Retina electronic paper with video-rate-tunable 45000 pixels per inch

TL;DR

This paper introduces Retina Electronic Paper, a high-resolution display with 45,000 pixels per inch using tunable meta-pixels, enabling immersive virtual reality experiences with high contrast and video capability.

Contribution

It presents a novel electrically tunable meta-pixel technology that achieves ultra-high resolution and optical performance suitable for near-eye displays.

Findings

Achieved >45,000 PPI resolution with WO3 nanodiscs.

Enabled real-time video display at 25 Hz.

Maintained high reflectance (~80%) and optical contrast (~50%).

Abstract

As demand for immersive experiences grows, displays are moving closer to the eye with smaller sizes and higher resolutions. However, shrinking pixel emitters reduce intensity, making them harder to perceive. Electronic Papers utilize ambient light for visibility, maintaining optical contrast regardless of pixel size, but cannot achieve high resolution. We show electrically tunable meta-pixels down to ~560 nm in size (>45,000 PPI) consisting of WO3 nanodiscs, allowing one-to-one pixel-photodetector mapping on the retina when the display size matches the pupil diameter, which we call Retina Electronic Paper. Our technology also supports video display (25 Hz), high reflectance (~80%), and optical contrast (~50%), which will help create the ultimate virtual reality display.