NIL Technology Delivers Strong Results In 3D Sensing Project Funded By The European Innovation Council
Copenhagen, Denmark (August 18, 2022) — NIL Technology (NILT), a leader in advanced optical solutions, has finalized a prestigious flat optics project with the EIC (European Innovation Council) Accelerator, resulting in breakthrough results. NILT has developed a highly advanced diffractive optics platform for real-time 3D sensing ready for mass production. The platform provides better optical performance than any existing solutions on the market and will become a game changer for smartphones, automotive, and other applications.
In April 2020, NIL Technology launched the SUPERvisionary project*, a 2.3 million Euro funded project by the EIC Accelerator. NILT launched the diffractive optics technology platform for near-infrared (NIR) with complete control of zero-order transmission during the project. The platform has unprecedented optical performance, multi-functionality, and compactness.
The SUPERvisionary project supported NILT’s development and expansion of core competencies to cover design, replication, and characterization services in order to bring the flat diffractive technology to the point of commercialization and mass production.
Record-high efficiency proves the performance of the technology
In developing the diffractive optical elements (DOE) platform, NILT designed, built, and characterized multiple NIR DOE fan-outs with 94% absolute field of illumination (FOI) efficiency; a result never demonstrated before. This result sets the benchmark for future use and potential of DOEs, and demonstrates the exceptional efficiency of diffractive optics. It also proves that DOEs from NILT outperform existing solutions.
With the project, NILT significantly reduced the DOE design time using in-house design methods. NILT developed proprietary design algorithms to optimize optical efficiency and maximize performance, and the result was a decrease in the average DOE design time by 90%. Full control of zero-order transmission was enabled. Today, NILT can make a new design in under 10 days, and NILT has developed capabilities that enable quick prototyping and development of a variety of solutions within diffractive optics, as well as being able to combine the technology with meta optics.
In-house capabilities from design to mass production
Theodor Nielsen, CEO of NILT, says: “With support from the EIC, we have been able to work dedicated to development and fine-tuning of our DOE technology. We have built full in-house capabilities from design to mass production, which ensures fast and efficient turnaround time on products. This allows us to design for manufacturing from day one. Our concept is to design our optical solutions to match the full system, including models for emitters and sensors, which is part of our uniqueness.”
After the SUPERvisionary project ended, NILT joined the EIC ScalingUp program, a project for the most promising deep-tech companies in Europe. NILT was selected from more than 3,000 candidates to join the program and was given in recognition of NILT’s disruptive technology and exponential growth potential.
*Project Number: 946897