Ronny Timmreck, an entrepreneur who specialises in scaling companies, has joined VitreaLab as its new CEO.
VitreaLab develops photonic integrated circuits for AR and VR displays. Each chip contains thousands of fabricated low-loss optical waveguides, which are interfaced with nanoimprinted micro-optics.
The light source can be used as an illumination device for AR projectors for smart glasses or as a backlight for LCD panels in VR displays.
With the new appointment, the former SPIE StartUp Challenge winner is preparing to "scale and transition into a product-driven company."
Quantum light chip shapes output beam angle and collimation
To control light at the microscale, a set of laser diodes, one for each colour (red, green and blue), emits polarised laser light. Coupled with the quantum light chip, the laser light is guided through the waveguides inside the company´s Quantum Light Chip. From one input the light is split through a complex network of waveguides ending at the surface of the chip.
Each ending waveguide is aligned to a nanoimprinted micro-optic located at the surface to shape the output beam angle and collimation. Adapting those elements allows the laser light to be tailored for each application.
Fabricating waveguides inside display glass: femtosecond lasers and wafer positioning
VitreaLab´s technology includes a fabrication process for producing three-dimensional networks of waveguides inside standard display glass. The waveguides are manufactured by direct laser writing, and the chip layout is designed with a computer-based tool.
Following the direct laser writing, a nano-imprint layer is added to the Quantum Light Chip surface, which enables control of the direction and collimation of each laser beam exiting the chip.
The facility is equipped with a femtosecond laser system with an extremely accurate wafer positioning system, which is capable of small series production. The fabrication process and the quality control process are scalable for mass production.
“Ronny takes over at a pivotal time for VitreaLab, as our technology is ready for integration into augmented reality glasses,” the company said in a statement on LinkedIn.
