Monolithically Integrated Metasurface on a PCSEL for Depth Perception

Dot projectors are pivotal for depth perception in modern consumer electronics, from smartphones to extended reality devices, enabling applications in computational imaging, machine vision, and privacy-preserving technologies. However, existing dot projector designs face significant challenges related to their size and power consumption. Here, we demonstrate the first monolithic integration of a metasurface hologram and a photonic crystal surface-emitting laser (PCSEL) to realize a chip-scale structured light projector. This approach achieves unprecedented reductions in both device footprint and power usage, while preserving practical 3D sensing capabilities. Our wafer-level design features a compact footprint of 0.025 mm³, representing an approximately 2450-fold reduction in volume compared to commercial DOE-VCSEL dot projectors, while also reducing power consumption by 28.7%. The integration strategy offers promising fabrication compatibility and represents a transformative advancement in a compact transceiver system, paving the way for next-generation applications in biometrics, extended reality, and consumer electronics.