image: Figure 1 | Comparison of SiC waveguide and traditional glass waveguide. a, Illustration comparing the SiC waveguide (left) with a traditional glass waveguide (right). b, Static module (top) and display module (bottom) of the SiC waveguide. c, Test results of the AR scene display module.
Credit: Boqu Chen, Ce Li et al.
Since its inception, augmented reality (AR) technology has faced a persistent engineering challenge: achieving a wide field of view (FOV) and excellent display quality within a compact and lightweight form factor. Diffractive waveguide technology is recognized as the mainstream solution for AR displays due to its optimal balance of a thin profile, wide FOV, and mass production potential. However, traditional waveguides use high-refractive-index glass, which leads to bulky, heavy glasses (often exceeding 10-15 grams) and severe "rainbow artifacts"—a visual disturbance caused by ambient light diffraction that disrupts user immersion. While new materials like silicon carbide (SiC) have shown promise, previous prototypes featured complex structures and high manufacturing costs, preventing mass production. Therefore, developing a new AR waveguide technology that eliminates rainbow artifacts, achieves an extremely lightweight design, and is capable of mass production has become a critical industry challenge.
In a new paper published in eLight, a team of scientists led by Professor Min Qiu from Westlake University, Dr. Kaikai Du, and Dr. Lu Cai from Moldnano (Hangzhou) Technology Co., Ltd., have developed a revolutionary solution. The paper's first author is Boqu Chen, a joint Ph.D. student from Zhejiang University-Westlake University. Their work systematically addresses the core challenges in AR displays through concept innovation, principle design, manufacturing, and performance verification.
The key breakthroughs of the research include:
• A New Form Factor for AR Glasses: The team developed an ultra-thin and ultra-light AR glasses prototype based on a SiC diffractive waveguide. Compared to bulky traditional glass solutions that suffer from rainbow artifacts, the SiC waveguide fundamentally changes the device's form and visual experience. The final packaged single-lens waveguide weighs a mere 3.795 grams and is only 0.75 mm thick, representing a revolutionary step in lightweight design. Demonstrations show a clear, interference-free AR world with excellent display quality in both dark and sunlit environments.
• A Breakthrough in Mass Production: The researchers achieved large-area, high-precision production on 4-inch SiC wafers using a "NIL-to-lift-off" process. This technique overcomes the challenges of etching hard, brittle materials like SiC by using nanoimprint lithography to create a metal mask for pattern transfer. The team also developed a low-cost fabrication method for ultra-thin Fresnel lenses to integrate vision correction.
• Verified High Performance and Functionality: Rigorous testing demonstrated the device's superior performance. The SiC waveguide achieved a full-color display luminous efficiency of 1238.10 nit/lm, a 72% improvement over mainstream commercial products, with excellent brightness uniformity. By incorporating an ultra-thin (0.2 mm) Fresnel lens, the team achieved a highly compact design that integrates vision correction directly onto the waveguide, eliminating the need for separate, bulky prescription lenses.
This research successfully delivers a new SiC-based AR display platform that simultaneously solves the critical challenges of lightweight design, full-color rainbow-free display, and mass production. This work provides a viable technological path for consumer-grade AR glasses and highlights the immense potential of SiC as a next-generation photoelectric platform material. Looking ahead, this platform could be optimized for an even wider field of view. Furthermore, SiC's excellent thermal conductivity could allow the waveguide itself to act as a heat sink, enabling a new generation of high-performance, long-lasting AR devices.
This work provides a viable technological path for consumer-grade AR glasses and highlights the immense potential of SiC as a next-generation photoelectric platform material. Currently, this technology is being supplied to several leading companies in the industry, contributing to the technological advancement of the AR display. Looking ahead, this platform could be optimized for an even wider field of view. Furthermore, leveraging the excellent thermal conductivity of SiC, the waveguide itself can act as a heat sink to efficiently dissipate heat from the optical engine and computing units. This "function-structure integration" for passive thermal management is key to enabling a new generation of high-performance, long-lasting AR devices. This research lays a solid technical foundation for the development of frontier fields such as AR, the metaverse, and aerospace, heralding the arrival of a new era driven by SiC photonics technology.
Journal
eLight
Article Title
SiC diffractive waveguides for augmented reality: single‑layer, full‑color, rainbow‑artifact‑free display with vision correction