Abstract: A display system comprises a waveguide having light incoupling or light outcoupling optical elements formed of a metasurface. The metasurface is a multilevel (e.g., bi-level, tri-level, etc.) structure having a first level defined by spaced apart protrusions formed of a first optically transmissive material and a second optically transmissive material between the protrusions. The metasurface can also include a second level formed by the second optically transmissive material. The protrusions on the first level may be patterned by nanoimprinting the first optically transmissive material, and the second optically transmissive material may be deposited over and between the patterned protrusions. The widths of the protrusions and the spacing between the protrusions may be selected to diffract light, and a pitch of the protrusions may be 10-600 nm.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a head-mounted augmented reality display system comprises one or more hybrid waveguides configured to display images by directing modulated light containing image information into the eyes of a viewer. Each hybrid waveguide is formed of two or more layers of different materials. A first (e.g., thicker) layer is a highly optically transparent core layer, and a second (e.g., thinner) auxiliary layer includes a pattern of protrusions and indentations, e.g., to form a diffractive optical element. The pattern may be formed by imprinting. The hybrid waveguide may include additional layers, e.g., forming a plurality of alternating core layers and thinner patterned layers. Multiple waveguides may be stacked to form an integrated eyepiece, with each waveguide configured to receive and output light of a different component color.

Abstract: Fabricating a high refractive index photonic device includes disposing a polymerizable composition on a first surface of a first substrate and contacting the polymerizable composition with a first surface of a second substrate, thereby spreading the polymerizable composition on the first surface of the first substrate. The polymerizable composition is cured to yield a polymeric structure having a first surface in contact with the first surface of the first substrate, a second surface opposite the first surface of the polymeric structure and in contact with the first surface of the second substrate, and a selected residual layer thickness between the first surface of the polymeric structure and the second surface of the polymeric structure in the range of 10 ?m to 1 cm. The polymeric structure is separated from the first substrate and the second substrate to yield a monolithic photonic device having a refractive index of at least 1.6.

Abstract: A lightguide for a head-wearable display or near-eye display includes an incoupler configured to direct display light representative of an image to the eye of a user. To direct the display light, the lightguide includes an incoupler that has reflectors configured to first direct the display light into the lightguide such that the display light propagates through the body lightguide and is received at a combined exit pupil expansion and outcoupling structure of the lightguide. This combined exit pupil expansion and outcoupling structure includes an array of louver retroreflectors that expands the eyebox of the image and also directs at least a portion of the display light out of the lightguide and toward the eye of the user. The louver retroreflectors in the array of louver retroreflectors each includes a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface arranged substantially orthogonal to each other.

Abstract: A diffractive waveguide stack includes first, second, and third diffractive waveguides for guiding light in first, second, and third visible wavelength ranges, respectively. The first diffractive waveguide includes a first material having first refractive index at a selected wavelength and a first target refractive index at a midpoint of the first visible wavelength range. The second diffractive waveguide includes a second material having a second refractive index at the selected wavelength and a second target refractive index at a midpoint of the second visible wavelength range. The third diffractive waveguide includes a third material having a third refractive index at the selected wavelength and a third target refractive index at a midpoint of the third visible wavelength range. A difference between any two of the first target refractive index, the second target refractive index, and the third target refractive index is less than 0.005 at the selected wavelength.

Abstract: A display system comprises a waveguide having light incoupling or light outcoupling optical elements formed of a metasurface. The metasurface is a multilevel (e.g., bi-level) structure having a first level defined by spaced apart protrusions formed of a first optically transmissive material and a second optically transmissive material between the protrusions. The metasurface also includes a second level formed by the second optically transmissive material. The protrusions on the first level may be patterned by nanoimprinting the first optically transmissive material, and the second optically transmissive material may be deposited over and between the patterned protrusions. The widths of the protrusions and the spacing between the protrusions may be selected to diffract light, and a pitch of the protrusions may be 10-600 nm.

