Hybrid Meta-Optics Enabled Compact Augmented Reality Display with Computational Image Reinforcement

Abstract

Design challenges in reducing the size, weight, and off-axis aberrations of projection lenses often pose obstacles to the miniaturization of augmented reality (AR) devices like glasses. Here, we present a meta/refractive hybrid lenses (MRL)-based AR projection display illuminated with a MicroLED. The compact system features commercial ability with an entrance pupil diameter of 3.2 mm and a total track length (TTL) less than 7.7 mm, achieving superior resolution and minimal off-axis aberrations with distortion < 2% across a 30° field of view (FoV). The AR glass result also incorporates a hardware-inspired correction neural network with an apparent point-spread-function (PSF) feature. A predeconvolution from light source further corrects the residual system aberration, reinforcing AR image quality. Experiments with this computational enhancement method demonstrate a promoted similarity to the ground truth, validating its reliability and feasibility in increasing the yield rate of compact AR devices.