Abstract: In some examples, a device may include a backlight unit configured to illuminate a display. In some examples, a light source may direct light into an active photonic circuit. The active photonic circuit may include optical switches controllable to distribute the light to illuminate display zones. An active photonic circuit may include an arrangement of optical switches configured to allow particular zones to be raster scanned, for example, using light distribution and outcoupling further using a passive photonic circuit. The illumination intensity for each zone may be controlled using the optical switches and/or with variation of the light source intensity. In some examples, the illumination intensity for each zone can be varied based on the displayed content, allowing improved contrast ratios. In some examples, all zones may be illuminated simultaneously with a zonal illumination intensity based on displayed content. Other devices, methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed method may include receiving laser light from a laser light source. The method may also include directing and distributing the laser light onto a laser-based panel display to render pixels having a reduced spatial coherence and a preserved pixel pitch. For example, the pixels may be rendered as a result of an optical path distance between the pixels being greater than a coherent length of the laser light. Alternatively or additionally, the pixels may be rendered as a result of incoherent addition of light from at least one of multiple ports or multiple sources. Alternatively or additionally, the pixels may be rendered as a result of active modulation of the laser light. Alternatively or additionally, the pixels may be rendered as a result of quasi-random placement of outcoupling elements. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed method may include configuring an illuminator to emit a first path of light in a first direction and to emit a second path of light in a second direction. The method may additionally include, configuring a reflector to reflect the first path of light in the second direction. The method may also include configuring the first path of light reflected in the second direction to interfere destructively with the second path of light when a liquid crystal is set to an off state. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A display system may include a display element having an array of pixels, at least one light source, and a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) illumination element overlapping the display element. The PIC illumination element may include at least one in-coupler for in-coupling light from the at least one light source and an array of out-coupling emitters configured to emit light from the PIC illumination element toward the display element. The array of out-coupling emitters may not be aligned pixel-by-pixel with the array of pixels. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A device for providing a 1D line of an image is disclosed. The device includes a wavelength-tunable light source for providing image light having the angular distribution encoded in optical spectrum. The device further includes a thin slab waveguide having an out-coupler in form of a diffraction grating for out-coupling the image light at an angle dependent on wavelength. The image may be formed by scanning a collimated beam propagating in the slab waveguide when using tunable monochromatic light sources, or by forming the 1D singular distribution of brightness at a same time when using a tunable-spectrum light sources. The device may be used in a near-eye display for forming a 2D image in angular domain.

Abstract: According to examples, an apparatus for implementing a hermetically-covered photonic integrated circuit on a substrate having an integrated laser diode is described. The apparatus may include a cover wafer, a housing layer including a waveguide, the waveguide including a photonic integrated circuit, a laser die including a laser cavity, and a base substrate. The base substrate may include an emission window to provide a reflective design and to eliminate a need for a polarized beam splitter, a through-wafer via element to electrical coupling to the laser die and one or more pillars to set a height of the laser die relative to the photonic integrated circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a nanoimprint lithography (NIL) soft mold precursor material comprising a curable fluorinated base resin component, one or more additives, one or more crosslinkers, and one or more of a photo radical generator, a photo acid generator, or both. According to certain embodiments, further disclosed herein are a polymeric material comprising a partially or totally polymerized or crosslinked NIL precursor material, a NIL soft mold comprising the polymeric material, a process for making the NIL soft mold, and a method of using the NIL soft mold to form a NIL grating.

Abstract: A self-lit display panel includes a photonic integrated circuit payer including an array of waveguides and an array of out-couplers for out-coupling portions of the illuminating light through pixels of the panel. The self-lit display panel may include a transparent electronic circuitry layer backlit by the photonic integrated circuit layer; the two layers may be on a same substrate or on opposed substrates defining a cell filled with an electro-active material. The configuration allows for chief ray engineering, zonal illuminating, and separate illumination with red, green, and blue illuminating light.

Abstract: A pupil-replicating lightguide includes a slab of transparent material, a switchable out-coupling grating for out-coupling portions of image light to propagate towards an eyebox, and a switchable tracking grating for redirecting tracking light carrying an eye image towards an eye tracking camera. One of the two gratings may be turned ON while the other is turned OFF, in a time-sequential manner, allowing the combined use of the pupil-replicating lightguide for carrying image light and eye tracking light.

