Star Wars-style holograms one step closer thanks to university breakthrough

Being able to see someone through FaceTime or WhatsApp is great - but lets be honest, we're all just waiting for holograms to come good.
Now, a team of researchers in Australia reckon they've cracked the ability to create complex holographic images using infrared technology. The physicists are also pretty certain that the device they've built could be used by the wider tech industry.



"As a child, I learned about the concept of holographic imaging from the Star Wars movies," said lead researcher Lei Wang from the Australian National University (ANU) .
Co-lead researcher Dr Sergey Kruk said the device consists of millions of tiny silicon pillars, each up to 500 times thinner than a human hair.
Together they can manipulate light and reproduce it in 3D.

"While research in holography plays an important role in the development of futuristic displays and augmented reality devices, today we are working on many other applications such as ultra-thin and light-weight optical devices for cameras and satellites," Mr. Wang said.



According to Mr Wang, the device he and his team built could replace bulky components to miniaturise cameras and save costs in astronomical missions by reducing the size and weight of optical systems on space craft.
The team say that operating on the nanoscale allows them to achieve new optical properties not previously possible.


The physicists at the ANU led the design, fabrication and testing of the device themselves.
"The holograms that we made demonstrate the strong potential of this technology to be used in a range of applications," said Dr. Kruk.