Revealing the underlying technical capabilities behind the 2.4μm, 0.16cc full-color MicroLED platform

With the rapid implementation of large AI models and multi-modal interaction, AR glasses are moving from "proof of concept" to "available terminals". In this process, the display system has become one of the core links that determines the user experience. With the trend of lightweight and all-weather wear, display modules are continuing to evolve toward higher pixel density, smaller size, and higher optical efficiency. Micro LED has thus entered a new stage of system-level capability competition.

Adapting to AI interaction upgrades, miniaturized display platforms have become the general trend

In a sense, the wearable attributes of AR glasses determine its core competitiveness of "all-weather AI". Its development is actually to achieve a balance between "lightweight, portability and long battery life", which means that the optical and mechanical volume, power consumption and visual comfort all need to be simultaneously optimized.

Judging from the pace of industry development, after AR glasses achieve lightweight and basic functions, the focus of competition begins to shift to the visual experience itself. As the weight of the whole machine gradually decreases and the wearing form continues to be optimized, the display effect has become a key factor affecting the user experience, including core indicators such as resolution, pixel density (PPI), pixels per degree (PPD), and light efficiency performance.

As the existing 4μm platform gradually approaches the physical limit, smaller pixel pitch is considered to be the future trend. It is generally believed in the industry that the continued advancement of pixel pitch from 4μm to 2.5μm or even smaller will directly drive improvements in PPI and PPD, thereby improving near-eye display clarity and information readability. At the same time, higher resolutions (such as VGA level) have gradually become the basic configuration to support AR information display.

As Liu Yi, deputy general manager of Hongshi Intelligent New Market Development, said at the 2026 TrendForce New Display Seminar (DTS 2026): "For AR glasses that really need to carry AI large models and multi-modal information interaction, the bottom line of a usable display is VGA."

Hongshi Intelligent Deputy General Manager of New Market Development Liu Yi

On this basis, the display system also needs to simultaneously optimize the size and power consumption: the size of the optical machine continues to converge to a smaller size to adapt to the lightweight overall design; at the same time, brightness and display quality need to be maintained under limited power consumption. This makes the display platform no longer a single indicator optimization, but a comprehensive platform focusing on pixels, resolution, volume and energy efficiency.

Hongshi "Yunjin" came into being, starting from 2.4μm to carry out system-level reconstruction

In the context of the upgrade of AR glasses experience pushing the display platform to the extreme size, Hongshi Intelligent released a new generation of "Yunjin" color Micro LED optical machine platform, pushing the pixel pitch to 2.4μm, achieving 640×480 resolution, corresponding to 10583 PPI, and compresses the overall volume to 0.16cc, while achieving a near-eye display capability of 32 PPD at a 25° field of view (FOV).

It should be emphasized that this set of parameters is not an independent indicator, but a system-level linkage result: 2.4μm pixel pitch → supports 10583 PPI ultra-high-density display 640×480 (VGA) → meets the basic bearing of AI multi-modal information 0.16cc optical machine volume → meets the lightweight AR machine design 32 PPD → ensures near-eye readability experience

"These are not several independent numbers, but a clear causal chain." It can be seen that Yunjin's core goal is not simply "smaller parameters", but "turning points closer to the physical limits into a set of established systems."

In terms of power consumption, the Yunjin platform can still control typical power consumption to about 90mW with the support of HB2 (Hongshi Base Hybrid Bonding Technology) architecture, achieving a balance between high performance and low power consumption.

In general, "Yunjin" is a system platform composed of a more extreme display platform, a more advanced integration path, a higher-order light field control, and a more complete algorithm collaboration.

The key to the establishment of the "Yunjin" platform: the three main lines of integration, optics and algorithms

System support for semiconductor-level hybrid bonding (HB2)

When pixels enter the 2.4μm level, traditional micro-contact processes begin to approach physical limits, including problems such as increased parasitic resistance, difficult thermal management, reduced signal integrity, and surge in power consumption. To this end, Hongshi introduced HB2, which realizes high-density and low-parasitic connections between pixels and backplanes through direct copper-to-copper bonding, thereby replacing traditional interconnection methods.

