Patents by Inventor Matthew E Colburn

Matthew E Colburn has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240151971
    Abstract: A method of planarizing an overcoat layer on a surface-relief grating includes dispensing a layer of a resin material that is curable by heat or electromagnetic radiation on a surface-relief grating that includes a plurality of grating grooves, pressing the layer of the resin material using a planar imprint stamp, curing the resin material in the layer of the resin material, and detaching the planar imprint stamp from the layer of the resin material. In one example, a thickness of the overcoat layer on top of grating ridges of the surface-relief grating is equal to or less than 20 nm, and a surface peak-to-valley height of a top surface of the overcoat layer is equal to or less than 5 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Ankit VORA, Keren ZHANG, Matthew E. COLBURN, Feyza DUNDAR ARISOY, Igor ABRAMSON
  • Publication number: 20240096627
    Abstract: A method of forming a structure for etch masking that includes forming first dielectric spacers on sidewalls of a plurality of mandrel structures and forming non-mandrel structures in space between adjacent first dielectric spacers. Second dielectric spacers are formed on sidewalls of an etch mask having a window that exposes a connecting portion of a centralized first dielectric spacer. The connecting portion of the centralized first dielectric spacer is removed. The mandrel structures and non-mandrel structures are removed selectively to the first dielectric spacers to provide an etch mask. The connecting portion removed from the centralized first dielectric spacer provides an opening connecting a first trench corresponding to the mandrel structures and a second trench corresponding to the non-mandrel structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Sean D. Burns, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Matthew E. Colburn, Nelson M. Felix, Sivananda K. Kanakasabapathy, Christopher J. Penny, Roger A. Quon, Nicole A. Saulnier
  • Patent number: 11789186
    Abstract: An optical device with a variable index of refraction is formed by exposing a film to an energy gradient. The optical device has angular selectivity. The optical device can be used as an output coupler for a waveguide used in a virtual-reality and/or augmented-reality apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Giuseppe Calafiore, Austin Lane, Matthew E. Colburn
  • Patent number: 11780819
    Abstract: The disclosure provides recording materials including aromatic substituted alkane-core derivatized monomers and polymers for use in volume Bragg gratings, including, but not limited to, volume Bragg gratings for holography applications. Several structures are disclosed, including Formula I. When used in Bragg gratings applications, the monomers and polymers disclosed lead to materials with higher refractive index, low birefringence, and high transparency. The disclosed derivatized monomers and polymers can be used in any volume Bragg gratings materials, including two-stage polymer materials where a matrix is cured in a first step, and then the volume Bragg grating is written by way of a second curing step of a monomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Lafe Purvis, Austin Lane, Matthew E. Colburn
  • Patent number: 11733647
    Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein relate to holographic optical materials and elements. An example of a holographic recording material includes matrix monomers characterized by a first refractive index and configured to polymerize to form a polymer matrix, writing monomers dispersed in the matrix monomers and characterized by a second refractive index different from the first refractive index, and a photocatalyst for controlled radical polymerization of the writing monomers. The writing monomers are configured to polymerize upon exposed to recording light. The photocatalyst is dispersed in the matrix monomers. The photocatalyst includes, for example, a transition metal photocatalyst or a metal-free organic photocatalyst, such as a photocatalyst for atom transfer radical polymerization or a transition metal photocatalyst for addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Austin Lane, Matthew E. Colburn
  • Patent number: 11718580
    Abstract: The disclosure provides recording materials include fluorene derivatized monomers and polymers for use in volume Bragg gratings, including, but not limited to, volume Bragg gratings for holography applications. Several fluorene structures are disclosed: simply substituted fluorenes, cardo-fluorenes, and spiro-fluorenes. Fluorene derivatized polymers in Bragg gratings applications lead to materials with higher refractive index, low birefringence, and high transparency. Fluorene derivatized monomers/polymers can be used in any volume Bragg gratings materials, including two-stage polymer materials where a matrix is cured in a first step, and then the volume Bragg grating is written by way of a second curing step of a monomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Austin Lane, Matthew E. Colburn, Lafe Purvis
  • Patent number: 11709422
    Abstract: Gray-tone lithography techniques for controlling the thickness profile of an overcoat layer on a surface-relief grating that has a non-uniform grating parameter (e.g., depth, duty cycle, or period), compensating for the non-uniform etch rate in a large area, defining etch/block regions, and/or controlling the thickness of the grating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Elliott Franke, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, Ankit Vora, Austin Lane, Matthew E. Colburn
