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Visible near-to-eye display technology based on nonlinear frequency conversion

Visible near-to-eye display technology based on nonlinear frequency conversion
Visible near-to-eye display technology based on nonlinear frequency conversion
We present a new approach to near-to-eye displays based on the use of non-colinear wave-mixing in a nonlinear lens material. Conventional approaches to near-to-eye displays—used in Augmented Reality (AR) use linear optics, and this creates challenges with transparency, scatter and eye-glow, with creating 3d wavefront effects and brightness. Our new approach combines two infrared beams to create an exit-pupil that sends light to the viewer’s eye. This approach allows us to create a fully transparent display, with high brightness, high optical efficiency, and the ability to fully control wavefront so as to create a virtual image at any desired distance. The human eye is extremely sensitive to light, and so we need only generate microwatts of light to create a bright image. We can create these outputs used pulsed microchip lasers which offer kW peak powers at mW level average powers.
0930-8989
59-62
Springer Singapore
Smith, Peter G.R.
8979668a-8b7a-4838-9a74-1a7cfc6665f6
Tawy, Goronwy L.
be5a54aa-e151-460f-8f1f-3a99ae4fe540
Bannerman, Rex H.S.
7f7d5c3e-8e5d-45d5-8fd7-8d1511330e08
Gawith, Corin B.E.
926665c0-84c7-4a1d-ae19-ee6d7d14c43e
Kurimura, Sunao
Yagi, Tetsuya
Smith, Peter G.R.
8979668a-8b7a-4838-9a74-1a7cfc6665f6
Tawy, Goronwy L.
be5a54aa-e151-460f-8f1f-3a99ae4fe540
Bannerman, Rex H.S.
7f7d5c3e-8e5d-45d5-8fd7-8d1511330e08
Gawith, Corin B.E.
926665c0-84c7-4a1d-ae19-ee6d7d14c43e
Kurimura, Sunao
Yagi, Tetsuya

Smith, Peter G.R., Tawy, Goronwy L., Bannerman, Rex H.S. and Gawith, Corin B.E. (2025) Visible near-to-eye display technology based on nonlinear frequency conversion. Kurimura, Sunao and Yagi, Tetsuya (eds.) In Laser Display, Imaging and Lighting Conference. vol. 429, Springer Singapore. pp. 59-62 . (doi:10.1007/978-981-96-9782-3_13).

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

We present a new approach to near-to-eye displays based on the use of non-colinear wave-mixing in a nonlinear lens material. Conventional approaches to near-to-eye displays—used in Augmented Reality (AR) use linear optics, and this creates challenges with transparency, scatter and eye-glow, with creating 3d wavefront effects and brightness. Our new approach combines two infrared beams to create an exit-pupil that sends light to the viewer’s eye. This approach allows us to create a fully transparent display, with high brightness, high optical efficiency, and the ability to fully control wavefront so as to create a virtual image at any desired distance. The human eye is extremely sensitive to light, and so we need only generate microwatts of light to create a bright image. We can create these outputs used pulsed microchip lasers which offer kW peak powers at mW level average powers.

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Published date: 16 November 2025

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 511189
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/511189
ISSN: 0930-8989
PURE UUID: b03df545-1e39-4554-9e81-790b2abcc049
ORCID for Peter G.R. Smith: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0319-718X
ORCID for Rex H.S. Bannerman: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1428-6308
ORCID for Corin B.E. Gawith: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3502-3558

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 06 May 2026 16:40
Last modified: 07 May 2026 01:58

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Contributors

Author: Peter G.R. Smith ORCID iD
Author: Goronwy L. Tawy
Author: Rex H.S. Bannerman ORCID iD
Author: Corin B.E. Gawith ORCID iD
Editor: Sunao Kurimura
Editor: Tetsuya Yagi

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