Abstract: An electro-holographic light field generator device is disclosed. The light field generator device has an optical substrate with a waveguide face and an exit face. One or more surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulator devices are included within each light field generator device. The SAW devices each include a light input, a waveguide, and a SAW transducer, all configured for guided mode confinement of input light within the waveguide. A leaky mode deflection of a portion of the waveguided light, or diffractive light, impinges upon the exit face. Multiple output optics at the exit face are configured for developing from each of the output optics a radiated exit light from the diffracted light for at least one of the waveguides. An RF controller is configured to control the SAW devices to develop the radiated exit light as a three-dimensional output light field with horizontal parallax and compatible with observer vertical motion.

Abstract: A light field generator system including a leaky-mode SAW modulator is disclosed. The modulator incorporates at least one optical power component, such as a concave mirror or volume grating having a non-zero diopter rating. In some embodiments, the system incorporates the at least one optical power component by embedding the optical power component within a substrate of the SAW modulator and/or by placing the optical power component upon a surface of the SAW modulator.

Abstract: Acousto-optical modulators, such as a SAW modulators, with telescope arrays and superimposed volume gratings for light field generation are disclosed. These devices can employ pixelated demagnification and have layers of output optics, such as reflective gratings and/or arrays of transmissive refractive or diffractive lenses that manipulate the light emitted by the SAW modulator. In other cases, superimposed volume gratings are used, in which pixilation occurs in angle space.

Abstract: A system and method for metrology and profilometry using a light field generator are disclosed. For this purpose, a system such as an optical analysis system scans a sample using light, and detects light reflected off a sample in various ways. The system operates different operational modes including a backscatter intensity, a triangulation, and an interferometric mode. For this purpose, the optical analysis system includes one or more optical angle modulation systems, such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) modulators, that emit light, a sample holder, and a scanning system that scans the one or more SAW modulators relative to the sample holder. The system performs tomographic reconstructions of information generated by the scans to create 3D maps/volume datasets of the sample.

Abstract: A light field generation system includes a two dimensional emitter array for projecting light and a directionally-sensitive optical element in front of the emitter array but before a directional diffuser. Certain classes of emitters are intended to project information principally along one axis (e.g. amplitude modulated in the horizontal plane, i.e. so that each eye sees a potentially different image) and are the basis of horizontal-parallax-only (HPO) displays. Examples include surface acoustic wave (SAW) modulators, such as edge-emitting or surface-emitting modulators. They often project undesired or stray light along directions along a different axis (e.g. vertically) and the diffuser will also spread the visibility of the stray light field components. Thus, the directionally-sensitive optical element will improve contrast in this scenario.

Abstract: A light steeling system and method for diffractive steering of electromagnetic radiation such as visible light is disclosed. Embodiments of the light steering system include leaky-mode SAW modulators as light modulator devices. The SAW modulators preferably include reflective diffractive gratings. The gratings are mounted to/patterned upon an exit face that opposes an exit surface of the SAW modulator, in one example. Steering of light signals emitted from the SAW modulators in these systems can be accomplished by varying wavelength of light signals introduced to the SAW modulators, and/or by varying frequency of RF drive signals applied to the SAW modulators. In addition, light field generators that incorporate SAW modulators of the proposed light steering system within displays of the light field generators are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electro-holographic light field generator device is disclosed. The light field generator device has an optical substrate with a waveguide face and an exit face. One or more surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulator devices are included within each light field generator device. The SAW devices each include a light input, a waveguide, and a SAW transducer, all configured for guided mode confinement of input light within the waveguide. A leaky mode deflection of a portion of the waveguided light, or diffractive light, impinges upon the exit face. Multiple output optics at the exit face are configured for developing from each of the output optics a radiated exit light from the diffracted light for at least one of the waveguides. An RF controller is configured to control the SAW devices to develop the radiated exit light as a three-dimensional output light field with horizontal parallax and compatible with observer vertical motion.

Abstract: An optical neurostimulation and detection system and method are disclosed. The system includes a medical device including an implantable body, and a stimulation controller that connects to the medical lead device and provides a light source. One or more light emitter modules of the lead body couple light signals of the light source into modulated light signals, and the modulated light signals are emitted through the one or more light emitter modules to stimulate neural cells and/or neural tissue of a subject. In a preferred embodiment, the light emitter modules include a surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducer that couples the light source into the modulated light signals. Such a system provides emitted light incident upon the neural tissue of a much higher resolution than current systems and methods and can provide long-term implantation with fewer side effects and less tissue damage than current systems and methods.

Abstract: An electro-holographic light field generator device is disclosed. The light field generator device has an optical substrate with a waveguide face and an exit face. One or more surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulator devices are included within each light field generator device. The SAW devices each include a light input, a waveguide, and a SAW transducer, all configured for guided mode confinement of input light within the waveguide. A leaky mode deflection of a portion of the waveguided light, or diffractive light, impinges upon the exit face. Multiple output optics at the exit face are configured for developing from each of the output optics a radiated exit light from the diffracted light for at least one of the waveguides. An RF controller is configured to control the SAW devices to develop the radiated exit light as a three-dimensional output light field with horizontal parallax and compatible with observer vertical motion.