  • Patent number: 11670510
    Abstract: A method of forming a structure for etch masking that includes forming first dielectric spacers on sidewalls of a plurality of mandrel structures and forming non-mandrel structures in space between adjacent first dielectric spacers. Second dielectric spacers are formed on sidewalls of an etch mask having a window that exposes a connecting portion of a centralized first dielectric spacer. The connecting portion of the centralized first dielectric spacer is removed. The mandrel structures and non-mandrel structures are removed selectively to the first dielectric spacers to provide an etch mask. The connecting portion removed from the centralized first dielectric spacer provides an opening connecting a first trench corresponding to the mandrel structures and a second trench corresponding to the non-mandrel structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Tessera LLC
    Inventors: Sean D. Burns, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Matthew E. Colburn, Nelson M. Felix, Sivananda K. Kanakasabapathy, Christopher J. Penny, Roger A. Quon, Nicole A. Saulnier
  • Publication number: 20230125794
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of making polymeric optical layers for optical layering applications. In an aspect, a waveguide device for a head mounted display is provided. The waveguide device may include a waveguide die having a first refractive index range and a polymeric optical layer. The polymeric optical layer may include a second refractive index range that is different from the first refractive index range and a thiol-containing polymer. For example, the thiol-containing polymer may include thiourethane. In some embodiments, the thiol-containing polymer may be formed from a monomer mixture including a thiol-containing compound and an isocyanate. For example, the thiol-containing compound may include 4-mercaptomethyl-3,6-dithia-1,8-octanedithiol (MDTODT) and/or the isocyanate may include m-xylylene diisocyanate (XDI). In some embodiments, the monomer mixture may include a second thiol-containing compound, such as, for example, 1,3-benzene dithiol (1,3-BDT).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Marvin Dion Alim, Richard Farrell, Matthew E. Colburn, Ankit Vora, Austin Lane
  • Patent number: 11634528
    Abstract: Initiator/mediator chemistry for latent imaging polymers for volume Bragg gratings is provided. Light mediated chemistry including the use of nitroxides allows a first step imaging to occur, where a light induced pattern is recorded in the material, without the grating being apparent. A second bleaching/developing step completes the curing process and reveals the grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Austin Lane, Matthew E. Colburn
  • Publication number: 20230119729
    Abstract: Outcoupling elements are disposed with a transparent layer. A transparent waveguide structure receives non-visible light and delivers the non-visible light to the outcoupling elements. The outcoupling elements outcouple the non-visible light as non-visible illumination light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Guohua Wei, Qi Zhang, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Matthew E. Colburn
  • Patent number: 11592675
    Abstract: An electronic display assembly includes a display element and a corrective element coupled to the display element. The display element has a first plurality of sub-pixels of a first type and a second plurality of sub-pixels of a second type. Two adjacent sub-pixels of the first plurality of sub-pixel are separated by a sub-pixel distance. The corrective element has a plurality of features configured to diffuse light emitted by the first plurality of sub-pixels such that an apparent distance between the two adjacent sub-pixels of the first type, viewed at a viewing distance away from the electronic display assembly, is less than the sub-pixel distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ying Geng, Jacques Gollier, Alexander Sohn, Matthew E. Colburn
  • Patent number: 11579364
    Abstract: A manufacturing system performs a deposition of an etch-compatible film over a substrate. The etch-compatible film includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The manufacturing system performs a partial removal of the etch-compatible film to create a surface profile on the first surface with a plurality of depths relative to the substrate. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a second material over the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a planarization of the second material to obtain a plurality of etch heights of the second material in accordance with the plurality of depths in the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a lithographic patterning of a photoresist deposited over the planarized second material to obtain the plurality of etch heights and one or more duty cycles in the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew E. Colburn, Giuseppe Calafiore, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty
  • Patent number: 11561336
    Abstract: An optical element includes a transparent layer, outcoupling elements, and a waveguide structure. The outcoupling elements are positioned across the transparent layer. The waveguide structure provides non-visible light to the outcoupling elements and the outcoupling elements outcouple the non-visible light as non-visible illumination light to illuminate an eye region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Guohua Wei, Qi Zhang, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Matthew E Colburn
