Optical Metasurfaces 2024

Key Features 

• Presentation of the concepts
• Presentation of the industrial ecosystem
• Analysis on hypothetical value chains and business models
• Forecast on the number of modules, wafers and revenue within the 2019 – 2029 timeframe

What’s new?

Yole Group analyses Optical Metasurfaces for the first time this year with a focus on Displays and Imaging applications.

Product objectives:

To give:

• A definition of optical metasurfaces as diffractive gratings in the context of imaging and display applications.
• The various market demands and strategic assessments.
• An overview of the supply chain.
• An estimation of market growth until 2029, including the number of modules, wafers, and revenue.
• An understanding of the different technical solutions and choices.

Metasurfaces will enable AR display and optimize camera performance and designs

The optical metasurfaces industry is projected to experience significant growth, with market size expected to increase from $62 million in 2023 to $1.925 billion by 2029. This expansion is largely driven by the industry's role in emerging display and imaging applications. In the display sector, metasurfaces are poised to play a key role in augmented reality (AR), offering a cost-effective and high-performance solution for AR eyepieces. The segment is expected to reach $1.399 billion in revenue by 2029, contingent on the consumer AR market gaining traction. Another contribution will come from the 3D naked-eye display space for high-end screens, where the metasurfaces are entering. In the imaging sector, metasurfaces are anticipated to reduce costs, enhance image quality, and introduce new sensing capabilities. The mobile sector, particularly in 3D sensing for autofocus assistance and facial recognition, is expected to be the primary driver of growth, contributing significantly to the $526 million in revenue that the imaging segment is projected to reach by 2029. Future applications, such as metasurfaces in color imaging and integrated CMOS sensors, could further expand the market if successfully developed.

The whole supply chain has a role to play in the emergence of metasurfaces

The manufacturing sector plays a pivotal role in the development of optical metasurfaces, bridging the gap between innovative designs from research groups and their implementation in consumer devices by OEMs like Apple, Samsung, and Meta. This field is characterized by a mix of emerging companies, such as Metalenz, NILT, and Pixelligent, alongside established firms like TSMC and EV Group. The primary challenge for these manufacturers is to accurately and cost-effectively bring complex designs to life while securing early trust from OEMs. Smaller, more agile companies are leveraging their ability to prototype quickly and collaborating across the supply chain to meet the demands of this rapidly evolving technology. In contrast, established manufacturers outside the metasurface domain may struggle to adapt to some of these new requirements.

Design and manufacturing, entangled challenges

Optical metasurfaces are cutting-edge diffractive optical elements, with patterns meticulously designed to operate in the visible to near-infrared wavelength range (400-1,000 nm). These structures, often composed of "linear" gratings or nanopillar arrays, achieve their optical functions through precise engineering of their material composition, as well as the shape, size, and arrangement of the nanostructures. As the industry explores the vast potential of metasurfaces, two primary manufacturing processes have emerged: traditional semiconductor techniques and the more disruptive nanoimprint lithography (NIL). While semiconductor methods are currently favored for complex imaging metasurfaces, NIL's ability to rapidly and cost-effectively pattern polymer resists on a large scale is particularly appealing for high-volume applications like AR displays. The integration of high-refractive-index polymers and advanced materials is critical to meeting the mechanical and optical demands of these processes. As the metasurface field matures, a continuous feedback loop between theoretical design and manufacturing will be essential to bringing these groundbreaking technologies to commercial fruition.

Glossary

Table of contents

About the authors

Companies cited

Methodology and definitions

Identity Card

Scope of work

Three-page summary

Executive summary

Context

Market forecast

• Market forecast – End-systems
• Smartphone
• Computing (Tablets, Notebooks, Monitors)
• AR & VR
• TV
• Market forecast – Optical Metasurface for Display
• 2019 – 2029 AR glasses taxonomy roadmap
• 2019 – 2029 DOE AR eyepiece revenue forecast
• 2019 – 2029 DOE for AR eyepiece wafer forecast
• 2019 – 2029 3D naked eye displays market forecast (Units, Surface, Revenue)
• Market forecast - Optical Metasurface for Imaging
• 2019 – 2029 Standalone imaging metasurfaces forecast
• 2019 – 2029 Standalone imaging metasurfaces, wafer start (12-inch equivalent)
• 2019-2029 CIS metasurfaces forecasts
• Market forecast – Synthesis
• Metasurfaces market value in display and imaging

Market trends

• Market trends – AR 
• AR eyepiece roadmap
• 2019 – 2029 Regular vs. Waveguide optics for AR balance forecast
• Market trends – 3D naked eye display
• The multiple engines of 3D naked eye adoption
• A potential roadmap toward consumers mass adoption
• Market trends – Imaging
• Imaging metasurfaces time to market
• Where do metasurfaces fit?
• Imaging metasurfaces: scenario of adoption
• Market trends – synthesis
• Applications leads to various risks and rewards (SWOT)

Ecosystem and supply chain

• Ecosystem and supply chain – Overview
• Typical value chain
• Industry news
• Investments
• The impact of metasurfaces on the display and imaging industries
• The room of optical metasurfaces in the AR supply chain
• Imaging: potential impact of metasurfaces on Apple’s Face ID supply chain (example)
• Synthesis

Technology trends

• Zoology of metasurface technologies
• AR optical couplers
• 3D naked eye display
• Metasurface for imaging applications
• Manufacturing of metasurfaces
• Two families of processes – size, design and cost to be considered
• Process comparison
• Evolution of manufacturing process and materials?
• Technology trends – synthesis
• Roadmap

Conclusion

About Yole group

3M, AAC Optics, Acer, AddOptics, AGC, Allresist, Alpha Cen, Amazon, ams-OSRAM, Ansys, Anteryon, Apple, Applied Materials, Asia Optical, ASML, Avegant, Canon, CEA-LETI, Cellid, Coherent, Continental, Coretronic, Corning, DELO, Diffrar, Dimenco, Dispelix, DJI, Edgehog, EssilorLuxottica, Eulitha, EV Group, Focuslight Technologies, Genius Electronic Optical, GIS, GoerTek, Google, Henkel, Himax, Honor, Hoya, Huawei, immersity AI, Inkron, JBD, Jiangfang Optoelectronics (WLOPT), Largan Precision, Leia Inc., LG Innotek, LightTrans, Lumotive, Luxexcel, Magic Leap, Meizu, Meta, Metahelios, Metalenz, Micro Resist Technology, Microoled, Microsoft, Mitsui Chemicals, Morphotonics, Moxtek, Myrias Optics, Namuga, Nanoscribe, Nata, NIL Technology, OHARA, Omnivision, Oppo, Oxford Instruments, Pixelligent, PlanOpSim, Qualcomm, Quanta Computer, Raith, RayBan, RayNeo, Samsung, Schott, scia Systems, SCIL Nanoimprint solutions, Scivax, SIONYX, Snapchat, Solnil, Sony, Stensborg, STMicroelectronics, Sumitomo Chemical, Sunny Optical, Süss MicroTec, Synopsys, TEL, Toppan, TSMC, Tunoptix, UMC, Valeo, Veeco, Vertilite, Viavi Solutions, VisEra, VividQ, Vivo, Vuzix, WaveOptics, Xiaomi, XREAL, Zeiss and more.