Micronova
Micronova is part of OtaNano - Finland's national research infrastructure for micro- and nanotechnology, jointly run by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Aalto University.
Dispelix enables seamless integration of augmented reality into everyday life
OtaNano infrastructure has been pivotal in the development of Dispelix’s pioneering waveguide display technology for extended reality (XR).
Dispelix's early vision to initiate a new era of wearable augmented reality devices has positioned them as a top-tier startup. The company was founded in late 2015 by three Finnish research scientists. Dispelix is now an international company with over 150 employees representing 30 different nationalities.
Dispelix develops and delivers see-through waveguide combiners that are used as transparent displays in extended reality (XR) devices. These elegant, high-performance XR waveguides seamlessly combine the virtual with the real. The technology is suitable for a wide range of form factors, from eyewear to head-up displays. Their pioneering waveguide display technology enables leaders in the XR industry to realize their product visions.
Today, Dispelix has an extensive patent portfolio with over 150 patents granted. The company has attracted over EUR 50 million in venture capital funding – placing them among the topmost start-ups in Finland. In addition to Espoo, Dispelix now has offices in Joensuu in central Finland and subsidiaries in the United States and China.
The company has been utilizing OtaNano micro- and nanofabrication infrastructure from its beginnings. OtaNano’s facilities have had a central role in the development of Dispelix’s groundbreaking waveguide display technology, which enables the enjoyable, seamless, and meaningful integration of augmented reality into everyday life.
Joonas Heikkinen, Senior Process Engineer, Dispelix“Prototyping our breakthrough waveguides with OtaNano’s infrastructure has paved the way for Dispelix to grow into the company it is today.”
Dispelix
- Diffractive surface relief waveguide combiners
- Pioneers in the design and fabrication of single-layer, full-color waveguide combiners
- From waveguide design and mastering to nanomanufacturing and metrology for mass production
- Applications range from near-to-eye to head-up
About OtaNano
OtaNano's micro- and nanofabrication facilities include cleanroom facilities in Micronova providing processing lines for silicon CMOS, MEMS, III-V optoelectronics and thin film devices. These facilities account for just a portion of the total OtaNano infrastructure.
OtaNano comprises three primary facilities: Micronova, the Nanomicroscopy Centre and Low Temperature Laboratory. These facilities and their associated equipment are offered under open access principles, meaning academics and industry professionals alike are qualified to reserve and use this infrastructure.
OtaNano Facilities
Nanomicroscopy Center
The Aalto University Nanomicroscopy Center (NMC) provides high resolution microscopy to researchers, who come to work and collaborate using this high-quality equipment. The center is accessible to everyone.
Low Temperature Laboratory
The Low Temperature Laboratory at Aalto University is one of the world centres in ultra-low temperature physics and technology. The leading position is based on vigorous in-house development and construction of sub-mK refrigerators.
Read more news
Aalto computer scientists in STOC 2025
Two papers from Aalto Department of Computer Science were accepted to the Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC).
New Academy Research Fellows and Academy Projects
A total of 44 Aalto researchers received Academy Research Fellowship and Academy Project funding from the Research Council of Finland – congratulations to all!
Aalto University's Wood Studio's future visions of Finland's most valuable wood are presented at the Finnish Forest Museum Lusto
Curly birch – the tree pressed by the devil – exhibition will be on display in Lusto until March 15, 2026.