Abstract: An optical display comprises: a first waveguide comprising a first surface and a second surface, an input coupler, a fold grating, and an output grating. The input coupler receives collimated first wavelength light from an Input Image Node causes the light to travel within the first waveguide via total internal reflection between the first surface and the second surface to the fold grating. The fold grating provides pupil expansion in a first direction directs the light to the output grating via total internal reflection between the first surface and the second surface. The output grating provides pupil expansion in a second direction different than the first direction and causes the light to exit the first waveguide from the first surface or the second surface. At least one of the input coupler, fold grating and output grating is a rolled k-vector grating, and the fold grating is a dual interaction grating.

Abstract: An eye tracker comprises a light source; a detector; and first and second waveguides. The first waveguide comprises an input coupler for coupling source light into a waveguide path and a first grating for coupling light out of the waveguide path onto an eye. The second waveguide comprises a second grating for coupling light reflected from the eye into a waveguide path and an output coupler for coupling light out of the waveguide path onto the detector. The second grating is optically configured for imaging the eye onto the detector.

Abstract: A method for producing holograms with a multiplicity of holographic prescriptions from a single master is provided. A multiplicity of holographic substrates each containing a first hologram is stacked on a second holographic recording medium substrate. The first hologram is designed to diffract light from a first direction into a second direction. When expose to illumination from the first direction zero order and diffracted light from each first hologram interfere in the second holographic recording medium substrate forming a second hologram. The second hologram is then copied into a third holographic recording medium substrate to provide the final copy hologram.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a switchable Raman Nath grating configured to be implemented in a waveguide-based display. The waveguide-based display may include: a waveguide; a light source; a coupler for directing light from the light source into a total internal reflection path within the waveguide; a switchable Raman-Nath grating supported by said waveguide operative to provide a first polarization direction sensitivity under a first voltage and a second polarization direction sensitivity under a second voltage; a voltage generator for applying a first voltage or a second voltage across the switchable Raman-Nath grating, where the switchable Raman-Nath grating receives light in the total internal reflection path. Switchable Raman-Nath gratings may provide advantageous effects which may make them particularly suitable for despeckler gratings.

Abstract: There is provided an object tracker comprising: a first waveguide; a source of illumination light; a detector optically coupled to said waveguide; and at least one grating lamina formed within said waveguide. Illumination light propagating along a first optical path from said source to an object in relative motion to the object tracker. Image light reflected from at least one surface of an object is deflected by said grating lamina into a second optical path towards said detector.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing holographic waveguide display using integrated gratings in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are illustrated. One embodiment includes a waveguide display including a source of light, and a first waveguide including a grating structure including first and second gratings, and an input coupler configured to couple a first field-of-view portion of light, and couple a second field-of-view portion of light, wherein the first grating is configured to provide beam expansion in a first direction for the first field-of-view portion of light, and provide beam expansion in the first direction and beam extraction towards a viewer for the second field-of-view portion of light, the second grating is configured to provide beam expansion in a second direction for the second field-of-view portion of light, and provide beam expansion in the second direction and beam extraction towards a viewer for the first field-of-view portion of light.

Abstract: Systems integrating display resolution-multiplication solutions can be implemented in a variety of different ways. In many embodiments, the system includes an image projector for projecting image light, an image processor for computing a native image and at least one image shifted in a predefined direction, and at least one switchable grating capable of being switched between diffracting and non-diffracting states. In some embodiments, the switchable grating is optically coupled to the image projector. In a number of embodiments, the switchable gratings have a first configuration for propagating the native image light and at least one other configuration for propagating shifted image light having an angular displacement corresponding to the image shift in a predefined direction. By displaying the native and shifted images sequentially within a human eye integration period, the display resolution can be multiplied.

Abstract: An image generation device comprises: a spatial light modulator; a source of light; a beam deflector; an illumination waveguide and an image transport waveguide, each waveguide containing at least one switchable grating; and a coupler for directing scanned light into a first set of TIR paths in said illumination waveguide. A switchable grating in the illumination waveguide diffracts light onto said SLM, a switchable grating in said image transport waveguide diffracting image-modulated from the SLM into a waveguide path.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating head-up displays (HUDs) using waveguides incorporating Bragg gratings in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are provided. The term HUD is typically utilized to describe a class of displays that incorporates a transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. HUDs can be incorporated in any of a variety of applications including (but not limited to) vehicular and near-eye applications, such as googles, eyewear, etc. HUDs that utilize planar waveguides that incorporate Bragg gratings in accordance with various embodiments of the invention can achieve significantly larger fields of view and have lower volumetric requirements than HUDs implemented using conventional optical components.