Abstract: A fabrication process uses casting to form portions of a waveguide having ultra-flat surfaces. A casting resin is coated between a prism mold and a top flat mold via inkjet, slot die, spray coating, etc. The top flat mold is lowered to conform with the casting resin and the casting resin is then cured to form a bottom prism array. After curing, the bottom prism array is demolded from the prism mold and the top flat mold is used as a carrier wafer to support the bottom prism array. The bottom prism array is selectively coated with a reflective coating and a second casting process is performed by coating the bottom prism array with casting resin to form a reflective waveguide.

Abstract: To improve image quality by improving light use efficiency and resolution. Provided is a light guide plate including an incident part configured to diffract incident light into the light guide plate, a path configured to guide the light diffracted into the light guide plate by the incident part by internal total reflection, and an output part configured to diffract the light guided by the path and output the light toward an observer's pupil, the output part has a plurality of diffraction grating groups in a two-dimensional arrangement, the plurality of diffraction grating groups includes, in front view, at least one of a diffraction grating configured to diffract the light outward from the output part, a diffraction grating configured to diffract the light inwardly with respect to the output part, and a diffraction grating configured to diffract the light toward an observer's pupil.

Abstract: A method of operating a dynamic eyepiece in an augmented reality headset includes producing first virtual content associated with a first depth plane, coupling the first virtual content into the dynamic eyepiece, and projecting the first virtual content through one or more waveguide layers of the dynamic eyepiece to an eye of a viewer. The one or more waveguide layers are characterized by a first surface profile. The method also includes modifying the one or more waveguide layers to be characterized by a second surface profile different from the first surface profile, producing second virtual content associated with a second depth plane, coupling the second virtual content into the dynamic eyepiece, and projecting the second virtual content through the one or more waveguide layers of the dynamic eyepiece to the eye of the viewer.

Abstract: Images perceived to be substantially full color or multi-colored may be formed using component color images that are distributed in unequal numbers across a plurality of depth planes. The distribution of component color images across depth planes may vary based on color. In some embodiments, a display system includes a stack of waveguides that each output light of a particular color, with some colors having fewer numbers of associated waveguides than other colors. The waveguide stack may include multiple pluralities (e.g., first and second pluralities) of waveguides, each configured to produce an image by outputting light corresponding to a particular color. The total number of waveguides in the second plurality of waveguides may be less than the total number of waveguides in the first plurality of waveguides.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a head-mounted augmented reality display system comprises one or more hybrid waveguides configured to display images by directing modulated light containing image information into the eyes of a viewer. Each hybrid waveguide is formed of two or more layers of different materials. The thicker of the layers is a highly optically transparent “core” layer, and the thinner layer comprises a pattern of protrusions and indentations to form, e.g., a diffractive optical element. The pattern may be formed by imprinting. The hybrid waveguide may include additional layers, e.g., forming a plurality of alternating core layers and thinner patterned layers. Multiple waveguides may be stacked to form an integrated eyepiece, with each waveguide configured to receive and output light of a different component color.

Abstract: Overmolding or overcasting one portion of a reflective waveguide to another portion achieves bonding of components of the reflective waveguide without the need for an index-matched adhesive or an alignment platform for bonding. In embodiments in which one portion is overmolded to the other, the materials used to form the portions are selected such that the material used to form a first portion has a glass transition temperature (Tg) that is higher than the Tg of the material used to form a second portion. In embodiments in which one portion is overcasted to the other, the materials used to form the first portion and the second portion are thermosetting resins and are selected such that both materials have solubility parameters that approximately match each other.

Abstract: An augmented reality device includes a projector, projector optics optically coupled to the projector, and a substrate structure including a substrate having an incident surface and an opposing exit surface and a first variable thickness film coupled to the incident surface. The substrate structure can also include a first combined pupil expander coupled to the first variable thickness film, a second variable thickness film coupled to the opposing exit surface, an incoupling grating coupled to the opposing exit surface, and a second combined pupil expander coupled to the opposing exit surface.

Abstract: Fabricating a high refractive index photonic device includes disposing a polymerizable composition on a first surface of a first substrate and contacting the polymerizable composition with a first surface of a second substrate, thereby spreading the polymerizable composition on the first surface of the first substrate. The polymerizable composition is cured to yield a polymeric structure having a first surface in contact with the first surface of the first substrate, a second surface opposite the first surface of the polymeric structure and in contact with the first surface of the second substrate, and a selected residual layer thickness between the first surface of the polymeric structure and the second surface of the polymeric structure in the range of 10 ?m to 1 cm. The polymeric structure is separated from the first substrate and the second substrate to yield a monolithic photonic device having a refractive index of at least 1.6.

