APL Photonics (Jun 2024)

Additive 3D printed optical waveguide for augmented reality

  • Dechuan Sun,
  • Gregory Tanyi,
  • Alan Lee,
  • Chris French,
  • Younger Liang,
  • Christina Lim,
  • Ranjith R. Unnithan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0207125
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 6
pp. 066110 – 066110-7

Abstract

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The mass production of augmented reality (AR) waveguides has been challenging due to the intricate nature of the fabrication technique and the high precision required for their optical characteristics. In this paper, we have presented a novel and low-cost approach for fabricating geometric optical waveguides designed for AR applications utilizing 3D printing techniques. To strike a balance between optical performance and fabrication feasibility, we have optimized the conventional geometric waveguide design to facilitate easier fabrication. It is worth noting that our proposed method does not require molding, dicing, or post-surface polishing after printing. A prototype based on this method has been successfully fabricated, showing the immersion between the virtual image and the real-world scene. The proposed method has great potential for adaptation to mass production in various AR applications.