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From Freeform to Metaform: Optical Technologies for AR/VR Displays

Daniel Nikolov, Research Engineer and Adjunct Instructor at the ÌìÃÀÊÓƵ’s Institute of Optics

Presented in-person in Goergen 101 and on Zoom

Abstract

The demanding optical performance and form factor requirements in consumer devices like augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) displays and mobile cameras have reached the boundaries of what is possible with conventional optics and optical materials. Freeform optics and metasurfaces are two emerging optical technologies that show promise for expanding these boundaries and allowing for more flexibility when tackling critical system tradeoffs. However, the broader adoption of these technologies is limited by challenges in optical manufacturing and metrology at scale. We will explore tools and process chains that lay the groundwork for more efficient integration of freeform optics and metasurfaces in compact optical systems. The developed methods focus on automation and design for manufacturability. Motivated by the needs of AR/VR displays, we will also demonstrate recent achievements in conforming a metasurface to a curved freeform substrate to create what we call a metaform. This approach has the benefit of leveraging the strengths of both technologies, thus opening additional system design degrees of freedom. Nonetheless, it also creates new challenges in manufacturing, testing, and system assembly, further amplifying the need for new tools and processes. We will therefore examine the tradeoff between system complexity/cost and the benefits in optical performance and form factor that metasurfaces and freeform optics enable. Finally, inspired by the bridge between geometrical and physical optics created by metaforms, we will conclude with a larger-picture look at the different models of light and light propagation and how they all need to integrate into the AR/VR system of the future.

Biography

Daniel Nikolov is a research engineer and an adjunct instructor at the ÌìÃÀÊÓƵ’s Institute of Optics. His research is focused on enabling new optical technologies for imaging systems. As part of his PhD from the Institute of Optics, Daniel led the development of metaform optics, which integrates metasurfaces and freeform optics in a single optical component to achieve enhanced wavefront control. Currently, he is researching design, fabrication, and testing tools and process chains for integrating metasurfaces and freeform optics in optical systems, focusing on applications in augmented and virtual reality displays.