Kinko Optical Adopts Benec’s C2R™ Plasma-Enhanced Space ALD System to Enable Mass Production of Advanced Optical Coatings for AR Waveguides
Kinko Optical (Kinko), a leading Asian original design manufacturer (ODM) specializing in precision optics, has announced a strategic technological upgrade with the adoption of Benec’s revolutionary C2R™ plasma-enhanced space atomic layer deposition (ALD) system. This new system will enable Kinko to mass-produce high-index, low-loss gap-filling optical coatings on diffractive waveguides, an essential component in next-generation Extended Reality (XR) devices, particularly augmented reality (AR) glasses. The deployment of C2R™ is expected to significantly enhance Kinko’s production capabilities, allowing the company to meet the growing demands of XR technology partners worldwide while maintaining high precision and performance standards.
The Extended Reality sector, encompassing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), has been experiencing unprecedented growth over the past several years. Driven by a global appetite for immersive experiences in consumer electronics, education, healthcare, gaming, and enterprise solutions, XR technologies are increasingly becoming mainstream. Among these technologies, AR glasses stand out as a particularly promising segment, providing real-time digital overlays on the physical world to create an interactive, seamless user experience. The performance of AR glasses heavily depends on the underlying optical waveguides that guide light from display sources to the user’s eyes with high efficiency, clarity, and brightness.
AR waveguides leverage highly sophisticated surface structures, such as surface relief gratings (SRG+) and nano-imprint lithography (NIL), to manipulate light in precise ways. These nanostructured optical components are critical for achieving the desired light propagation, image brightness, and field of view in AR devices. However, the complex three-dimensional nanoscale patterns created by these techniques pose a substantial manufacturing challenge. Traditional optical coating methods, such as physical vapor deposition or conventional ALD, often fail to achieve the uniformity, conformality, and optical performance required for these intricate nanostructures.
To overcome these limitations, Kinko Optical has integrated Benec’s C2R™ system, which represents a breakthrough in plasma-enhanced space ALD technology. The C2R™ system is engineered to provide ultra-fast deposition rates—up to 2000 nanometers per hour, which is approximately 100 times faster than traditional ALD systems—while preserving exceptional uniformity and precision across highly complex optical surfaces. This enables the creation of high-index, low-loss optical coatings with unmatched reproducibility and consistency, even on substrates with deep gaps and complex geometries.
Angus Wu, Chief Technology Officer of Kinko Optical, emphasized the significance of this advancement: “With over 45 years of experience in precision optics, Kinko has been at the forefront of adopting cutting-edge technologies to deliver high-performance optical components to our global partners. The integration of Benec’s C2R™ system continues this legacy, enabling us to produce coatings that meet the stringent performance requirements of next-generation AR devices. The system’s high deposition speed, low-temperature processing capabilities, and precision in conformal coatings will accelerate the commercialization of AR waveguides, paving the way for immersive XR experiences.”
The capabilities of the C2R™ system address several critical challenges in AR waveguide production. Firstly, its innovative rotating-space ALD design separates precursor materials spatially, preventing cross-contamination and enabling ultra-fast deposition without sacrificing film quality. Secondly, the system supports a broad range of high-index materials, including aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), tantalum pentoxide (Ta₂O₅), and hafnium dioxide (HfO₂), as well as multilayer stacks with tunable refractive indices of up to approximately 2.61 (for TiO₂ at 448 nm). The resulting films exhibit extremely low optical loss, around 3 dB/cm, ensuring bright, efficient light propagation in AR devices.
Additionally, C2R™’s low-temperature processing capabilities—down to 100°C—make it compatible with polymer-based substrates commonly used in AR waveguides, expanding the range of materials that can be employed without compromising structural integrity. The system also provides conformal gap-filling, critical for complex grating structures, and offers zero-stress coating with adjustable stress control ranging from 1000 MPa to -200 MPa. Real-time, in-situ broadband monitoring allows for precise control over the deposition process, enabling thicker multilayer structures to be fabricated without sacrificing uniformity or optical performance.
The adoption of C2R™ aligns with broader trends in the XR and consumer electronics industries toward sustainable manufacturing, energy efficiency, and regulatory compliance. By enabling low-temperature processing and reducing waste through precise deposition control, the system supports environmentally responsible manufacturing practices while maintaining high throughput and performance. These advancements are particularly relevant as the XR market expands beyond consumer AR glasses to other applications, such as in-car head-up displays, enterprise training tools, medical imaging, and industrial AR solutions.
Kinko Optical, founded in June 1980 in Wuqi District, Taichung City, Taiwan, has earned global recognition as a leading manufacturer of optical components and lens units. Its operations encompass four production divisions: glass lens polishing, plastic lens injection molding, glass molding presses, and precision mold processing. The company produces a diverse range of optical lenses, which are used in digital SLR cameras, mobile phones, IoT devices, automotive systems, gaming consoles, surveillance cameras, and VR/AR/MR devices, among others. Kinko’s ongoing commitment to developing high-quality, high-value-added optical lenses has positioned it as a trusted partner for technology companies seeking advanced optics solutions.
Benec, headquartered in Espoo, Finland, has a long-standing history as a pioneer in industrial atomic layer deposition. Since introducing the first commercial ALD system in 1984, Benec has driven the adoption of ALD technology across multiple industries, including semiconductors, optics, and functional coatings. The company offers a portfolio of ALD platforms, such as the Transform®, Transform® 300, and Prodigy™ for specialized semiconductor manufacturing, as well as the TFS 200 and TFS 500 for research and development. Benec’s innovative space-based ALD platforms, including the C2R™, are enabling industrial-scale adoption of advanced optical coatings and functional materials, bridging the gap between laboratory-scale processes and mass production.
The collaboration between Kinko Optical and Benec is poised to have a transformative impact on the XR ecosystem. By enabling scalable production of high-performance AR waveguides, this partnership supports the rapid commercialization of AR glasses and related devices, helping to deliver immersive, seamless experiences to consumers. Furthermore, the capabilities offered by C2R™ may expand AR applications into enterprise and automotive environments, driving broader adoption and creating new opportunities in augmented reality solutions.
Angus Wu further highlighted the strategic value of this collaboration: “Benec’s C2R™ technology delivers the uncompromising performance required for the next generation of AR waveguides. By combining high deposition speed, low-temperature processing, and exceptional precision, we can now achieve mass production of coatings that were previously difficult or impossible to realize. This capability accelerates the commercialization of AR and XR devices and ensures that consumers and enterprise users can benefit from immersive, high-quality visual experiences.”
As XR technologies continue to evolve, the demand for sophisticated optical components and high-performance coatings will only grow. The integration of Benec’s C2R™ system into Kinko Optical’s production lines exemplifies how innovation in manufacturing processes can directly support the development of cutting-edge consumer electronics. By leveraging advanced ALD technology, Kinko is not only improving the efficiency and quality of AR waveguides but also contributing to the broader advancement of XR devices across multiple industries.
In summary, the implementation of Benec’s C2R™ plasma-enhanced space ALD system marks a significant milestone for Kinko Optical, enabling the mass production of high-index, low-loss optical coatings on complex nanostructured waveguides. This development reinforces Kinko’s position as a global leader in precision optics and underscores the company’s commitment to advancing the XR ecosystem. By facilitating the production of high-performance AR waveguides, Kinko is accelerating the commercialization of next-generation AR glasses and other immersive XR applications, delivering enhanced consumer and enterprise experiences while driving innovation in optical technology manufacturing.
