Abstract: A manufacturing system performs a deposition of an etch-compatible film over a substrate. The etch-compatible film includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The manufacturing system performs a partial removal of the etch-compatible film to create a surface profile on the first surface with a plurality of depths relative to the substrate. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a second material over the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a planarization of the second material to obtain a plurality of etch heights of the second material in accordance with the plurality of depths in the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a lithographic patterning of a photoresist deposited over the planarized second material to obtain the plurality of etch heights and one or more duty cycles in the second material.

Abstract: A surface-relief structure comprises a surface-relief grating including a first material characterized by a first refractive index, a first layer of a second material having a second refractive index conformally deposited on surfaces of the surface-relief grating, and a second layer of a third material having a third refractive index conformally deposited on the first layer. The effective refractive index of the combination of the first layer and the second layer is less than, equal to, or greater than the first refractive index, thereby increasing the duty cycle and/or modifying the overall refractive index of the surface-relief structure. The first layer and the second layer are deposited using, for example, atomic layer deposition techniques.

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 the waveguide and couple the input image lights out of the waveguide as a plurality of output image lights. The plurality of input image lights have a substantially same input field of view (“FOV”) with a substantially same symmetry axis. A combined output FOV of the output image lights is larger than the input FOV.

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: A display panel has an array of pixels backlighted by a backlight including a lightguide and a plurality of out-coupling gratings. The locations of the out-coupling gratings are coordinated with positions of pixels in the array of pixels. The backlight may include a light-conducting transparent slab or an array of linear waveguides running parallel to the rows of the pixel array, with the gratings formed in the slab or in the waveguide. Wavelength composition and polarization of the light emitted by the waveguide may be matched to the transmission spectral bands and transmission polarization of the display panel.

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 compact collimator or projector includes a waveguide having a slab core structure supporting at least two lateral modes of propagation. A light beam coupled into a first mode propagates to an edge of the waveguide where it is reflected by a reflector to propagate back. Upon propagation back and forth, the light is converted into a second mode. An out-coupling region, such as an evanescent coupler, is provided to out-couple the light propagating in the second mode. The reflector may have focusing power to collimate the out-coupled light beam. The light beam may be converted from the first to the second mode without being reflected from a reflector.

Abstract: A method is described for modifying the mechanical properties of NIL materials. The method includes applying an imprint mask to a nano-imprint lithography (NIL) material layer to create an imprinted NIL material layer, with the NIL material layer comprised of a NIL material. The method further includes detaching the imprinted NIL material layer from the imprint mask, with the modulus level of the NIL material below a flexibility threshold to cause a shape of the imprinted NIL material layer to remain unchanged after detachment. The modulus level of the NIL material of the imprinted NIL material layer is increased beyond a strength threshold to create a first imprint layer, with the imprint layer having a structure that remains unaffected by a subsequent process to form a second imprint layer matching a master mold pattern.

Abstract: A device for redirecting light in two dimensions (2D) includes a wavelength-tunable light source for providing light having a spectral component at a first wavelength. A 1D redirector redirects the light in a first plane. A thin waveguide is disposed in the first plane. The thin waveguide includes a slab waveguide portion coupled to the 1D redirector for propagating light redirected by the 1D redirector. The slab waveguide portion includes a wavelength-sensitive out-coupler out-coupling the light in a second plane at an angle dependent on the first wavelength. Thus, the light is redirected in two dimensions. A display device providing image in angular domain may be based on the device for redirecting light in two dimensions.

Abstract: A device includes a waveguide, an in-coupling element, and an out-coupling element coupled with the waveguide. The waveguide, the in-coupling element, and the out-coupling element are configured to deliver a plurality of portions of an image light to an eye-box of the device. At least one of the in-coupling element or the out-coupling element includes a polarization selective diffractive element. The polarization selective diffractive element includes a grating including a plurality of microstructures defining a plurality of grooves filled with a passive optically anisotropic material having a first effective refractive index along a groove direction of the grooves and a second effective refractive index along an in-plane direction perpendicular to the groove direction. One of the first effective refractive index or the second effective refractive index substantially matches with a refractive index of the microstructures.

