Researchers have created holograms using the light emitted from an ordinary smartphone screen.

In the study, the cascade began with a static color image shown on an iPhone. Light waves emitted from it were refined through the SLM — a device used to control and adjust the phase (timing), amplitude (strength or brightness) and polarization (direction) of light waves. Using the SLM, scientists progressively refined and layered the light waves to build up the 3D image step-by-step.

To achieve the holographic effect, the scientists had to determine the specific adjustments of light needed to create the 3D hologram from the image displayed on the iPhone’s screen.

This involved working backwards from the desired output to determine the specific adjustments needed in the light’s phase and amplitude at each step of the journey, from the iPhone display through the SLM, to recreate the hologram accurately.

They detailed their findings in a study published April 2 in the journal Optics Letters.

Articles:

• https://www.livescience.com/technology/virtual-reality/new-invention-transforms-any-smartphone-or-tv-display-into-a-holographic-projector
• https://opg.optica.org/viewmedia.cfm?r=1&rwjcode=ol&uri=ol-49-8-1876&seq=0&html=true