Scalable retinal projection augmented reality displays with confocal dual-ellipsoidal combiner

Abstract Compact near-eye displays (NEDs) with large visual scope, high resolution, and high optical efficiency are essential for advanced augmented reality (AR) applications. However, existing AR NED architectures suffer from inherent trade-offs among these metrics, restricting both visual quality and ergonomic comfort. To tackle these challenges, we present an AR retinal projection display (RPD) featuring a confocal dual-ellipsoidal lens (DEL) combined with a dual-image source (DIS). Through ellipsoidal bifocal conjugation and collaborative dual-channel imaging, this configuration achieves doubled visual scope and resolution in a compact eyeglass form factor, with a measured optical efficiency of 46.3%, at least 10 × higher than that of diffractive waveguides with comparable size. The RPD configuration alleviates the vergence-accommodation conflict (VAC) while the 2-mm-thick monolithic DEL enables optical see-through operation without additional compensation optics. Optical simulations and experimental validation substantiate the technical feasibility, while the eyeglass prototype further demonstrates miniaturization with a 0.255 cc optical module. Furthermore, the architecture could support multi-dimensional parameter allocation, potentially enabling resource optimization and reduced power consumption. This work establishes a compact and efficient AR display architecture for next-generation wearable eyewear with superior visual performance.