Abstract: A device includes a waveguide. The device also includes a plurality of grating sets coupled with the waveguide and configured to, during a plurality of time periods, couple a plurality of input image lights into and out of the waveguide as a plurality of output image lights. In a first grating set of the plurality of grating sets, a first vector sum of in-plane projections of grating vectors associated with all gratings included in the first grating set is a first non-null vector. In a second grating set of the plurality of grating sets, a second vector sum of in-plane projections of grating vectors associated with all gratings included in the second grating set is a second non-null vector. The first vector sum and the second vector sum have different directions.

Abstract: A device includes a light source to emit light and a light detector to receive the light emitted by the light source. The device may include a high voltage optical transformer and may be configured such that the light detector is laterally spaced away from the light source. In some architectures, the light source and the light detector may be arranged in a common plane. A photonic integrated circuit may be used to couple light emitted from the light source to the light detector.

Abstract: A system includes one or more waveguides, and a plurality of grating sets coupled with the one or more waveguides. A plurality of combinations of gratings from the grating sets are configurable to direct an image light to propagate through a plurality of sub-eyeboxes forming an uncompressed eyebox. The system also includes a controller configured to selectively configure one or more combinations of gratings to operate in a diffraction state to direct the image light to propagate through one or more sub-eyeboxes forming a compressed eyebox having a size smaller than a size of the uncompressed eyebox.

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.

Abstract: A waveguide assembly is provided. The waveguide assembly includes a pair of pupil-replicating waveguides. The first pupil-replicating waveguide is configured for receiving an input beam of image light and providing an intermediate beam comprising multiple offset portions of the input beam. The second pupil-replicating waveguide is configured for receiving the intermediate beam from the first pupil-replicating waveguide and providing an output beam comprising multiple offset portions of the intermediate beam. The input beam may be expanded by the waveguide assembly in such a manner that pupil gaps are reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A display device with a transparent illuminator and an liquid crystal (LC) display panel is disclosed. The transparent illuminator includes a light source and a transparent lightguide, which may be based on a slab of transparent material with zigzag light propagation of the illuminating light in the slab and/or a transparent photonic integrated circuit with singlemode ridge waveguides for spreading the illuminating light in a plane parallel to the plane of LC display panel. The lightguide includes a plurality of grating out-couplers whose position is coordinated with positions of LC pixels for higher throughput. A reflective offset-to-angle optical element may be provided to form an image in angular domain through the LC panel and through the transparent illuminator, resulting in an overall compact and efficient display configuration.

Abstract: A self-lit display panel includes a photonic integrated circuit payer including an array of waveguides and an array of out-couplers for out-coupling portions of the illuminating light through pixels of the panel. The self-lit display panel may include a transparent electronic circuitry layer backlit by the photonic integrated circuit layer; the two layers may be on a same substrate or on opposed substrates defining a cell filled with an electro-active material. The configuration allows for chief ray engineering, zonal illuminating, and separate illumination with red, green, and blue illuminating light.

Abstract: A self-lit display panel includes a photonic integrated circuit payer including an array of waveguides and an array of out-couplers for out-coupling portions of the illuminating light through pixels of the panel. The self-lit display panel may include a transparent electronic circuitry layer backlit by the photonic integrated circuit layer; the two layers may be on a same substrate or on opposed substrates defining a cell filled with an electro-active material. The configuration allows for chief ray engineering, zonal illuminating, and separate illumination with red, green, and blue illuminating light.

Abstract: A display device includes a directional illuminator providing a light beam, a display panel downstream of a directional illuminator, for receiving and spatially modulating the light beam, and a beam redirecting module downstream of the display panel, for variably redirecting the spatially modulated light beam. Steering the illuminating light by the beam redirecting module enables one to steer the exit pupil of the display device to match the user's eye location(s).

Abstract: In some embodiments, a photonic switch includes a first layer, a cantilever coupler, and a set of electrodes. The first layer includes a first waveguide that directs light in a first direction and a second waveguide that directs light in a second direction that is different from the first direction. The cantilever coupler is formed from a lithium niobate material and disposed over the first layer. The cantilever coupler includes a first end that is positioned over the first waveguide and a second end that is bonded to the second waveguide. The set of electrodes apply an electric potential across the first end, which deforms the first waveguide to couple to the second waveguide and propagates light between the first waveguide and the second waveguide.

Abstract: A self-lit display panel includes a photonic integrated circuit payer including an array of waveguides and an array of out-couplers for out-coupling portions of the illuminating light through pixels of the panel. The self-lit display panel may include a transparent electronic circuitry layer backlit by the photonic integrated circuit layer; the two layers may be on a same substrate or on opposed substrates defining a cell filled with an electro-active material. The configuration allows for chief ray engineering, zonal illuminating, and separate illumination with red, green, and blue illuminating light.