Abstract: Architectures are provided for selectively outputting light for forming images, the light having different wavelengths and being outputted with low levels of crosstalk. In some embodiments, light is incoupled into a waveguide and deflected to propagate in different directions, depending on wavelength. The incoupled light then outcoupled by outcoupling optical elements that outcouple light based on the direction of propagation of the light. In some other embodiments, color filters are between a waveguide and outcoupling elements. The color filters limit the wavelengths of light that interact with and are outcoupled by the outcoupling elements. In yet other embodiments, a different waveguide is provided for each range of wavelengths to be outputted. Incoupling optical elements selectively incouple light of the appropriate range of wavelengths into a corresponding waveguide, from which the light is outcoupled.

Abstract: Optical systems and methods for operation thereof are disclosed. A delimited zone is defined as a function of distance from the optical system based on a VAC limit, the delimited zone having at least one distance threshold. A virtual distance of a virtual depth plane from the optical system at which a virtual object is to be displayed is determined. It is determined whether the virtual distance is outside the delimited zone by comparing the virtual distance to the at least one distance threshold. A collimated pixel beam associated with the virtual object is generated by a projector of the optical system. The collimated pixel beam is modified to generate a modified pixel beam if the virtual distance is outside the delimited zone. Modifying the collimated pixel beam includes converging the collimated pixel beam and/or reducing a diameter of the collimated pixel beam.

Abstract: Architectures are provided for selectively incoupling one or more streams of light from a multiplexed light stream into a waveguide. The multiplexed light stream can have light with different characteristics (e.g., different wavelengths and/or different polarizations). The waveguide can comprise in-coupling elements that can selectively couple one or more streams of light from the multiplexed light stream into the waveguide while transmitting one or more other streams of light from the multiplexed light stream.

Abstract: An example system for molding a photocurable material into a planar object includes a first mold structure having a first mold surface, a second mold structure having a second mold surface, and one or more protrusions disposed along at least one of the first mold surface or the second mold surface. During operation, the system is configured to position the first and second mold structures such that the first and second mold surfaces face each other with the one or more protrusions contacting the opposite mold surface, and a volume having a total thickness variation (TTV) of 500 nm or less is defined between the first and second mold surfaces. The system is further configured to receive the photocurable material in the volume, and direct radiation at the one or more wavelengths into the volume.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved diffraction structure for 3D display systems. The improved diffraction structure includes an intermediate layer that resides between a waveguide substrate and a top grating surface. The top grating surface comprises a first material that corresponds to a first refractive index value, the underlayer comprises a second material that corresponds to a second refractive index value, and the substrate comprises a third material that corresponds to a third refractive index value. According to additional embodiments, improved approaches are provided to implement deposition of imprint materials onto a substrate, which allow for very precise distribution and deposition of different imprint patterns onto any number of substrate surfaces.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an augmented reality system includes at least one waveguide that is configured to receive and redirect light toward a user, and is further configured to allow ambient light from an environment of the user to pass therethrough toward the user. The augmented reality system also includes a first adaptive lens assembly positioned between the at least one waveguide and the environment, a second adaptive lens assembly positioned between the at least one waveguide and the user, and at least one processor operatively coupled to the first and second adaptive lens assemblies. Each lens assembly of the augmented reality system is selectively switchable between at least two different states in which the respective lens assembly is configured to impart at least two different optical powers to light passing therethrough, respectively.

Abstract: An optical device includes a liquid crystal layer having a first plurality of liquid crystal molecules arranged in a first pattern and a second plurality of liquid crystal molecules arranged in a second pattern. The first and the second pattern are separated from each other by a distance of about 20 nm to about 100 nm along a longitudinal or a transverse axis of the liquid crystal layer. The first and the second plurality of liquid crystal molecules are configured as first and second grating structures that can redirect light of visible or infrared wavelengths.

Abstract: Examples of eye-imaging apparatus using diffractive optical elements are provided. For example, an optical device comprises a substrate having a proximal surface and a distal surface, a first coupling optical element disposed on one of the proximal and distal surfaces of the substrate, and a second coupling optical element disposed on one of the proximal and distal surfaces of the substrate and offset from the first coupling optical element. The first coupling optical element can be configured to deflect light at an angle to totally internally reflect (TIR) the light between the proximal and distal surfaces and toward the second coupling optical element, and the second coupling optical element can be configured to deflect at an angle out of the substrate. The eye-imaging apparatus can be used in a head-mounted display such as an augmented or virtual reality display.

Abstract: Examples of an imaging system for use with a head mounted display (HMD) are disclosed. The imaging system can include a forward-facing imaging camera and a surface of a display of the HMD can include an off-axis diffractive optical element (DOE) or hot mirror configured to reflect light to the imaging camera. The DOE or hot mirror can be segmented. The imaging system can be used for eye tracking, biometric identification, multiscopic reconstruction of the three-dimensional shape of the eye, etc.

Abstract: Systems and methods for eye pose identification using features of an eye are described. Embodiments of the systems and methods can include segmenting an iris of an eye in the eye image to obtain pupillary and limbic boundaries of the eye, determining two angular coordinates (e.g., pitch and yaw) of an eye pose using the pupillary and limbic boundaries of the eye, identifying an eye feature of the eye (e.g., an iris feature or a scleral feature), determining a third angular coordinate (e.g., roll) of the eye pose using the identified eye feature, and utilizing the eye pose measurement for display of an image or a biometric application. In some implementations, iris segmentation may not be performed, and the two angular coordinates are determined from eye features.

