An achromatic metasurface waveguide for augmented reality displays

Zhongtao Tian; Xiuling Zhu; Philip A. Surman; Zhidong Chen; Xiao Wei Sun

doi:10.1038/s41377-025-01761-w

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An achromatic metasurface waveguide for augmented reality displays

Original Articles

- An achromatic metasurface waveguide for augmented reality displays
- An achromatic metasurface waveguide for augmented reality displays
- LSA 2025年14卷第4期页码：984-991
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Institute of Nanoscience and Applications, and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
  2.PengCheng Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Author bio：
  
  Xiao Wei Sun (sunxw@sustech.edu.cn)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-025-01761-w
  中图分类号：
- 收稿日期：2024-09-21，
  
  修回日期：2025-01-10，
  
  录用日期：2025-01-16，
  
  网络出版日期：2025-02-25，
  
  纸质出版日期：2025-04-30
- Accepted：
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An achromatic metasurface waveguide for augmented reality displays[J]. LSA, 2025,14(4):984-991.

Tian, Z. T. et al. An achromatic metasurface waveguide for augmented reality displays. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 984-991 (2025).
An achromatic metasurface waveguide for augmented reality displays[J]. LSA, 2025,14(4):984-991. DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01761-w.

Tian, Z. T. et al. An achromatic metasurface waveguide for augmented reality displays. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 984-991 (2025). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01761-w.

摘要

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) displays are emerging as the next generation of interactive platform

providing deeper human-digital interactions and immersive experiences beyond traditional flat-panel displays. Diffractive waveguide is a promising optical combiner technology for AR owing to its potential for the slimmest geometry and lightest weight. However

severe chromatic aberration of diffractive coupler has constrained widespread adoption of diffractive waveguide. Wavelength-dependent light deflection

caused by dispersion in both in-coupling and out-coupling processes

results in limited full-color field of view (FOV) and nonuniform optical responses in color and angular domains. Here we introduce an innovative full-color AR system that overcomes this long-standing challenge of chromatic aberration using a combination of inverse-designed metasurface couplers and a high refractive index waveguide. The optimized metasurface couplers demonstrate true achromatic behavior across the maximum FOV supported by the waveguide (exceeding 45°). Our AR prototype based on the designed metasurface waveguide

exhibits superior color accuracy and uniformity. This unique achromatic metasurface waveguide technology is expected to advance the development of visually compelling experience in compact AR display systems.

关键词

Keywords

references

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