Integrated Metasurface-Freeform System Enabled Multi-Focal Planes Augmented Reality Display

Fig. 1 Schematic of the hybrid optical meta-freeform system for real-time multi-focal planes AR display. (a) The novel AR system integrates a display screen, a multiplexing metasurface, and a freeform lens simultaneously. (b) Catadioptric birdbath structu

Fig.2 Multi-focal plane display of prototype at three distinct distances simultaneously. The image that is outlined by a white frame correspond to different virtual image distances. Both the real and digital scene can be seamlessly transitioned in real ti

A new publication DOI 10.29026/oes.2026.250031, discusses an integrated metasurface-freeform system enabled multi-focal planes augmented reality display.

SHANNON, CLARE, IRELAND, February 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new publication from Opto-Electronic Sciences; DOI 10.29026/oes.2026.250031, discusses an integrated metasurface-freeform system enabled multi-focal planes augmented reality display.

Driven by the advancement of artificial intelligence, augmented reality (AR) display technology is undergoing a leap from laboratory research to commercial application, poised to give rise to new forms of next-generation mobile terminals and usher in a new era of intelligent perception and spatial computing. However, the current approaches to real-time AR display technology are predominantly focused on single-focus plane displays, which lead to accommodation-vergence conflicts and are not conducive to long-duration use.

To address this issue, multi-focal AR display technology has emerged. By generating multiple discrete or continuous virtual focal planes that simulate the depth information of real objects, it has become a key technological pathway for enhancing user experience. Nevertheless, existing solutions struggle to simultaneously meet the optical requirements for multi-depth projection, and the demands for compact form factor and affordable expense. To achieve the natural integration of three-dimensional (3D) digital scenes with real physical environments, there remains a need to explore new optical materials, innovative optical system designs, and novel technological paths.

In response to the aforementioned challenges, Professor Wang Yongtian, Professor Huang Lingling, Associate Professor Yang Tong, and their team from Beijing Institute of Technology, in collaboration with Beijing NED+ AR Ltd., the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the National University of Singapore, proposed an innovative multi-focal plane AR display system that integrates a non-orthogonal polarization-multiplexing metasurface, freeform optical elements, and an OLED display screen. This work, titled "Integrated Metasurface-Freeform System Enabled Multi-Focal Planes Augmented Reality Display," was published in the first issue of Opto-Electronic Science in 2026 and was selected as the cover article.

In this work, the multi-focal plane AR visual effect is realized by the compact and multiplexing metasurface, which performs distinct phase functions across diverse polarization channels. Meanwhile, freeform surfaces offer ample design flexibility for the system. Based on a joint optimization design method combining ray tracing and diffraction theory, the multi-focal-plane digital scenes and see-through paths are synergistically optimized. While maintaining a slim and compact system form factor, good display performance is realized at each focal plane, and the system distortion is well controlled.

The research team successfully developed a solid-state AR prototype system with dimensions of 9.3 cm × 4.5 cm × 4.9 cm, demonstrating excellent compactness. Experimental results show that the system is capable of simultaneously rendering clear digital images on three independent focal planes at distances of 0.7 m, 1.5 m, and 3 m, while achieving seamless integration with the real-world environment. When the observation focus is adjusted to a specific depth, the image on the corresponding focal plane remains sharp, while those on other focal planes exhibit natural defocusing effects, delivering a realistic three-dimensional visual experience. With its compactness, high frame rate, pure solid-state design, and true 3D display capability, the system exhibits significant potential for future applications in mobile intelligent terminals, immersive interactions, industrial visualization, and other scenarios, providing an innovative technical pathway for the development of next-generation high-performance AR display devices.

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (U21A20140), National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFA1401200), Beijing Natural Science Foundation (JQ24028), and Beijing Nova Program (20240484557), Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility (SECUF).

Keywords: augmented reality, metasurface-freeform, multi-focal planes display, non-orthogonal polarization-multiplexing, metasurfaces

# # # # # #
Lingling Huang is a professor in Beijing Institute of Technology. She is a Most Cited Chinese Researcher of Elsevier. She has been selected as Young Scholar of Changjiang River, Beijing Outstanding Young Scientist, a Fellow of Optica, et al. Her primary research focuses on micro-nano optics, holographic display, and optical field manipulation. Professor Huang has led more than ten national-level projects and has published 125 SCI-indexed papers as the first or corresponding author. She serves as an associate editor for journals such as Optics Express and IEEE Photonics Technology Letters. And she has been granted with Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany, Youth Science and Technology Award from Ministry of Education, China, etc.

Associate Professor Tong Yang has long been engaged in teaching and research in the field of optical design. He has published over 80 papers and holds more than 40 authorized invention patents. He has been selected for the Beijing Nova Program and the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by China Association for Science and Technology. His notable awards include the First Prize for Technological Invention and the First Prize for Science and Technology Progress from the Chinese Society for Optical Engineering, as well as the Jin Guo Fan Award for Young Scholars from the China Instrument and Control Society.

Professor Yongtian Wang is a Distinguished Professor in Beijing Institute of Technology, a national-level leading talent, and the leader of an innovation team under the Ministry of Education. He is a Fellow of SPIE, IET, Optica, COS, and CIS. With a long-standing commitment to teaching and research in the fields of technical optics and virtual reality, he has received one National Technological Invention Award and one National Science and Technology Progress Award. He has led key national projects, including 973 Program projects, 863 Program projects, and major scientific research instrument development projects under the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He has authored four monographs, published over 320 SCI-indexed papers, obtained more than 180 authorized invention patents, and spearheaded the formulation of six pioneering national standards.

# # # # # #
Opto-Electronic Science (OES) is a peer-reviewed, open access, interdisciplinary and international journal. OES has been indexed in ESCI, Scopus, DOAJ, and CAS databases, with a Scopus CiteScore Tracker of 30.7 for 2025 and a JCR Immediate Impact Factor of 26.
# # # # # #

More information: https://www.oejournal.org/oes
Editorial Board: https://www.oejournal.org/oes/editorialboard/list
All issues available in the online archive (https://www.oejournal.org/oes/archive)
Submission of OES may be made using ScholarOne (https://mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/oes)
CN 51-1800/O4
ISSN 2097-0382
Contact Us: oes@ioe.ac.cn
Twitter: @OptoElectronAdv (https://twitter.com/OptoElectronAdv?lang=en)
WeChat: OE_Journal
# # # # # #

Zhang SF, Gao LN, Zhao YD et al. Integrated metasurface-freeform system enabled multi-focal planes augmented reality display. Opto-Electron Sci 5, 250031 (2026). DOI: 10.29026/oes.2026.250031

Opto-Electronic Science Editorial Office
Opto-Electronic Science
oes@ioe.ac.cn

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.