Meta Outlines Strategy for Dramatically Cutting Costs of Next-Gen AR’s Key Component

Producing Meta’s prototype AR glasses, known as Orion, comes with a hefty price tag—approximately $10,000 per pair. The primary reason for this steep cost is the custom silicon carbide waveguide lenses they use. However, Meta remains optimistic about finding ways to “significantly reduce the cost” of these critical components in the future.

Silicon carbide isn’t new; it’s long been the material of choice for high-power chips due to its superior power efficiency and lower heat output compared to traditional silicon. The catch? It’s much harder to manufacture. Issues arise from its unique properties, the crystal growth process, and the complexity of fabrication. Though electric vehicles are helping to bring costs down, it’s still a far cry from matching the affordability of silicon-based alternatives. There’s also potential for applications in quantum computing, but that’s a different ballgame compared to what Meta envisions with this cutting-edge material.

Meta isn’t chasing after silicon carbide for its efficiency or low heat production. Instead, it’s about the material’s high refractive index, which promises clear and expansive fields of view for AR glasses—like the impressive 70-degree FOV Orion offers. The difference in clarity between conventional glass waveguides and Orion’s silicon carbide lenses is striking, as evidenced by those who’ve experienced it.

Optical Scientist Pasqual Rivera describes the experience vividly: “With glass-based waveguides, it felt like a disco. There were distracting rainbows, overshadowing the AR content. But switch to silicon carbide waveguides, and it’s like enjoying a silent classical symphony. It truly transformed the experience.”

Many top electric vehicle manufacturers have started using silicon carbide chips, pushing the prices down due to the increased supply. Giuseppe Calafiore, who leads AR Waveguides Tech at Meta’s Reality Labs, noted, “Thanks to EVs, there’s now an overcapacity. This excess means costs for substrates have begun decreasing.”

However, the silicon carbide wafers used in EVs focus on electrical performance rather than optical clarity, making them unsuitable for AR applications. Yet, there’s hope. Barry Silverstein, Director of Research Science at Reality Labs, is optimistic: “Our suppliers are excited about creating optical-grade silicon carbide. With each waveguide lens consuming a substantial amount of material, it’s a compelling new market for them. Larger wafers mean lower costs, albeit with increased process complexity. We’ve seen wafer sizes grow from four inches to eight, and there are even discussions about moving up to 12 inches, which would massively boost production.”

Silverstein adds, “The world has realized silicon carbide’s potential across electronics and photonics. It even has prospective uses in quantum computing. There’s ample potential to cut costs significantly, though much work remains.”

Invoking historical parallels, this isn’t the first instance where XR technology benefited from advancements in broader consumer markets. Smartphones’ development spurred the creation of affordable, powerful displays, which in turn facilitated the first consumer VR headsets in the early 2010s. Take a peek inside an Oculus Rift DK2 from 2014, and you’ll discover a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 display panel at its core.

Beyond displays, many smartphone components, such as IMUs, camera sensors, and batteries, have also been used in VR headsets. Drawing such parallels, however, suggests leveraging the silicon carbide benefits gained from the EV industry for AR glasses isn’t as straightforward.

Currently, photonics-grade silicon carbide remains a niche, promising but needing time to mature. This complexity is a key reason why Meta can’t mass-produce Orion just yet. Still, Meta uses Orion as a sort of “internal developer kit,” with hopes of launching consumer AR glasses before 2030 and aiming for prices akin to high-end smartphones or laptops, as shared by Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth.

With such significant potential for consumer adoption, it’s clear that the pieces will eventually fall into place. Giants like Meta, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Qualcomm are all vying for their stake in what’s poised to be the next major mobile computing platform, potentially sidelining the smartphone altogether.