A new metalens makes cameras slimmer without losing clear view or tracking. It could change how phones and devices look next.
Samsung Electronics and Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) have developed a metalens for eye cameras, enabling thinner XR devices and reducing the height of smartphone camera modules. The change cuts camera thickness by 20% from 2.0 mm to 1.6 mm while keeping gaze tracking, iris feature-point recognition, and a 120-degree field of view. Modulation transfer function (MTF) performance improved from 50% to 72%.
The team overcame technical challenges that had blocked the commercialization of metalenses. They demonstrated light diffraction using a two-thirds wavelength phase delay instead of the full wavelength normally required. This was done by arranging nanostructures in a supercell that kept a constant phase gradient and stable wavefront in the far field.
Since phase delay is set by nanostructure width and height, the reduced requirement lowered the aspect ratio from about 1:10 to 1:5. This decreased structure height without lowering optical performance, making fabrication easier, reducing defects, improving stability, and increasing production efficiency and cost competitiveness.
A metalens is a thin lens that shapes light through nanoscale structures on a flat surface instead of curved surfaces used in traditional lenses. These structures are thinner than a human hair, making them useful for small optical devices. In traditional designs, achieving a one-wavelength phase delay requires building tens of millions of narrow, tall nanostructures, which are hard to produce at scale and prone to damage.
In this study, the team applied the two-thirds wavelength phase delay approach to build an infrared eye camera for XR devices. Despite its reduced thickness and weight, the camera delivered pupil tracking and iris pattern recognition.
Samsung’s role in the project was to show the potential of next-generation photonic devices and create opportunities for product differentiation. The research covered the process from concept to implementation and validation.
The technology is expected to expand into the visible light spectrum, helping reduce smartphone camera protrusion and enabling the miniaturization of imaging sensor systems, opening new paths for device differentiation.
