South Korean tech giant Samsung is collaborating with Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) to develop a novel "metalens" technology that promises to significantly reduce the thickness of camera modules for future smartphones and extended reality (XR) headsets without sacrificing optical performance. The research findings were recently published in the prestigious international journal Nature Communications.
Unlike traditional lenses that rely on curved glass to refract light, metalens utilize nanostructures thinner than a human hair to control the path of light. This technology was jointly led by Samsung Senior Researcher Dr. Jung-keun Yoon and POSTECH Professor Jun-seok Na. The research team developed a "two-thirds wavelength phase delay" method that effectively avoids the tall and fragile nanopillar structures required in previous metalens, thereby improving the lens' durability and mass production feasibility. Experimental results show that the thickness of camera modules using this technology can be reduced from the current 2 mm to 1.6 mm, a reduction of approximately 20%.
In practical applications, the research team has successfully used this metalens in infrared eye-tracking cameras in XR headsets. Tests have shown that the system can achieve accurate iris recognition and pupil tracking within a field of view of up to 120 degrees, while significantly improving image clarity, with the modulation transfer function (MTF) increasing from 50% to 72%, resulting in richer image detail. This advancement provides key technical support for future lightweight, high-performance XR devices.
Samsung stated that its next step will be to expand this technology to the visible light band for application in smartphone main cameras. In recent years, to improve photography, especially in low-light conditions, mobile phone camera sensors have continued to grow in size, leading to an increasingly prominent problem called "camera bump," a phenomenon that has garnered widespread attention in models such as the vivo X200 Ultra. The introduction of metal lenses is expected to significantly reduce the size of lens modules while maintaining or even improving image quality, helping mobile phone designs return to a simpler, more streamlined appearance.