Abstract: Antireflection coatings for metasurfaces are described herein. In some embodiments, the metasurface may include a substrate, a plurality of nanostructures thereon, and an antireflection coating disposed over the nanostructures. The antireflection coating may be a transparent polymer, for example a photoresist layer, and may have a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the nanostructures and higher than the refractive index of the overlying medium (e.g., air). Advantageously, the antireflection coatings may reduce or eliminate ghost images in an augmented reality display in which the metasurface is incorporated.

Abstract: Techniques are described for operating an optical system. In some embodiments, light associated with a world object is received at the optical system. Virtual image light is projected onto an eyepiece of the optical system. A portion of a system field of view of the optical system to be at least partially dimmed is determined based on information detected by the optical system. A plurality of spatially-resolved dimming values for the portion of the system field of view may be determined based on the detected information. The detected information may include light information, gaze information, and/or image information. A dimmer of the optical system may be adjusted to reduce an intensity of light associated with the world object in the portion of the system field of view according to the plurality of dimming values.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a liquid crystal device including depositing a layer of liquid crystal material on a substrate and imprinting a pattern on the layer of liquid crystal material using an imprint template are disclosed. The liquid crystal material can be jet deposited. The imprint template can include surface relief features, Pancharatnam-Berry Phase Effect (PBPE) structures or diffractive structures. The liquid crystal device manufactured by the methods described herein can be used to manipulate light, such as for beam steering, wavefront shaping, separating wavelengths and/or polarizations, and combining different wavelengths and/or polarizations.

Abstract: A head mounted display system can include a camera, at least one waveguide, at least one coupling optical element that is configured such that light is coupled into said waveguide and guided therein, and at least one out-coupling element. The at least one out-coupling element can be configured to couple light that is guided within said waveguide out of said waveguide and direct said light to said camera. The at least one coupling element may comprise a diffractive optical element having optical power.

Abstract: An eyepiece for an augmented reality display system. The eyepiece can include a waveguide substrate. The waveguide substrate can include an input coupler grating (ICG), an orthogonal pupil expander (OPE) grating, a spreader grating, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) grating. The ICG can couple at least one input light beam into at least a first guided light beam that propagates inside the waveguide substrate. The OPE grating can divide the first guided light beam into a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart light beams. The spreader grating can receive the light beams from the OPE grating and spread their distribution. The spreader grating can include diffractive features oriented at approximately 90° to diffractive features of the OPE grating. The EPE grating can re-direct the light beams from the first OPE grating and the first spreader grating such that they exit the waveguide substrate.

Abstract: Optical systems and methods for operation thereof are disclosed. A delimited zone is defined as a function of distance from the optical system based on a VAC limit, the delimited zone having at least one distance threshold. A virtual distance of a virtual depth plane from the optical system at which a virtual object is to be displayed is determined. It is determined whether the virtual distance is outside the delimited zone by comparing the virtual distance to the at least one distance threshold. A collimated pixel beam associated with the virtual object is generated by a projector of the optical system. The collimated pixel beam is modified to generate a modified pixel beam if the virtual distance is outside the delimited zone. Modifying the collimated pixel beam includes converging the collimated pixel beam and/or reducing a diameter of the collimated pixel beam.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved diffraction structure for 3D display systems. The improved diffraction structure includes an intermediate layer that resides between a waveguide substrate and a top grating surface. The top grating surface comprises a first material that corresponds to a first refractive index value, the underlayer comprises a second material that corresponds to a second refractive index value, and the substrate comprises a third material that corresponds to a third refractive index value. According to additional embodiments, improved approaches are provided to implement deposition of imprint materials onto a substrate, which allow for very precise distribution and deposition of different imprint patterns onto any number of substrate surfaces.

Abstract: An augmented reality display system. The system can include a first eyepiece waveguide with a first input coupling grating (ICG) region. The first ICG region can receive a set of input beams of light corresponding to an input image having a corresponding field of view (FOV), and can in-couple a first subset of the input beams. The first subset of input beams can correspond to a first sub-portion of the FOV. The system can also include a second eyepiece waveguide with a second ICG region. The second ICG region can receive and in-couple at least a second subset of the input beams. The second subset of the input beams can correspond to a second sub-portion of the FOV. The first and second sub-portions of the FOV can be at least partially different but together include the complete FOV of the input image.

Abstract: A virtual image generation system comprises a planar optical waveguide having opposing first and second faces, an in-coupling (IC) element configured for optically coupling a collimated light beam from an image projection assembly into the planar optical waveguide as an in-coupled light beam, a first orthogonal pupil expansion (OPE) element associated with the first face of the planar optical waveguide for splitting the in-coupled light beam into a first set of orthogonal light beamlets, a second orthogonal pupil expansion (OPE) element associated with the second face of the planar optical waveguide for splitting the in-coupled light beam into a second set of orthogonal light beamlets, and an exit pupil expansion (EPE) element associated with the planar optical waveguide for splitting the first and second sets of orthogonal light beamlets into an array of out-coupled light beamlets that exit the planar optical waveguide.

Abstract: Illuminations systems that separate different colors into laterally displaced beams may be used to direct different color image content into an eyepiece for displaying images in the eye. Such an eyepiece may be used, for example, for an augmented reality head mounted display. Illumination systems may be provided that utilize one or more waveguides to direct light from a light source towards a spatial light modulator. Light from the spatial light modulator may be directed towards an eyepiece. Some aspects of the invention provide for light of different colors to be outcoupled at different angles from the one or more waveguides and directed along different beam paths.