Abstract: An optical device includes a first array of emitters disposed on a substrate and configured to emit respective beams of optical radiation in a direction perpendicular to the substrate. A second array of microlenses is positioned on the substrate in alignment with the respective beams of the emitters, having respective sag profiles that vary over an area of the substrate. The second array includes at least first microlenses in a central region of the substrate and second microlenses in a peripheral region of the substrate, such that the first microlenses have respective first focal powers, while the second microlenses have respective second focal powers, which are less than the first focal powers.

Abstract: An optoelectronic apparatus includes an array of emitters configured to emit beams of optical radiation. An optical substrate is mounted over the array. An optical metasurface is disposed on the optical substrate and configured to collimate and split each of the emitted beams into a respective group of collimated sub-beams, and to direct the collimated sub-beams toward a target to form a pattern of spots on the target.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein light source arrays with integrated beam-splitting prisms. The beam-splitting prisms are formed in a surface of a substrate, such as a semiconductor substrate, and split input beams generated by an array of emitters. The beam-splitting prisms each include a plurality of prism surfaces that generate a different output beam.

Abstract: An image sensing device includes a detector assembly, which includes a matrix of optical sensing elements having a predefined pitch. Each optical sensing element includes an active area having a width that is less than 90% of the pitch. An array of optical apertures are respectively aligned with the optical sensing elements such that each optical aperture is positioned at a distance from a respective optical sensing element that is no less than twice the width of the active area. Objective optics are configured to focus light from a scene onto the detector assembly.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods for spatially controlling illumination provided by a flash module. The flash module includes a flash controller that controls light emitters of an emitter array according to an illumination profile. The illumination profile is selected to reduce a relative brightness to a target region of the flash module's field of illumination. The target region is associated with a portion of a target object identified in the field of illumination. In some instances, the target region corresponds to a portion of a user's eye that is positioned within the field of illumination. In other instances, the flash module is incorporated into a device, and the target region corresponds to a reflected image of a portion of the device that is positioned within the field of illumination.

Abstract: An optoelectronic apparatus includes a substrate and first and second arrays of emitters disposed on the substrate and configured to emit respective first and second beams of optical radiation. The apparatus further includes an optical metasurface disposed on the substrate and configured to collimate and diffuse the first beams without diffusing the second beams, and an optical projection element, configured to intercept both the first and the second beams that have passed through the optical metasurface and to direct both the first and the second beams toward a target while focusing the second beams to form a pattern of spots on the target.

Abstract: A display may include an optical emitter that emits infrared light, a first coupler that couples the infrared light into a waveguide, and a second optical coupler that couples the infrared light out of the waveguide and towards the eye box. The infrared light may reflect off an eye as reflected light. The second optical coupler may couple the reflected light into the waveguide and the first optical coupler may couple the reflected light out of the waveguide and towards a camera for performing gaze tracking operations based on the sensor data. The display may sequentially illuminate different regions of the eye with the infrared light at different times using a scanning mirror, an array of light sources, or a wavelength-adjustable light source and gratings. This may minimize infrared light scattering, which minimizes background generation and maximizes signal-to-noise ratio for gaze tracking operations.

Abstract: A method for optical sensing includes providing a mirror comprising a central reflective region surrounded by a peripheral glare-suppressing region. A beam of light from a laser light source is directed to reflect from the central region so as to pass through an output optic along an axis toward a target scene. The light returned from the target scene through the output optic is focused onto an optical sensor, via collection optics having a collection aperture surrounding the mirror.

Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that capture images of an illuminated retina and perform eye tracking using the images. For example, a newly capture image may be compared with a previously-captured image or model of the retina to determine a three dimensional (3D) position or orientation of the eye, relative to the camera/tracking system. Diffuse light is directed towards the retina to produce reflections that are captured by the camera. The diffuse light is directed from positions that better aligned with the camera than prior retinal-imaging techniques. For example, at least some of the diffuse light may be directed towards the retina from one or more positions that are less than the camera lens' aperture radius distance from the camera lens' optical axis.

Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that determines an eye characteristic (e.g., gaze direction, eye orientation, etc.) based on the determined location of the glint. For example, an example process may include producing a glint by producing light that reflects off a portion of an eye, receiving the reflected light at a sensor wherein the reflected light is received after passing through a multi-zone lens having a first zone and a second zone, the first zone and second zone having different energy-spreading characteristics, determining a location of the glint based on the reflected light received at the sensor, and determining an eye characteristic based on the determined location of the glint.

Abstract: Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that track an eye characteristic (e.g., gaze direction, eye orientation, etc.). For example, an example process may include producing light that reflects off a retina of an eye, receiving an image of a portion of the retina from an image sensor, the image corresponding to a plurality of reflections of the light scattered from the retina of the eye, obtaining a representation of the eye corresponding to a first accommodative state, the representation representing at least some of the portion of the retina, and tracking an eye characteristic based on a comparison of the image of the portion of the retina with the representation of the eye.

