Since October 2017, Osram Opto Semiconductors has been working together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering, TEMICON and Continental on developing very compact and low-profile optical components for illumination or data visualization such as vehicle heads-up displays. The goal of the IBELIVE project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), is to deliver universal processes for space-critical optical component applications such as heads-up displays, ultra-thin camera flashes, and selective direct display backlighting.
Example of vehicle heads-up display. Osram Opto Semiconductors is coordinating IBELIVE project to develop compact optics for vehicle heads-up displays.
In addition to organizing the project, Osram Opto Semiconductors will provide the system concept and is also researching the installation and testing of two application-based demonstrators.
The “IBELIVE” project (the acronym is from the German for Innovative Hybrid Diffusers for Low-Profile Lighting Systems with Tailored Light Distribution) is set to run for three years. One of the issues associated with the aim of the project is the absence of any significant methods of further reducing the profile of the LED chips used as light sources. On the other hand, Osram Opto Semiconductors points out that optics miniaturization has much room for improvement.
The consortium intends to investigate flexible design and manufacturing processes for space-critical applications for data visualization or illumination. They hope to reduce the thickness of the optical elements so that various optical functions can be combined into a compact form. The research consortium anticipates an improvement in energy efficiency due to the much greater proportion of the generated light used for the applications.
The project incorporates the entire value-added chain including the development of optics and volume production, as well as testing of the new technology in sample applications.
For the project, Continental will design and develop two compact head-up displays with different projection light sources. The hybrid diffusers to be created for this purpose play a central role in producing images and efficiently utilizing light in the head-up displays.
IBELIVE Project Research to Focus on Image Quality of Heads-up Displays
This research will focus on image quality that the driver perceives. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering is developing methods and algorithms for designing hybrid diffuser optics, as well as technologies for generating deterministic surface structures.
TEMICON plans to use interference lithography to overlay nano-scale structures and develop injection stamping and molding technologies for the replication of thin two-sided hybrid diffuser optics for the developed series of products.
“The IBELIVE research project brings together a powerful consortium with many years of experience in photonic materials and the necessary know-how. Our findings will strengthen Germany as an industrial force and provide further evidence of our powers of innovation”, said Ulrich Streppel, Key Expert Modelling at Osram Opto Semiconductors.
