Cover story: Ding YQ, Huang XJ, Ma YZY et al. High-efficiency RGB achromatic liquid crystal diffractive optical elements. Opto-Electron Adv 8,240181 (2025).

Liquid crystal-based Pacharatnam-Berry phase optical elements (PBOEs) have enabled new applications for imaging optics and near-eye displays because of their lightweight, ultra-thin profile and high efficiency. However, chromatic aberration remains a critical challenge, hindering their broader adoption. In a recent groundbreaking study, Prof. Wu’s research team in the University of Central Florida and Prof. Yan Li’s team in Shanghai Jiao Tong University, unveil an innovative multi-twist structure to correct the chromatic aberration for red, green, and blue (RGB) light sources without the need of bulky refractive elements or resource-intensive digital compensation. Experimental validation proves that these narrowband Pacharatnam-Berry lenses (PBLs) can achieve an exceptional chromatic aberration correction, offering unprecedented clarity and high efficiency. Additionally, their design flexibility and compatibility with various RGB light sources, including quantum dot LEDs and lasers, make them adaptable to a wide range of applications. By overcoming these longstanding problems, this breakthrough unlocks new possibilities for advanced imaging systems, augmented reality and virtual reality, and next-generation displays, promising to redefine the standards of visual performance and efficiency in technologies ranging from smart projectors to healthcare imaging and beyond.