Abstract: A method for optical sensing includes providing a mirror comprising a central reflective region surrounded by a peripheral glare-suppressing region. A beam of light from a laser light source is directed to reflect from the central region so as to pass through an output optic along an axis toward a target scene. The light returned from the target scene through the output optic is focused onto an optical sensor, via collection optics having a collection aperture surrounding the mirror.

Abstract: A method for optical sensing includes providing a mirror comprising a central reflective region surrounded by a peripheral glare-suppressing region. A beam of light from a laser light source is directed to reflect from the central region so as to pass through an output optic along an axis toward a target scene. The light returned from the target scene through the output optic is focused onto an optical sensor, via collection optics having a collection aperture surrounding the mirror.

Abstract: A compact folded projection system is described that includes a laser light source, a folded lens system comprising a lens stack including two or more refractive lenses and a light folding element (e.g., a prism), and a diffractive beam splitter that includes at least one diffractive surface. The light folding element provides a “folded” optical axis for the lens system to reduce the Z-height of the projection system, for example to within a range of 1.7 to 4 millimeters (e.g., 2 millimeters in some implementations). The laser light source emits light that is refracted by the lens stack to the folding element. The folding element redirects the light to the beam splitter which replicates the light into N×M duplications or tiles to thus generate a larger field of view (FOV) than the internal FOV of the lens system.

Abstract: An optical device includes a first array of emitters disposed on a substrate and configured to emit respective beams of optical radiation in a direction perpendicular to the substrate. A second array of microlenses is positioned on the substrate in alignment with the respective beams of the emitters, having respective sag profiles that vary over an area of the substrate. The second array includes at least first microlenses in a central region of the substrate and second microlenses in a peripheral region of the substrate, such that the first microlenses have respective first focal powers, while the second microlenses have respective second focal powers, which are less than the first focal powers.

Abstract: An opto-electronic device includes a semiconductor substrate having a planar surface. An emitter is formed on the substrate and configured to emit a beam of light away from the planar surface. A reflective layer is formed on the planar surface adjacent to the emitter. A transparent layer is formed over the planar surface and has a curved outer surface including a first segment positioned vertically over the emitter and configured to internally reflect the emitted beam of light toward the reflective layer, and a second segment positioned and configured to collimate and transmit the beam reflected from the reflective layer.

Abstract: An electronic device may have a display with an array of pixels for displaying images. The display may have a window region. During operation, a component such as an optical component may operate through the window region. The window region may overlap a movable portion of the display. The window region may be operated in open and closed states. In the closed state, the movable portion of the display overlaps the window region and pixels in the movable display portion emit light through the window region. In the open state, the movable portion of the display is moved away from the window region so that light for the optical component may pass through the window region. The optical component may be a camera or other component that receives light through the window region or may be an optical component that emits light through the window region.

Abstract: Imaging apparatus includes a housing, with imaging optics mounted in the housing and configured to form an optical image, at a focal plane within the housing, of an object outside the housing. An image sensor, including a matrix of detector elements, is positioned at the focal plane in alignment with the imaging optics and is configured to output an electronic image signal in response to optical radiation that is incident on the detector elements. At least one emitter is fixed within the housing and is configured to emit a test beam toward one or more reflective surfaces within the housing, which reflect the test beam toward the image sensor. A processor is configured to process the electronic image signal output by the image sensor in response to the reflected test beam so as to detect a change in the alignment of the image sensor with the imaging optics.

Abstract: A compact folded projection system is described that includes a laser light source, a folded lens system comprising a lens stack including two or more refractive lenses and a light folding element (e.g., a prism), and a diffractive beam splitter that includes at least one diffractive surface. The light folding element provides a “folded” optical axis for the lens system to reduce the Z-height of the projection system, for example to within a range of 1.7 to 4 millimeters (e.g., 2 millimeters in some implementations). The laser light source emits light that is refracted by the lens stack to the folding element. The folding element redirects the light to the beam splitter which replicates the light into NxM duplications or tiles to thus generate a larger field of view (FOV) than the internal FOV of the lens system.

Abstract: A compact folded projection system is described that includes a laser light source, a folded lens system comprising a lens stack including two or more refractive lenses and a light folding element (e.g., a prism), and a diffractive beam splitter that includes at least one diffractive surface. The light folding element provides a “folded” optical axis for the lens system to reduce the Z-height of the projection system, for example to within a range of 1.7 to 4 millimeters (e.g., 2 millimeters in some implementations). The laser light source emits light that is refracted by the lens stack to the folding element. The folding element redirects the light to the beam splitter which replicates the light into N×M duplications or tiles to thus generate a larger field of view (FOV) than the internal FOV of the lens system.