabrication methods that enable scalable production of the AR metasurfaces. We expect that our innovations in glasses-free 3D displays will turn into AR technology that reshapes our everyday life.

© 2022 Japan Society of Applied Physics, Optica Publishing Group