On September 11, the 25th China International Optoelectronic Exposition kicked off in Shenzhen. After a year of development, North Ocean Photonics（NOP） showcased its latest achievements at the AR/VR exhibition hall. On the first day of the event, Dr. Lou Xinye, R&D Director of NOP, delivered a keynote speech titled "Accelerating the Adoption of AR Smart Glasses with Diffractive Waveguides"

On September 11, the 25th China International Optoelectronic Exposition kicked off in Shenzhen. After a year of development, North Ocean Photonics（NOP） showcased its latest achievements at the AR/VR exhibition hall. On the first day of the event, Dr. Lou Xinye, R&D Director of NOP, delivered a keynote speech titled "Accelerating the Adoption of AR Smart Glasses with Diffractive Waveguides"

Among the various AR optical display technologies, compared to traditional optics, the surface-relief diffractive waveguides adopted by North Ocean Photonics are increasingly demonstrating advantages in ID form, performance, and mass production, making them a strong candidate for consumer AR glasses.

At the same time, given the dynamic and diverse demands of customers, NOP has proposed two important concepts for AR waveguides based on years of practical experience: 1. There is no "hexagonal warrior" in AR waveguides, only "global optimization." 2. The best strategy for AR waveguide manufacturers to serve customers is to provide a "buffet-style solution." The design and production of AR waveguides mainly involve several key elements: optical performance, materials, process routes, appearance, cost, and the final optical system integration (such as light engines and integration with prescription lenses). Currently, it may not be possible to find the optimal solution for each element, and they are often interdependent. Therefore, the most suitable global optimal solution must be sought based on customer preferences.

North Ocean Photonics（NOP）is a high - tech company dedicated to Wafer Level Optics (WLO) and optical integration. NOP has Shanghai R&D + MP site, Suzhou site, Hong Kong site and European material center. Leveraging its long time accumulated technological background and high - precision manufacturing capabilities, NOP is committed to explore novel applications in photonics by adopting innovative approaches in integrated optics.

NOP’s Shanghai R&D + MP site is located in the Lingang Special Area of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone, China. The Lingang site is a fully self-owned Design house + Master shop + MP close loop with ~10,000㎡ clean room (Class 100 and Class 1,000, yellow zone and grey zone), a comprehensive IDM close loop + foundry platform. The cleanroom fully equipped with lithography, dry etching, wet etching, NIL, metrology, dicing, stacking & blackening, reliability & FAE, etc.

NOP is qualified with ISO and IATF16949 standard. NOP has also formed a strong intellectual property portfolio with US, PCT and China patents.

In recent years, drawing on project experience from both international and domestic clients, NOP has prepared five "standard packages" for the market: "Qiushui"、 "Xiaoyao"、 "Mengdie"、 "Fuyao" and "Yingning" each targeting different application scenarios to meet diverse customer needs. To date, NOP's AR waveguide series have been successfully adopted by well-known companies both domestically and internationally. In 2023, diffractive waveguides achieved mass production and shipment in multiple projects. The fifth new series, "Yingning" was released in Q1 2024 and began external sales in Q3, with customer projects already underway. More mass production projects are expected to be launched in mid-2024.

Finally, Dr. Lou stated that NOP is a leader in the transformation of the photonic era. In the coming years, NOP will continue to aim high and execute diligently, leveraging wafer-level optical technology to fully support the rapid development of AI intelligence.