It is worth noting that this technology path has been verified in the semiconductor field, such as: copper-to-copper bonding in CIS stacked CMOS image sensors; 3D high-density interconnection and bonding architecture in HBM high-bandwidth memory, etc. This proves that hybrid bonding is the key path to achieve high-density 3D integration.

In the "Yunjin" platform, the value brought by HB2 includes: eliminating the volume occupied by micro-contacts, reducing parasitic resistance and power consumption, and improving heat dissipation and bandwidth capabilities. Therefore, HB2 is not a partial optimization, but a prerequisite for the establishment of the 2.4μm platform, and has been extended to Hongshi’s existing mass production product system.

Light field reconstruction capability driven by metasurface

Under the extreme volume of 0.16cc, the traditional multi-lens optical path can no longer meet system requirements. "Yunjin" introduces Metasurface technology to upgrade optical control from "geometric optical design" to "light field digital programming". Through sub-wavelength nanostructures, precise control of the phase, amplitude, polarization and propagation direction of light is achieved.

According to reports, this technology has been widely used around the world in fields such as imaging systems, metal lenses, laser radar, beam shaping and compact optical systems. In Micro LED microdisplays, the significance of metasurfaces is to: improve optical path reconstruction and coupling efficiency, improve external quantum efficiency and light extraction efficiency, reduce lens stacking, achieve extreme miniaturization, and ultimately enable 0.16cc-class optical machines to achieve a balance between high brightness and thinness, and become an important underlying capability for future 3D displays.

Algorithm collaboration transforms hardware capabilities into user experience

After hardware and optical capabilities reach their limits, algorithms become the key to determining the final experience. "A hardware platform with explosive performance will be incomplete without algorithm collaboration," Liu Yi said.

To this end, "Yunjin" further introduces the image quality engine algorithm and defines the system as the "brain of the hardware". The main functions of the algorithm layer include: pixel-level gain optimization, color compensation and enhancement, and high-density display content reconstruction.

With the support of HB2 low-impedance architecture, the system power consumption can still be controlled at about 90mW, while transforming the physical capability of 10583 PPI into a real visual experience. As a result, "Yunjin" forms a complete system closed loop: display hardware + integrated architecture (HB2) + optical system (metasurface) + algorithm engine.

The underlying capabilities spill over, Hongshi Intelligent moves towards the optical communication market

In Hongshi’s technical framework, HB2 and metasurface technology are not limited to the display field, but are lower-level optoelectronic system capabilities. Among them, HB2 provides high-density interconnection, low parasitic, and high-bandwidth integration capabilities, and the metasurface provides micro-nanoscale light field control capabilities. When the two extend outward, they naturally point to a wider range of application scenarios, including optical communications.

At present, Hongshi has submitted relevant patent layouts around Micro LED optical communications, focusing on CPO (co-packaged optics) and AOC (active optical cable). This marks that its technical system is expanding from "microdisplay platform" to "optoelectronic system platform", opening up a broader application space.

Conclusion

From the perspective of industry evolution, Micro LED microdisplay is going through a critical stage from parameter optimization to system capability building. As pixel pitch continues to move toward smaller sizes, the coupling relationship between display performance, optical efficiency, and system integration continues to strengthen, making it difficult for the improvement of a single indicator to independently support the upgrade of terminal experience.

In this process, "Yunjin" presents not only the technical results of 2.4μm pixel pitch and 0.16cc optical-mechanical volume, but more importantly, the system capability framework behind it composed of display, integrated architecture, optical design and algorithm collaboration.

As AR terminals continue to evolve towards lightweight and intelligence, the value of the display system is also expanding from the "display itself" to the core supporting capabilities of the "information interaction portal". The next stage of competition in Micro LED technology will be more reflected in system synergy capabilities and engineering implementation capabilities.