How Silicon Carbide Crosses Over to AR Glasses

With the rapid development of augmented reality (AR) technology, smart glasses, as an important carrier of AR, are gradually moving from concept to reality. However, the widespread adoption of smart glasses still faces several technical challenges, particularly in the areas of display technology, weight, heat dissipation, and optical performance. In recent years, silicon carbide (SiC), as an emerging material, has gained widespread use in various power semiconductor devices and modules. Now, it is crossing over to become a key material in the AR glasses field. The high refractive index, excellent heat dissipation performance, and high hardness of silicon carbide make it demonstrate tremendous potential in the areas of display technology, lightweight design, and heat dissipation in AR glasses. The following will explore how silicon carbide can bring revolutionary changes to smart glasses, focusing on its properties, technological breakthroughs, market applications, and future prospects.

Properties and Advantages of Silicon Carbide

Silicon carbide is a wide bandgap semiconductor material with excellent properties such as high hardness, high thermal conductivity, and high refractive index. These properties make it have a wide range of potential applications in electronic devices, optical devices, and thermal management. Specifically for the smart glasses field, the advantages of silicon carbide are mainly reflected in the following aspects:

• High Refractive Index: The refractive index of silicon carbide is as high as 2.6, much higher than traditional lens materials such as resin (1.51-1.74) and glass (1.5-1.9). A high refractive index means that silicon carbide can more effectively constrain light propagation, reducing light energy loss, thereby improving display brightness and field of view (FOV). For example, Meta’s Orion AR glasses use silicon carbide waveguide technology, achieving a 70-degree field of view, far exceeding the 40-degree FOV of traditional glass materials.
• Excellent Heat Dissipation Performance: Silicon carbide's thermal conductivity is several hundred times that of ordinary glass, enabling rapid heat transfer. For AR glasses, heat dissipation is a critical issue, especially during high-brightness display and prolonged use. Silicon carbide lenses can quickly transfer heat away from the optical unit, thus improving the stability and lifespan of the device.
• High Hardness and Wear Resistance: Silicon carbide is one of the hardest materials known, second only to diamond. This makes silicon carbide lenses more wear-resistant, suitable for daily use. In contrast, glass and resin materials are more prone to scratches, affecting the user experience.
• Anti-Rainbow Effect: Traditional glass materials in AR glasses are prone to the rainbow effect, which occurs when ambient light reflects off the waveguide surface and forms dynamic colored light patterns. Silicon carbide, through optimizing the grating structure, can effectively eliminate the rainbow effect commonly seen with traditional glass materials, thus enhancing the display quality.

Technological Breakthroughs of Silicon Carbide in AR Glasses

In recent years, the technological breakthroughs of silicon carbide in the AR glasses field have mainly been reflected in the development of diffraction optical waveguide lenses. Diffraction optical waveguide is a display technology based on the combination of optical diffraction phenomena and waveguide structures, which can guide the image generated by the optical unit through the grating in the lens, thereby reducing the lens thickness and making AR glasses look closer to ordinary eyeglasses.

In October 2024, Meta (formerly Facebook) adopted a combination of silicon carbide etched waveguides and microLEDs in its Orion AR glasses, solving key bottlenecks in AR glasses, such as field of view, weight, and optical artifacts. Meta’s optical scientist, Pascual Rivera, stated that the silicon carbide waveguide technology has completely transformed the display quality of AR glasses, turning it from the "disco-ball-like rainbow spots" into a "symphony hall-like serene experience." In December 2024, ShuoKe Crystal successfully developed the world’s first 12-inch high-purity semi-insulating silicon carbide single crystal substrate, marking a major breakthrough in large-size substrates. This technology will accelerate the expansion of silicon carbide in new application scenarios such as AR glasses and heat sinks. For example, a 12-inch silicon carbide wafer can be used to make 8-9 pairs of AR glasses lenses, significantly improving production efficiency.