  • Publication number: 20220342219
    Abstract: A system comprising (1) at least one optical element having a nonplanar surface, (2) at least one photonic integrated circuit disposed on the nonplanar surface of the optical element, the photonic integrated circuit comprising (A) an optical core that contains an optically anisotropic organic material and (B) a cladding disposed over the optical core. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Poer Sung, Guohua Wei, Tingling Rao, Lafe Joseph Purvis, II, Kimberly Kay Childress, Aman Boromand, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Matthew E. Colburn
  • Publication number: 20220326436
    Abstract: A manufacturing system performs a deposition of an etch-compatible film over a substrate. The etch-compatible film includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The manufacturing system performs a partial removal of the etch-compatible film to create a surface profile on the first surface with a plurality of depths relative to the substrate. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a second material over the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a planarization of the second material to obtain a plurality of etch heights of the second material in accordance with the plurality of depths in the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a lithographic patterning of a photoresist deposited over the planarized second material to obtain the plurality of etch heights and one or more duty cycles in the second material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Matthew E. Colburn, Giuseppe Calafiore, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty
  • Patent number: 11455031
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for eye illumination for eye position tracking. An illuminator for eye tracking includes a substrate configured to be placed in front of an eye of a user and a light source positioned on a surface of the substrate. The light source is configured to be positioned within a field of view of the eye of the user. A maximum dimension of the light source in a plane parallel to an emission surface of the light source is less than 500 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Sharma, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Matthew E. Colburn, Qi Zhang, Giuseppe Calafiore, John Goward, Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, Selso Luanava
  • Patent number: 11448806
    Abstract: A lithographic patterning of a resist is performed to create a mandrel over a substrate. A deposition of one or more functional materials on the mandrel is performed. And each functional material has a respective refractive index. A selective removal of the mandrel is performed to create a plurality of grating elements formed from the one or more functional materials. The plurality of grating elements are self-aligned and form a diffraction grating. Each grating element may have a heterogenous refractive index (e.g., substantial normal to and/or parallel to a surface of the substrate). The diffraction grating may be used in a near-eye display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew E. Colburn, Giuseppe Calafiore, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Maxwell Parsons
  • Patent number: 11415880
    Abstract: A method is described for utilizing NIL materials with switchable mechanical properties. The method comprises applying an imprint mask to a nano-imprint lithography (NIL) material layer. The NIL material layer is comprised of a NIL material with a modulus level below a flexibility threshold. The NIL material layer has an internal property, that when changed, causes a change in the modulus level of the NIL material. The method further comprises detaching the imprinted NIL material layer from the imprint mask, with the low modulus level of the NIL material causing a shape of the imprinted NIL material layer to remain unchanged after detachment. A modulus level of the NIL material is increased by changing an internal property of the NIL material, with the modulus level increased beyond a strength threshold to create a first imprint layer that has a structure that remains unaffected by a subsequent process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Austin Lane, Matthew E. Colburn, Giuseppe Calafiore, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty
  • Patent number: 11402578
    Abstract: A manufacturing system performs a deposition of an etch-compatible film over a substrate. The etch-compatible film includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The manufacturing system performs a partial removal of the etch-compatible film to create a surface profile on the first surface with a plurality of depths relative to the substrate. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a second material over the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a planarization of the second material to obtain a plurality of etch heights of the second material in accordance with the plurality of depths in the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a lithographic patterning of a photoresist deposited over the planarized second material to obtain the plurality of etch heights and one or more duty cycles in the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew E. Colburn, Giuseppe Calafiore, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Nihar Ranjan Mohanty