Kuaikeji, June 14 – Media reports indicate that the world’s first automated production line for million-scale volume holographic waveguides, designed and built by Nika Optics, has officially begun operations in the Tianjin Binhai High-Tech Zone.

This achievement represents a significant milestone in the large-scale mass production of China’s consumer-grade AR (augmented reality) core display technology sector, paving the way for cost-effective AR glasses and automotive AR-HUDs to enter the mainstream market.

As a new generation of AI-driven smart consumer devices, AR glasses have long grappled with obstacles hindering their widespread adoption, such as bulky display lenses, substantial light leakage, and high production costs.

Waveguide devices are pivotal in overcoming these challenges. Compared to other technological solutions, volume holographic waveguides are recognized by the industry as one of the key technological pathways for consumer-grade AR devices, owing to their unique physical attributes, including zero display information leakage, an appearance similar to ordinary lenses, ultra-high transparency, and a lightweight design.

Du Youcheng, the Founder and CEO of Nika Optics, explained that AR waveguides, as the core component of next-generation spatial display systems, have long faced the risk of being constrained by foreign countries in terms of underlying high-performance materials and high-precision equipment. Since its inception in 2022, Nika Optics has steadfastly pursued an independent development strategy.

Currently, Nika Optics stands as the first micro-nano optics company in China to achieve full-stack independent research and development, as well as large-scale mass production of volume holographic grating waveguide components.

The newly inaugurated near-eye display waveguide production line in Tianjin boasts an annual capacity of 1 million units. It features a thousand-level cleanroom and a precision environmental control system, leveraging Nika’s proprietary holographic lithography equipment and process platform. With the official launch of this production line, Nika’s combined annual production capacity in Tianjin and Guangzhou will reach 1.3 million units.

It is reported that Nika’s solutions have found widespread application in areas such as consumer-grade AR glasses and automotive AR-HUDs, and the company has forged in-depth collaborations with leading manufacturers in the consumer electronics, automotive manufacturing, and other sectors.

At present, the company has over 1 million units in backlog orders and anticipates its annual output value to reach RMB 60 million to 80 million by 2026.