Abstract: Disclosed herein are curved lightguides with spatial light modulators (SLMs) for augmented reality (AR) applications and associated devices and systems. An example AR display hardware includes a lightguide having a concave outer surface and a convex outer surface (e.g., the lightguide is a curved lightguide); and an SLM attached to a portion of the lightguide, wherein the lightguide includes a first diffractive optical element (DOE) for outcoupling light incident thereon and a second DOE for outcoupling light incident thereon, the first DOE is over a portion of the concave outer surface of the lightguide, and the second DOE is over a portion of the convex outer surface of the lightguide.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present inventive concept there is provided an optical device (1) for modulating incident light (L), comprising a resonance defining layer structure (110) comprising an optical state change material (112), and an electrode layer (120) comprising at least two spaced-apart electrode elements (121, 122, 123). The electrode elements are individually addressable and arranged to cause an optical state change of a portion of the optical state change material between a first state and a second state, wherein the portion forms a geometric structure (131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136) defined by the arrangement of the at least two spaced-apart electrode elements. The optical state change material is configured to alter an optical response of the optical device upon the optical state change between the first state and the second state, thereby determining the modulation of the incident light.