2026 Optimax Research Grant

Congratulations Chuan Luo, a Ph.D. candidate in the Takashima Advanced Lidar and Display Lab, led by Professor Yuzuru Takashima, who has been awarded the 2026 University of Arizona Optimax Research Grant. The award supports a research proposal focused on developing new solutions and improvements for large‑scale and single‑shot metrology using transparent diffractive waveguide combiners for augmented reality (AR) displays.

The project aims to advance optical metrology techniques that are critical to next‑generation AR display systems, addressing key challenges in measurement accuracy, scalability, and system integration. By exploring innovative uses of diffractive waveguide combiners, the research seeks to enable more precise and efficient characterization methods for emerging display technologies.

The Optimax Research Grant is a competitive annual award of $20,000, given to a University of Arizona faculty member or student in support of an optics‑based research project. This recognition highlights both the technical merit of the proposed work and the continued research excellence of the Takashima Lab in advanced lidar and display technologies.