Recently, silicon carbide substrate supplier TianKe HeDa and micro-nano optoelectronic device company Mude Micro-Nano jointly established a joint venture, focusing on the research and market promotion of AR diffraction optical waveguide lens technology. TianKe HeDa, with its technological accumulation in silicon carbide substrates, will provide Mude Micro-Nano with high-quality silicon carbide substrate products, while Mude Micro-Nano will use its advantages in micro-nano optical technology and AR waveguide processing to further optimize the performance of diffraction optical waveguides. This collaboration is expected to accelerate technological breakthroughs in AR glasses, driving the industry toward higher performance and lighter designs. At the SPIE AR|VR|MR 2025 exhibition, Mude Micro-Nano showcased a second-generation silicon carbide AR glasses lens weighing just 2.7 grams and as thin as 0.55 mm, lighter and thinner than ordinary sunglasses, making users feel almost no weight while wearing, truly achieving "lightweight wear."

Application Cases of Silicon Carbide in AR Glasses

In the manufacturing process of silicon carbide waveguides, Meta’s team overcame the technical challenge of slanted etching. Research manager Nihar Mohanty stated that slanted etching is a non-traditional grating technology that can etch lines at an inclined angle, thereby optimizing the coupling efficiency of light entering and exiting. This technological breakthrough laid the foundation for the large-scale application of silicon carbide in AR glasses. Meta’s Orion AR glasses are a representative application of silicon carbide technology in the AR field. By adopting silicon carbide waveguide technology, Orion achieved a 70-degree field of view and effectively solved issues such as ghosting and rainbow effects.

Meta's AR waveguide technology lead, Giuseppe Carafiore, pointed out that the high refractive index and thermal conductivity of silicon carbide make it an ideal material for AR glasses. After determining the material, the next challenge turned to the manufacturing of the waveguide—specifically, a non-traditional grating technology called slanted etching. Carafiore explained, "Gratings are nanostructures responsible for coupling light into and out of the lens. To make silicon carbide work, the grating must use slanted etching. The etched lines are not arranged vertically but at an inclined angle." Nihar Mohanty added that they were the first team in the world to achieve slanted etching directly on the device. Prior to this, most semiconductor chip suppliers and foundries lacked the necessary equipment for slanted etching.

Challenges and Future Prospects of Silicon Carbide

Although silicon carbide shows great potential in AR glasses, its application still faces some challenges. Currently, the cost of silicon carbide material is high, mainly due to its slow growth rate and processing difficulty. For example, the cost of a single silicon carbide lens for Meta's Orion AR glasses is as high as $1000, which makes it difficult to meet the needs of the consumer market. However, with the rapid development of the new energy vehicle industry, the cost of silicon carbide is gradually decreasing. Furthermore, the development of large-size substrates (such as 12-inch) will further promote cost reduction and efficiency improvement.

Silicon carbide's high hardness also makes processing extremely challenging, especially in micro-nano structure processing, with a relatively low yield rate. In the future, with the in-depth cooperation between silicon carbide substrate manufacturers and micro-nano optical manufacturers, this issue is expected to be resolved. The application of silicon carbide in AR glasses is still in its early stages, requiring more companies to participate in the research and development of optical-grade silicon carbide and equipment. Meta’s team hopes that other industry players will invest in related research, jointly promoting the construction of the consumer-grade AR glasses industry ecosystem.

Conclusion

With its high refractive index, excellent heat dissipation performance, and high hardness, silicon carbide is becoming a key material in the AR glasses field. From the collaboration between TianKe HeDa and Mude Micro-Nano to the successful application of Meta’s Orion AR glasses, the potential of silicon carbide in smart glasses has been fully validated. Although challenges in cost and technology remain, with the maturation of the industry chain and continuous technological breakthroughs, silicon carbide is expected to shine in the AR glasses field, driving smart glasses toward higher performance, lighter weight, and greater accessibility. In the future, silicon carbide may become the mainstream material in the AR industry, opening a new era for smart glasses. The potential of silicon carbide is not limited to AR glasses; its cross-disciplinary applications in electronics and photonics also show great prospects. For example, the application of silicon carbide in quantum computing and high-power electronic devices is actively being explored. With technological advances and cost reductions, silicon carbide is expected to play its unique role in more fields, driving the rapid development of related industries.

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