Samsung tests new OLED display that switches between 2D and 3D without requiring glasses – Firstpost

South Korea’s POSTECH, along with Samsung Research, has published a paper in the journal Nature about a recent breakthrough in display technology. The team has been working on a switchable 2D/3D system that functions without the need for glasses or eye-tracking hardware.

Reports suggest that the new system adds this capability to displays without introducing any considerable bulk. The technology is built around the use of a metasurface lenticular lens, an ultra-thin layer just 1.2 mm thick made up of nanoscale structures that control how light behaves under different matters when emitted.

The new system being tested switches the metalens between concave and convex modes, depending on the polarization controller placed in front of the display. For 2D viewing, such as reading or browsing, the metalens acts as a concave lens, offsetting the convex lens and allowing light to pass straight through like a flat pane of glass, producing a clearer image.

For 3D content, the metalens converts to a convex mode when the controller is off and works with the existing lens to enhance depth of field and widen the viewing angle. Through such a system, it can deliver both the clarity of 2D and the depth of 3D simultaneously.

The technology has been tested on OLED panels using a large-area metalens (50×50 mm), similar to the kind of display technology used in most smartphones today, signaling potential real-world applications. Glasses-free 3D displays have been attempted before, but they typically offer a restrictive viewing angle of around 15 degrees. In contrast, Samsung’s technology delivers a viewing angle of up to 100 degrees.

This expanded viewing angle could broaden the applications of the technology across tablets, medical imaging equipment, and potentially smartphones in the future. The successful demonstration of glasses-free 3D on OLED panels with a wide viewing angle marks a significant advancement in display technology, pointing toward exciting possibilities for next-generation devices.