OLEDs, or organic light-emitting diodes, are thin-film devices widely used in smartphone and television displays to produce vivid, colored pixels. Their flat design and uniform light emission make them ideal for cutting-edge applications such as optical wireless communication, biophotonics, and sensing. Thanks to their adaptability and ease of integration with other technologies, OLEDs are key to advancing compact, light-driven systems.

Figure 1. From Sci-Fi Vision to Real-World Innovation: Breakthrough Brings Holograms to Smartphones.

A holographic metasurface (HM) is an ultra-thin, flat layer made up of nanoscale structures called meta-atoms, each roughly a thousandth the width of a human hair. These tiny structures are precisely engineered to manipulate light in controlled ways, enabling the generation of holograms. Such metasurfaces hold promise for data storage, anti-counterfeiting, optical displays, high-resolution microscopy, and sensing applications. Figure 1 shows From Sci-Fi Vision to Real-World Innovation: Breakthrough Brings Holograms to Smartphones.

Generating Holographic Images

Researchers discovered that by shaping each meta-atom to control how it interacts with light, each one effectively acts as a pixel of the holographic metasurface. As light passes through, its properties—such as phase or amplitude—are subtly altered at each pixel.

Through these minute modifications, the light waves interfere with each other, forming intricate patterns that reconstruct a pre-designed image on the opposite side. This process harnesses the principle of light interference, allowing the metasurface to project complex holographic images from an incredibly compact and flat structure.

Expert Perspectives and Applications

“We are excited to demonstrate this new direction for OLEDs. By combining OLEDs with metasurfaces, we also open a new way of generating holograms and shaping light.”

“Holographic metasurfaces are one of the most versatile material platforms to control light. With this work, we’ve removed one of the technological barriers preventing the adoption of metamaterials in everyday applications. This breakthrough will drive a major transformation in the design of holographic displays, unlocking new possibilities in virtual and augmented reality.”

Together, their insights emphasize how merging OLED technology with holographic metasurfaces could reshape the future of light manipulation, display innovation, and immersive visual experiences.

Until now, researchers were limited to creating only simple shapes with OLEDs, restricting their potential in advanced optical applications. This latest breakthrough, however, marks a significant step forward—paving the way for miniaturized, highly integrated metasurface displays that could revolutionize how light is controlled and projected in compact devices.

Source: SciTECHDaily

Cite this article:

Priyadharshini S (2025), From Science Fiction to Everyday Tech: Breakthrough Paves the Way for Smartphone Holograms, AnaTechMaz, pp.395