Applications of Silicon Carbide Optical Waveguides - -AR Glasses

Applications of Silicon Carbide Optical Waveguides - -AR Glasses

 

I. Core Technological Advantages of Silicon Carbide (SiC) Waveguides

1. High Refractive Index and Breakthrough in Optical Performance

Silicon carbide (SiC) waveguides offer a high refractive index of up to 2.7 (compared to just 2.0 for glass substrates), significantly enhancing total internal reflection efficiency. This reduces the need for multi-layer waveguide stacks and enables full-color display with a single-layer waveguide. This property effectively addresses the “rainbow effect” in traditional Surface Relief Grating (SRG) waveguides caused by diffraction efficiency variations across wavelengths, while also lowering optical loss—by over 30% compared to glass-based systems.

 

Case Study: After integrating SiC waveguides, Meta's Orion AR glasses achieved an optical engine thickness of less than 5 mm, a 40% weight reduction, and light efficiency improved to 85%.

2. Thermal Stability and Mechanical Strength

SiC has an extremely high thermal conductivity (490 W/m·K), over 100 times that of glass, which efficiently dissipates heat from high-power light sources in AR devices, minimizing thermal distortion. With a Mohs hardness of 9.5 (second only to diamond), SiC also provides excellent wear resistance, making it ideal for long-term use in consumer electronics.

3. Compatibility with Future Technology Trends

SiC supports ultra-wideband transmission from ultraviolet to mid-infrared, ensuring compatibility with next-generation display technologies such as Micro LED and laser scanning. Meta Labs has already validated its performance advantages in holographic projection systems.

 

 

Waveguide Substrate Material	Resin	Glass (incl. High-Index Glass)	Silicon Carbide (SiC)
Illustration	Resin	Glass	S
Refractive Index	1.49–1.6	1.5–1.9	2.7
Optical Bandwidth	Narrow	Medium	Wide
Thermal Conductivity	Low	Medium	Very High
Corrosion Resistance	Medium	High	Very High
Cost	Low	Medium	High
Processing Difficulty	Easy	Medium	Difficult

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II. Market Potential Estimation and Key Growth Drivers

1. Demand Side: Growing AR Hardware Penetration

 

Consumer AR Expansion: Apple’s Vision Pro is driving the industry forward. By 2030, global AR glasses shipments are projected to reach 200 million units, with 30% expected to adopt SiC waveguide solutions—equivalent to 60 million units.

 

Enterprise Applications: Industrial and medical fields are increasing demand for high-brightness, high-temperature-resistant AR devices. SiC waveguides demonstrate clear advantages in extreme environments.

2. Cost Reduction Pathways

 

Current Bottlenecks: The current unit cost of SiC waveguides is around USD 1,000, with materials (high-purity SiC powders) accounting for ~40%. Low manufacturing yield (below 20%) results in material loss costs of up to USD 500 per piece.

 

Cost Reduction Strategies:

Materials: Mass production of 8-inch SiC substrates (expected post-2026) could reduce raw material costs by 30%.

 

Process: Advanced techniques like femtosecond laser cutting can improve yields to over 50%.

 

Scale: Orders from major players like Meta and Apple will drive capacity expansion. As depreciation costs are amortized, unit costs are expected to fall below RMB 1,000 per piece (~USD 140).

3. Market Size Forecast

Conservative Scenario (2030, 6 million units): Unit price at RMB 1,000 → Market size of RMB 6 billion.

 

Optimistic Scenario (30% penetration, 10 million units): Unit price at RMB 1,000 → Market size of RMB 10 billion.

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III. Key Segments in the Industrial Chain and Domestic Opportunities

1. Substrate Materials: Strategic Position of Tianyue Advanced

 

Technological Barriers: Tianyue holds a 14% global market share (2023) in semi-insulating SiC substrates. It has pioneered 8-inch substrate production with dislocation density reduced to below 0.5/cm².

 

Capacity Plans: By 2025, 6-inch SiC substrate capacity will reach 500,000 wafers/year, and an 8-inch pilot line has been commissioned to support AR waveguide production.

2. Processing Equipment and Technology

 

Etching Tools: Advanced ICP etching equipment from AMEC has achieved 5 nm precision, suitable for nanograting fabrication on SiC waveguides.

 

Packaging Integration: Huawei HiSilicon and Sunny Optical are co-developing integrated waveguide-sensor modules, reducing optical coupling loss.

3. Downstream Ecosystem Collaboration

Meta Ecosystem: The Orion AR glasses are scheduled for mass production in 2026, with SiC waveguide orders already placed with Tianyue Advanced, Coherent, and other suppliers.

 

Domestic Substitution: Chinese brands such as Huawei and OPPO are accelerating in-house R&D. In 2024, Huawei unveiled its “StarRing” AR glasses prototype using domestically produced SiC waveguides.

 

Related products

 

4H/6H Semi-Insulating Silicon Carbide Wafer For Production/Research/Dummy Grade