Abstract: A diffractive waveguide stack includes first, second, and third diffractive waveguides for guiding light in first, second, and third visible wavelength ranges, respectively. The first diffractive waveguide includes a first material having first refractive index at a selected wavelength and a first target refractive index at a midpoint of the first visible wavelength range. The second diffractive waveguide includes a second material having a second refractive index at the selected wavelength and a second target refractive index at a midpoint of the second visible wavelength range. The third diffractive waveguide includes a third material having a third refractive index at the selected wavelength and a third target refractive index at a midpoint of the third visible wavelength range. A difference between any two of the first target refractive index, the second target refractive index, and the third target refractive index is less than 0.005 at the selected wavelength.

Abstract: A display system includes a waveguide assembly having a plurality of waveguides, each waveguide associated with an in-coupling optical element configured to in-couple light into the associated waveguide. A projector outputs light from one or more spatially-separated pupils, and at least one of the pupils outputs light of two different ranges of wavelengths. The in-coupling optical elements for two or more waveguides are inline, e.g. vertically aligned, with each other so that the in-coupling optical elements are in the path of light of the two different ranges of wavelengths. The in-coupling optical element of a first waveguide selectively in-couples light of one range of wavelengths into the waveguide, while the in-coupling optical element of a second waveguide selectively in-couples light of another range of wavelengths. Absorptive color filters are provided forward of an in-coupling optical element to limit the propagation of undesired wavelengths of light to that in-coupling optical element.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to display systems, and more particularly to augmented reality display systems and methods of fabricating the same. A method of fabricating a display device includes providing a substrate comprising a lithium (Li)-based oxide and forming an etch mask pattern exposing regions of the substrate. The method additionally includes plasma etching the exposed regions of the substrate using a gas mixture comprising CHF3 to form a diffractive optical element, wherein the diffractive optical element comprises Li-based oxide features configured to diffract visible light incident thereon.

Abstract: Images perceived to be substantially full color or multi-colored may be formed using component color images that are distributed in unequal numbers across a plurality of depth planes. The distribution of component color images across depth planes may vary based on color. In some embodiments, a display system includes a stack of waveguides that each output light of a particular color, with some colors having fewer numbers of associated waveguides than other colors. The waveguide stack may include multiple pluralities (e.g., first and second pluralities) of waveguides, each configured to produce an image by outputting light corresponding to a particular color. The total number of waveguides in the second plurality of waveguides may be less than the total number of waveguides in the first plurality of waveguides, and may be more than the total number of waveguides in a third plurality of waveguides, in embodiments that utilize three component colors.

Abstract: In an example method of forming a waveguide part having a predetermined shape, a photocurable material is dispensed into a space between a first mold portion and a second mold portion opposite the first mold portion. A relative separation between a surface of the first mold portion with respect to a surface of the second mold portion opposing the surface of the first mold portion is adjusted to fill the space between the first and second mold portions. The photocurable material in the space is irradiated with radiation suitable for photocuring the photocurable material to form a cured waveguide film so that different portions of the cured waveguide film have different rigidity. The cured waveguide film is separated from the first and second mold portions. The waveguide part is singulated from the cured waveguide film. The waveguide part corresponds to portions of the cured waveguide film having a higher rigidity than other portions of the cured waveguide film.

Abstract: A method, includes providing a wafer including a first surface grating extending over a first area of a surface of the wafer and a second surface grating extending over a second area of the surface of the wafer; de-functionalizing a portion of the surface grating in at least one of the first surface grating area and the second surface grating area; and singulating an eyepiece from the wafer, the eyepiece including a portion of the first surface grating area and a portion of the second surface grating area. The first surface grating in the eyepiece corresponds to an input coupling grating for a head-mounted display and the second surface grating corresponds to a pupil expander grating for the head-mounted display.