Samsung and POSTECH develop 1.5 mm-thick optics for AR glasses
Researchers from Samsung and Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) have tested augmented reality glasses featuring a 1.5 mm-thick dual-layer waveguide that maintained image readability in bright daylight.
The waveguide directs light from a miniature projector to the eye, allowing the user to see a virtual image overlaid on their surroundings. In the prototype, this light is redirected by metasurfaces—layers with nanostructures. Researchers adjusted the arrangement of these structures across the waveguide's surface to reduce light loss.
For a full-color image, the team used two layers. One transmits blue and green light, while the other transmits red and green. The prototype achieved a 30° field of view and an 8 × 8 mm eyebox. This eyebox indicates how much the eye can shift relative to the optics while retaining the image.
During testing, white text remained readable under bright daylight conditions. Indoors, the prototype displayed a full-color image even when the display power was reduced to 30% of its original level. The results were published on November 11 in the journal Nature.
The next challenge is to achieve comparable performance with a single-layer waveguide and reduce rainbow halos and blurring under external lighting. The release date for mass-produced glasses with such optics remains unknown.
