Multiple technological approaches are being pursued for near-eye-displays that combine the real-world perception with the virtual image overlay.
Materion Balzers Optics has played a leading role to industrialize the manufacturing of optical waveguides of both, reflective and diffractive types.
For reflective-type waveguides we have developed highly optimized beamsplitter designs that allow an unobscured view of the physical world while delivering crisp and high-contrast images of the digital content.
Our leading-edge magnetron-sputtering platforms are the workhorse for this coating task and perform it unrivaled to any evaporation system in regards to optical performance and throughput.
As of today, near-eye displays built with diffractive waveguides are still limited in Field-of-View and efficiency due to the lack of commercially available materials with sufficiently high refractive indices.
Our inorganic high-index coatings are a mean to extend the palette of high-index materials allowing to increase the effective Field-of-View and overall efficiency of the waveguide.
Our thin-film materials are compatible with a wide range of commercially available imprint materials that are commonly used in manufacturing of diffractive waveguides for Near Eye Displays.