Abstract: An optical display, including a first waveguide having a first set of surfaces, an input grating, a fold grating, and an output grating; an image input image node assembly; and a prismatic relay optics is provided. The prismatic relay optics may be configured to be optomechanically connected to the waveguide and the input image node assembly. The optical display is may also be configured to operate alone or as integrated with a headpiece to be used as a HUD. The HUD may have a first and a second configuration wherein the waveguide is decoupled or coupled.

Abstract: An optical waveguide comprises at least two TIR surface and contains a grating. Input TIR light with a first angular range along a first propagation direction undergoes at least two diffractions at the grating. Each diffraction directs light into a unique TIR angular range along a second propagation direction.

Abstract: A waveguide display is provided comprising: an input image generator providing image light projected over a field of view; a waveguide having first and second external surfaces; and at least one grating optically coupled to the waveguide for extracting light towards a viewer. The waveguide has a lateral refractive index variation between said external surfaces that prevents any ray propagated within the waveguide from optically interacting with at least one of the external surfaces.

Abstract: Systems and methods for copying a diversity of hologram prescriptions from a common master in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are illustrated. One embodiment includes a method of contact copying a hologram from a master. The method includes steps for providing a light source, a master grating encoding a first grating prescription, a substrate supporting a layer of holographic recording material, and a wavefront modifying component, forming a first wavefront from the light source, reflecting the first wavefront from the wavefront modifying component to provide a second wavefront, diffracting the second wavefront to provide diffracted light with a third wavefront and zero-order light with the second wavefront, interfering the third wavefront and the zero-order light at a contact image plane, and forming a hologram having a second grating prescription different from the first grating prescription.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination device comprising: a laser; a waveguide comprising at least first and second transparent lamina; a first grating device for coupling light from the laser into a TIR path in the waveguide; a second grating device for coupling light from the TIR path out of the waveguide; and a third grating device for applying a variation of at least one of beam deflection, phase retardation or polarization rotation across the wavefronts of the TIR light. The first second and third grating devices are each sandwiched by transparent lamina.

Abstract: A waveguide apparatus has in combination: a light pipe with an optical axis for guiding light therethrough; a light coupling element in optical contact with an elongate portion of the reflecting surface of the light guide; and an optical waveguide in optical contact with the coupling element.

Abstract: Many embodiments in accordance with the invention are directed towards waveguides implementing birefringence control. In some embodiments, the waveguide includes a birefringent grating layer and a birefringence control layer. In further embodiments, the birefringence control layer is compact and efficient. Such structures can be utilized for various applications, including but not limited to: compensating for polarization related losses in holographic waveguides; providing three-dimensional LC director alignment in waveguides based on Bragg gratings; and spatially varying angular/spectral bandwidth for homogenizing the output from a waveguide. In some embodiments, a polarization-maintaining, wide-angle, and high-reflection waveguide cladding with polarization compensation is implemented for grating birefringence. In several embodiments, a thin polarization control layer is implemented for providing either quarter wave or half wave retardation.

Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus for displaying an image comprising: a first optical substrate comprising at least one waveguide layer configured to propagate light in a first direction, wherein the at least one waveguide layer of the first optical substrate comprises at least one grating lamina configured to extract the light from the first substrate along the first direction; and a second optical substrate comprising at least one waveguide layer configured to propagate the light in a second direction, wherein the at least one waveguide layer of the second optical substrate comprises at least one grating lamina configured to extract light from the second substrate along the second direction; wherein the at least one grating lamina of at least one of the first and second optical substrates comprises an SBG in a passive mode.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination device comprising: a laser; a waveguide comprising at least first and second transparent lamina; a first grating device for coupling light from the laser into a TIR path in the waveguide; a second grating device for coupling light from the TIR path out of the waveguide; and a third grating device for applying a variation of at least one of beam deflection, phase retardation or polarization rotation across the wavefronts of the TIR light. The first second and third grating devices are each sandwiched by transparent lamina.

Abstract: A waveguide display is provided comprising: an input image generator providing image light projected over a field of view; a waveguide having first and second external surfaces; and at least one grating optically coupled to the waveguide for extracting light towards a viewer. The waveguide has a lateral refractive index variation between said external surfaces that prevents any ray propagated within the waveguide from optically interacting with at least one of the external surfaces.

Abstract: Typical waveguides rely on total internal reflection between the outer surfaces of substrates, which can make them highly susceptible to beam misalignment caused by nonplanarity of the substrates. In the manufacturing of the glass sheets commonly used for substrates, ripples can occur during the stretching and drawing of glass as it emerges from a furnace. Although glass manufacturers try to minimize ripples using predictions from mathematical models, it is difficult to totally eradicate the problem from the glass manufacturing process. Typically, these beam misalignments manifest themselves as image distortions and non-uniformities in the output illumination from the waveguide. Many embodiments of the invention are directed toward optically efficient, low cost solutions to the problem of controlling output image quality in waveguides manufactured using commercially available substrate glass and to the problem of compensating the image distortions and non-uniformity of curved waveguides.