Major events in the field of optical thin films in the first half of 2017

In the first half of 2017, many significant events and breakthroughs occurred in the field of optical thin films. These advances not only affect the research and development direction in this field, but also lay the foundation for future technological innovation. The following are some important events worth noting: Development of a new ultra-thin lens. Earlier this year, a research team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced that they had successfully developed a new ultra-thin lens with a thickness of only a few nanometers. This type of lens is manufactured through a technique called stimulated Brillouin scattering, which is much lighter than traditional glass or plastic lenses and can achieve higher quality optical imaging effects. This technology is expected to be applied in smartphones, cameras, and other small devices in the future. The innovation of holographic display technology was showcased by multiple companies at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The most eye-catching among them is the DeePoon M2 phone launched by a company called Leia. This phone is equipped with a special screen and software, which can provide a true stereoscopic visual experience without using 3D glasses. This marks another step forward in the application of holographic display technology in daily electronic products. The commercialization process of quantum dot technology is accelerating. With the increasing demand for ultra-high definition televisions, quantum dot technology has become a hot topic in the market. Samsung launched a new QLED series TV product line earlier this year, using advanced quantum dot materials to improve color performance and energy efficiency. Meanwhile, other brands such as TCL and Hisense have also followed suit and released their own quantum dot TV products. It is expected that quantum dot TV will gradually replace traditional LCD TV as one of the mainstream choices in the coming years. Researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne announced in May this year that they have made a significant breakthrough in perovskite/silicon series solar cells, achieving an energy conversion efficiency of over 26% – one of the highest records to date. This achievement provides new ideas for the development of the next generation of efficient and low-cost solar cells. Adaptive contact lenses have emerged. South Korean scientists have recently invented a type of contact lens that can automatically adjust its transparency based on surrounding light. This new type of contact lens uses color changing lens technology and flexible circuit board design, allowing wearers to achieve the best field of view quality under different lighting conditions. In addition, the researchers also plan to add health monitoring functions for them, for example, to help diabetes patients manage their condition by detecting the glucose level in tears. The above is just a small part of the many highlights in the field of optical thin films in the first half of 2017. With the continuous progress of technology and the increasing demand for higher performance optical products in society, we have reason to believe that there will be more exciting new discoveries and products in the future.