Nano-holograms have been part of our imagination since the dawn of science fiction. But now the fiction is beginning to overwhelm reality. RMIT University and the Beijing Institute of Technology, in fact, have produced some nano-holograms that will bring 3D in all smartphones.

“These special holograms,” says Min Gu, who directed the project, “are also visible to the naked eye without the use of specific glasses.” They are called nano because they are tiny, about 1,000 times thinner than a human hair.

Shortly after the researchers who designed them will be used in smartphones and in all technology devices with a screen. The reduced size could solve most of the hologram problems in recent times. Those generated until today were too big to fool the mind and the human eye perfectly. In fact, they made the world’s thinnest hologram. The best thing: it’s easy to produce and can be viewed in 3D without glasses.

The result, published in the journal Nature Communications by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RTMT) with the Beijing Institute of Technology (Bit), opens up the holographic technology integration in everyday electronic devices, such as smartphones and future TVs will be enough to apply a thin hi-tech film in their LCD screens to project images and animations worthy of Star Wars.

Nano-holograms and 3D in smartphones. How do they work

The nano-holograms are 25 nanometers and are coated with a special topological insulating material. Min, speaking of the hologram specifications, explained: “They are manufactured using a direct laser-writing system that is simple and fast, making our design suitable for large-scale applications and mass production.” If technology will still reduce the size of the holograms, they will soon be able to be used in smartphone and LCD screens. Holograms would be a huge revolution in the field of smartphones, and not only that.

With the ability to project 3D images, in fact, the actual screen size would become irrelevant. This is a totally counterproductive aspect of today’s smartphones where screens are growing and are among the most important features for both manufacturers and users. Confirming this vision is the same Min: “3D holography has the potential to transform a wide range of industries and this research takes us a step away from the effective implementation of this revolution.”