Revolutionary Achromatic Metasurface Waveguide Set to Transform AR Display Technology

Researchers led by Professor Xiao Wei Sun from the Southern University of Science and Technology have developed an innovative achromatic metasurface waveguide that could revolutionize augmented reality (AR) display technology. Published in Light: Science & Applications, the study addresses the chromatic dispersion challenge faced by traditional diffractive waveguides, which can distort images and limit field of view in AR devices like HoloLens and Meta Orion. By utilizing engineered nanostructures and optimizing metasurface couplers to operate across different diffraction orders for red, green, and blue wavelengths, the team achieved uniform deflection angles and eliminated chromatic aberration. The single-layer design simplifies manufacturing while enhancing performance, ultimately paving the way for superior full-color display quality and expanded field of view in next-generation AR devices.