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Do more with sensors in consumer electronics devices with optical science.
Optical solutions for consumer electronics optical sensor systems
You’re integrating an optical sensor into your device and need system-level solutions. That’s where 3M steps in. We deliver optical functionalities through optical films for sensors and 3M™ Optically Clear Adhesives (OCAs) to help meet system-level requirements in performance, power and size.
That means improved sensor performance and designs — faster sensing speeds, bezel-less devices, the ability to remove physical home buttons, sensing across the entire screen — and new-to-world experiences like under-display fingerprint sensing options for both OLED and LCD displays.
Film solutions from 3M are backed by optical and mechanical modeling and simulation data, and we can work with you to determine manufacturability and scaling needs.
Optical sensor solutions
Optical films from 3M are an ideal choice for optimizing consumer electronics sensor systems. We have a range of light management capabilities built into optical film solutions designed to help you collimate and filter light across a variety of displays and devices, all in a thin format.
See more about how you can use and combine our four core optical capabilities — light angle control, wavelength control, polarization control and optical bonding — to address needs in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), light and power efficiency, and thickness.
Angle control
When you design an optical sensor, it’s crucial to steer light to where it’s needed and block it from where it’s not. Depending on your application, optical films from 3M can help you manage the angle or direction of light via reflection, refraction, scattering and absorption of light using our microreplication, multilayer optical film (MOF) and precision coating platform technologies.
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Application Example: Biometric authentication (e.g., fingerprint)
Display Type: LCD, OLED
Device Type: Smartphones
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Improve signal-to-noise ratio/image quality
- Direct light towards the detector
- Block unwanted angles of light from hitting the detector
- Achieve better control of the distribution of emitted light
- Selectively scatter different wavelengths
Unleash design
- Place biometric sensors behind the screen to go bezel-less, or remove physical home button
- Reduce thickness (use film versus glass-based collimators)
Enhance user experience
- Achieve faster sensing speeds
- Get better false acceptance rates (FAR) and false rejection rates (FRR) for biometric authentication
- Incorporate large-scale sensing for enhanced functionality and additional security
Wavelength control
Use the proper wavelengths of light with multilayer optical films (MOFs) from 3M. MOFs are thin, monolithic films composed of multiple layers of engineering-grade optical polymers. Through thin-film physics, MOFs filter light across the UV, visible and near-infrared spectrum to efficiently transmit and/or reflect desired wavelengths.
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Application Example: Biometric authentication (e.g., fingerprint)
Display Type: LCD, OLED
Device Type: Smartphones
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Improve signal-to-noise ratio/image quality
- Ensure the proper wavelengths of light reach the detector (e.g., IR light for IR sensor)
- Block noise from unwanted light sources (e.g., visible light for IR sensor)
Unleash design
- Place biometric sensors behind the screen to go bezel-less, or remove home button
- Enable multi-spectral imaging for improved sensor performance and additional applications
Enhance user experience
- Achieve faster sensing speeds
- Get better false acceptance rates (FAR) and false rejection rates (FRR) for biometric authentication
- Incorporate large-scale sensing for enhanced functionality and additional security
Polarization control
Through the ability to generate different polarizations from an unpolarized light, you can enable signal generation at different polarizations. Multilayer optical films (MOFs) from 3M have the design flexibility to control all aspects of light, including polarization. Films with polarization control can effectively reflect one polarization state while transmitting the other polarization state in a specific wavelength range.
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Application Example: Biometric sensing (e.g., fingerprint)
Display Type: LCD, OLED
Device Type: Smartphones
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Improve signal-to-noise ratio/image quality
- Work with the multiple polarizations of light to reduce noise
- Use polarized light to eliminate surface reflections
Unleash design
- Achieve compact optical design with polarization optics
- Leverage redundant response for improved performance
Enhance user experience
- Achieve faster sensing speeds
- Get better false acceptance rates (FAR) and false rejection rates (FRR) for biometric authentication
Optical bonding and protection
What you use to bond on top or within an optical sensor component directly impacts signal performance and image quality. OCAs are designed to deliver both bonding and optical functionalities, and are precision-manufactured for more uniformity in thickness, meaning less sensor image distortion. OCAs have excellent transmission of visible light and can be tuned for visible or non-visible light absorption, depending on the application.
We can work with you to select the right OCA with the optical properties needed based on application and location (underside of panel, chassis, etc.).
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Application Example: Biometric sensing (e.g., fingerprint)
Display Type: LCD, OLED
Device Type: Smartphones
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Improve signal-to-noise ratio/image quality
- Achieve higher transmission and decreased scattering or absorption
- Promote photons reaching the detector
Unleash design
- Enable thinner, sleeker profile
- Increase overall durability
Enhance user experience
- Achieve faster sensing speeds
- Get better false acceptance rates (FAR) and false rejection rates (FRR) for biometric authentication
- Enable thinner designs, allowing for larger battery (extended battery life)
From the inherent challenges of facial recognition to passcode theft, the tools for protecting your most sensitive digital assets are few and often flawed. That’s why we’re working to improve sensing technologies that rely on the best key available — your fingers.
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Fingerprint sensing in OLED displays
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3M™ Biometric Security System (BSS) for optical sensors
Security and convenience are key, especially when it comes to our devices. At 3M, we discovered how to improve both through collimation and filtering light by creating collimation and wavelength control films to help you optimize sensor performance — it’s the 3M™ Biometric Security System (BSS). Unlike traditional collimation options, 3M films are thin, helping you reduce thickness while increasing transmission and decreasing the noise. The results? A clear fingerprint image with a sleek form factor that allows you to extend the size of the display, remove home buttons and increase the size of the sensing area.
Technical data sheet: 3M™ Biometric Security System (BSS) (PDF, 251.48 KB)
Under-display fingerprint senser configuration in OLED displays with 3M BSS:
A. Finger, B. OLED display panel, C. Air gap, D. Collimator (BSS - C), E. Rim tape, F. 3M Optically Clear Adhesive, G. Infrared rejector (BSS - IR), H. Large-area image sensor
Sensing through LCD displays
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3M™ Near-Infrared Transmission System (NITS) for optical sensors
Imaging through an LCD display was impossible, until now. We used our expertise in LCD devices to redesign the optical films stack and make it possible to image through the LCD display — we call it the 3M™ Near-Infrared Imaging System (NITS). NITS is a combination of optical films designed to allow near-infrared camera sensors to image through the display. The technology can be used to read fingerprints or for facial recognition for quick and secure access into the device, and more.
Technical data sheet: 3M™ Near-Infrared Transmission System (PDF, 159.80 KB)
See how this technology was applied to notebook displays (PDF, 2.68 MB)
Configuration of LC displays with 3M NITS for sensing through LCDs:
A. LCD, B. Collimator (NITS-C), C. Diffuser (NITS-D), D. Reflector (NITS-R), E. Sensor
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