Holographic Video with 3D Images May be Cheaper and Larger with New Technique

Holographic video may not be a thing of the future. It could be happening right now. Holographic video displays, featuring 3D images, are about to get larger and become a lot more affordable at the same time, thanks to scientists.

When it comes to holographic displays, it's all about manipulating light. Three of the current primary methods include reflection, refraction and diffraction. In this case, though, the researchers used surface acoustic waves as a dynamic pattern of lines to control light's angle and color composition.

This technique works on the surface of a special crystal called lithium niobate, which boosts excellent optical properties. Beneath the surface of the crystal, microscopic channels, or "waveguides," are created to confine light passing through. A metal electrode is then deposited onto each waveguide, which can produce surface acoustic waves. This, in turn, creates a new type of color display.

So what does this mean for holographic video displays? We no longer have to rely on color filter wheels or dedicated red and blue pixels. This makes it far less expensive than previous approaches.

"We can use this technology to make simple and inexpensive color waveguide displays-including inexpensive holographic video displays," said Daniel Smalley, one of the researchers, in a news release. "This can drop the cost of a holographic video display from tens of thousands of dollars to less than a thousand."

The new color display technology could be a big step forward when it comes to creating large holographic video displays that are affordable. In the near future, we could see video displays that are room-sized and available to the public.

The findings are published in the journal Review of Scientific Instruments.

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