Ultra-Compact 1 μm Pixel LCOS Display for Next-Gen AR
High-resolution displays for lighter, more efficient AR headsets
Augmented reality (AR) headsets require compact, power-efficient displays, but traditional Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) technologies face limitations such as bulky form factors, high power use, and colour breakup.
Developed under the National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre (NSTIC) by researchers at A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics and A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, this new LCOS display reduces pixel size to ~1 μm through submicron-thick liquid crystal cells and optical cavity resonances. The design achieves high contrast with ultra-thin layers, overcoming the drawbacks of conventional LCOS.
The display delivers faster switching speeds, lower operating voltages, and significantly improved contrast, making possible lighter, sleeker AR headsets with sharper visuals and longer battery life. This innovation highlights NSTIC’s role in accelerating semiconductor translation and positions LCOS technology for broader adoption in next-generation AR modules.
Scaling Flat Optics with Wafer-Level Inspection Innovation
High-sensitivity inspection for complex optical structures
Flat optics such as metalenses, augmented reality waveguides and diffractive optical elements are transforming applications in displays, imaging and sensing. Yet inspecting these devices at wafer scale remains a major challenge, as their transmission-mode operation, non-conductive materials and non-uniform designs are difficult to assess using conventional methods.
The National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre has developed a prototype inspection tool that uses quantitative phase imaging to measure optical performance and wavefront phase profile across the whole wafer. More sensitive than conventional amplitude-based methods, it supports both 8-inch and 12-inch wafers and can measure metalens focusing efficiency in just 30 minutes per wafer. This capability removes a key barrier in scaling flat optics manufacturing and gives industry greater confidence to bring these next generation technologies into real world applications.
