Zeiss Microoptics moved from a private meeting room at CES last year to a major booth on the trade show floor. In it, they showed many different types of displays that feature their holographic films. Some are coupled to projectors for transparent window displays while others can be static holograms for taillights or other external displays on the car. They also showed how their films can act as light guides to in-couple images to a camera or IR solar radiation to a solar panel for building windows.
I’ve learned quite a bit about holography from Christoph at Zeiss. Their approach is unique because they use an analog process for holography, unlike the digital methods most companies employ.
Analog vs. Digital Holography
- Digital: Writes one pixel at a time in a step-and-repeat process across the entire hologram.
- Analog: Creates a physical master of the optic that becomes the holographic element.
Zeiss has decades of experience in optical design and tooling for large meter-plus optical systems, which they claim is a major advantage. It’s not just about the film process—design expertise is critical.
Automotive HUDs
- Early HUD solutions often suffered from rainbowing under sunlight or streetlights.
- Zeiss avoids optical power in holograms, creating optical diffusers instead.
- Result: The image appears at arm’s length (~3 meters away) rather than as a true AR HUD.
- Automotive HUDs are not shown this year due to NDA-protected design wins.
Other Applications
Transportation:
- Partnership with Hubner to integrate holographic films into train and bus windows for stop info or advertising.
Transparent Camera:
- A holographic film over an LCD acts as a grating, directing light to an image sensor below the display—an alternative to cameras behind LCD/OLED panels.
Solar Window:
- Holographic film on glass couples infrared radiation into the window, guiding it to a solar panel or heat dump.
Cockpit Demonstrator:
- Three holographic films:
- Driver diffuser (no virtual image distance).
- Driver-optimized film (images appear/disappear based on angle).
- Passenger film (currently not working).
Back Seat Display:
- Roof-mounted projector + side window film for passenger viewing.
- Image is now invisible from outside—a problem solved by Zeiss (method is a trade secret).
Exterior Concepts:
- Tail light displays and holographic films on side/front fenders for 3D effects.
Summary:
Zeiss combines analog holography with advanced optical design to deliver innovative solutions for automotive, transportation, and energy applications.