Meta is venturing into the world of augmented reality with its cutting-edge Orion AR glasses prototype. At a staggering cost of $10,000 per pair, the main expense comes from its custom silicon carbide waveguide lenses. Despite this hefty price tag, Meta is optimistic about drastically cutting down these costs in the future.
Silicon carbide isn’t new; it’s a material that’s been around, typically serving as a base for high-power chips due to its efficiency and reduced heat output compared to traditional silicon. However, its complex manufacturing process, inherent material properties, and intricate fabrication present significant hurdles.
While electric vehicles are gradually lowering the costs associated with silicon carbide, achieving cost parity with silicon isn’t on the immediate horizon. Potential expansion into quantum computing introduces another layer of complexity separate from Meta’s AR ambitions.
So, why is Meta so focused on silicon carbide? It’s not the power efficiency that’s being sought after. Rather, it’s the material’s high refractive index, which brings clarity and a broad field-of-view, offering an unparalleled 70-degree field-of-view in the Orion glasses. Users report a transformative experience; it’s like transitioning from a chaotic disco-like display with traditional waveguides to an immersive, symphonic serenity with silicon carbide.
Electric vehicle manufacturers have recently hopped on the silicon carbide train, pushing down prices further. As Giuseppe Calafiore from Meta’s Reality Labs AR team points out, the current landscape of supply exceeding demand is already impacting the cost of substrates. However, EV-targeted silicon carbide wafers are not fit for optical use, focusing instead on electrical attributes.
Looking ahead, opportunities are ripe for producing optical-grade silicon carbide, as Barry Silverstein from Reality Labs suggests. Scaling this production is not just beneficial; it’s strategic. Suppliers are already transitioning from four-inch to eight-inch wafers. Some are even experimenting with massive 12-inch wafers, which could revolutionize AR glasses production.
According to Silverstein, the global interest in silicon carbide’s diverse applications in electronics, photonics, and even quantum computing is undeniable. While challenges persist, the potential benefits are vast. Historically, the XR headset industry has benefited from innovations in broader tech sectors, much like how smartphone display technologies expedited the VR headset market in the 2010s.
Opening an early Oculus Rift DK2 would reveal that it leveraged a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 display. Using such components catapulted the consumer VR industry into the mainstream. It’s a parallel reality, and while tapping into silicon carbide innovations driven by the EV market isn’t straightforward, there’s promise.
Yet, photonics-grade silicon carbide production remains in its infancy, a critical factor delaying Meta’s ability to roll out Orion consumer AR glasses soon. Meta is using Orion internally to prepare for a future public release, potentially before 2030, while eyeing competitive pricing akin to smartphones or laptops, according to Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth.
The drive to make AR glasses a mainstream hit is relentless, with tech giants like Meta, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Qualcomm all vying for dominance. They all aim to establish the next big thing in mobile computing—a world where phones could become obsolete.