Abstract: A steerable optical transmit and receive terminal includes a MEMS-based N×1 optical switch network. Each optical switch in the optical switch network uses an electrostatic MEMS structure to selectively position a translatable optical grating close to or far from an optical waveguide. In the close (“ON”) position, light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide, whereas in the far (“OFF”) position, no appreciable light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide. The translatable optical grating is disposed at or near a surface of the optical switch network. Thus, the translatable optical grating emits light into, or receives light from, free space. The steerable optical transmit and receive terminal also includes a lens and can steer a free space optical beam in a direction determined by which port of the N×1 optical switch network is ON.

Abstract: A system and method for metrology and profilometry using a light field generator are disclosed. For this purpose, a system such as an optical analysis system scans a sample using light, and detects light reflected off a sample in various ways. The system operates different operational modes including a backscatter intensity, a triangulation, and an interferometric mode. For this purpose, the optical analysis system includes one or more optical angle modulation systems, such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) modulators, that emit light, a sample holder, and a scanning system that scans the one or more SAW modulators relative to the sample holder. The system performs tomographic reconstructions of information generated by the scans to create 3D maps/volume datasets of the sample.

Abstract: A nanophotonic phased array is configured to generate dynamic three-dimensional imagery when employed as an oscillatory beam-steering device. A scanning nanophotonic phased array generates programmable light fields. That is, a phased array generates reconfigurable light fields when controlled to perform an angular scan of incident illumination synchronized with respect to modulation of the incident illumination.

Abstract: A light field generation system includes a two dimensional emitter array for projecting light and a directionally-sensitive optical element in front of the emitter array but before a directional diffuser. Certain classes of emitters are intended to project information principally along one axis (e.g. amplitude modulated in the horizontal plane, i.e. so that each eye sees a potentially different image) and are the basis of horizontal-parallax-only (HPO) displays. Examples include surface acoustic wave (SAW) modulators, such as edge-emitting or surface-emitting modulators. They often project undesired or stray light along directions along a different axis (e.g. vertically) and the diffuser will also spread the visibility of the stray light field components. Thus, the directionally-sensitive optical element will improve contrast in this scenario.

Abstract: A steerable optical transmit and receive terminal includes a MEMS-based N×1 optical switch network. Each optical switch in the optical switch network uses an electrostatic MEMS structure to selectively position a translatable optical grating close to or far from an optical waveguide. In the close (“ON”) position, light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide, whereas in the far (“OFF”) position, no appreciable light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide. The translatable optical grating is disposed at or near a surface of the optical switch network. Thus, the translatable optical grating emits light into, or receives light from, free space. The steerable optical transmit and receive terminal also includes a lens and can steer a free space optical beam in a direction determined by which port of the N×1 optical switch network is ON.

Abstract: SAW modulators are used as components of diffractive imaging systems. Arrays of the modulators can be used to detect the light field from a scene. In specific applications, they can be used to provide matched filtering for object recognition.

Abstract: A parallelized chain-synthesizing technique includes capillary tubes, where each tube provides multiple locations or addresses where a specific arbitrary sequence for polymeric chains can be synthesized. An optical addressing system selectively delivers light to the locations to mediate or control reactions in the tubes.

Abstract: A steerable optical transmit and receive terminal includes a MEMS-based N×1 optical switch network. Each optical switch in the optical switch network uses an electrostatic MEMS structure to selectively position a translatable optical grating close to or far from an optical waveguide. In the close (“ON”) position, light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide, whereas in the far (“OFF”) position, no appreciable light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide. The translatable optical grating is disposed at or near a surface of the optical switch network. Thus, the translatable optical grating emits light into, or receives light from, free space. The steerable optical transmit and receive terminal also includes a lens and can steer a free space optical beam in a direction determined by which port of the N×1 optical switch network is ON.

Abstract: There can be a problem of output intensity node or nodes as a function of angle, for waveguide-based optical modulators, such as leaky-mode surface acoustic wave modulators. Several approaches are illustrated that can be used to provide more uniform output light across a range of angles, i.e., that is avoid dark “drop-outs.” It can also be used to increase the output angle range or exit light fan. This is achieved by leveraging the different diffraction characteristics between different guided modes. It exploits the observation that utilizing different waveguide guided modes, e.g. TE0 like versus TE1-like, causes a SAW optical modulator to operate with different relationships between output angle and output intensity. It turns out that they can be at least complementary, that is: one waveguide mode can fill in the dark gaps of another wave guide mode.

Abstract: Electro-holographic light field generator devices comprising surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulators are disclosed that employ multiple output couplers. These output couplers might be distributed along waveguides of the SAW modulators, within output coupling regions. Each of these output couplers can be configured for directing an incident leaky mode light at different output angles. In some cases, it may be desirable to employ the output couplers to function as different sub-pixels, to provide light to different viewing directions. The output couplers may be mirrors, volume gratings, chirped gratings, reflection gratings, two dimensional gratings, and/or transmission gratings. The output couplers may be angled so that the coupling output fans for each optical modulator are offset from the waveguide for that optical modulator.

Abstract: An electro-holographic light field generator device comprises surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulators arranged in different directions. Specifically, some embodiments have SAW modulators arranged in pairs, nose-to-nose with each other, and have output couplers that provide face-fire light emission. These SAW modulators also possibly include SAW sense transducers and/or viscoelastic surface material to reduce crosstalk.