Abstract: A waveguide includes an input area, a multi-layered substrate, and an output area. The multi-layered substrate includes a plurality of layers of at least a substrate and at least one partially reflective layers. The input area in-couples light in a first band into the waveguide. The one or more partially reflective layers are partially reflective to light in the first band. Each of the one or more partially reflective layers are located between respective layers of the plurality of layers of the substrate. The output area out-couples light from the waveguide. The pupil replication density of the out-coupled light is based in part on a number of the one or more partially reflective layers and respective locations of the one or more partially reflective layers in the waveguide.

Abstract: A manufacturing system for creating waveguides that include optical gratings having high coupling efficiencies is described herein. The waveguides are used to guide image light from a source assembly to an eye of a user. The optical gratings are used to couple light into an optical waveguide element and/or decouple light from the optical waveguide element. The manufacturing system creates optical gratings by patterning and adjusts refractive indexes of the optical gratings by infusion and post-processing. A refractive index of an optical grating can be uniform or non-uniform. In-coupling efficiencies of light into a waveguide via the optical gratings and/or out-coupling efficiencies of light out of a waveguide via the optical gratings can be increased. The manufacturing system includes a patterning system, an infusion system, and a post-processing system.

Abstract: A manufacturing system for fabricating self-aligned grating elements with a variable refractive index includes a patterning system, a deposition system, and an etching system. The manufacturing system performs a lithographic patterning of one or more photoresists to create a stack over a substrate. The manufacturing system performs a conformal deposition of a protective coating on the stack. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a first photoresist of a first refractive index on the protective coating. The manufacturing system performs a removal of the first photoresist to achieve a threshold value of first thickness. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a second photoresist of a second refractive index on the first photoresist. The second refractive index is greater than the first refractive index. The manufacturing system performs a removal of the second photoresist to achieve a threshold value of second thickness to form a portion of an optical grating.

Abstract: A method is described for modifying the mechanical properties of NIL materials. The method includes applying an imprint mask to a nano-imprint lithography (NIL) material layer to create an imprinted NIL material layer, with the NIL material layer comprised of a NIL material. The method further includes detaching the imprinted NIL material layer from the imprint mask, with the modulus level of the NIL material below a flexibility threshold to cause a shape of the imprinted NIL material layer to remain unchanged after detachment. The modulus level of the NIL material of the imprinted NIL material layer is increased beyond a strength threshold to create a first imprint layer, with the imprint layer having a structure that remains unaffected by a subsequent process to form a second imprint layer matching a master mold pattern.

Abstract: A projector includes an illumination waveguide layer, a collimation waveguide layer, and a spatial modulator. The illumination waveguide layer expands a light beam which is coupled to the spatial modulator. The spatial modulator modulates the expanded light beam to provide a line of light points of controllable brightness. The collimation waveguide collimates light of the light points to obtain a fan of collimated light beams. Each collimated light beam of the fan has an angle corresponding to a coordinate of the corresponding light point of the line. A tiltable reflector may be placed at the exit pupil to scan the fan of light beams in a plane non-parallel to the plane of the fan, thus providing a 2D image in angular domain. An array of Mach-Zehnder interferometers may be used in place of the illumination waveguide layer and the spatial modulator to provide the line of light points.

Abstract: A method is described for creating a modified mask with low surface energies for a nano-imprint lithography (NIL) imprinting process. The method includes applying a master mold to an imprint mask material to create an imprint mask. The method further includes modifying the imprint mask by applying a treatment to the imprint mask to cause a surface energy level of the imprint mask to fall below a sticking threshold. The modified imprint mask is applied to a nano-imprint lithography (NIL) material to create an imprinted NIL material layer. The surface energy level of the imprint mask causes a shape of the imprinted NIL material layer to be remain unchanged when the imprinted NIL material layer is detached from the modified imprint mask.

Abstract: A diffraction grating includes a substrate and an array of triangular ridges extending from the substrate. The ridges run parallel to one another and have triangular cross-sections such that first sides of the ridges face in a first direction and adjacent second sides of the ridges face in a second, different direction. An array of grating lines is disposed over the first sides of the array of ridges, each grating line of the array of grating lines comprising a slab of transparent material supported by the first side of a corresponding ridge of the array of ridges. A refractive index of the array of grating lines is different from a refractive index of the array of ridges.

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: The disclosure provides high refractive index ceramic material nanoimprint lithography (NIL) gratings having a relatively lower amount of carbon compared to traditional NIL gratings, and methods of making and using thereof, and devices including such gratings. The ceramic material includes one or more of titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, hafnium oxide, tungsten oxide, zinc tellurium, gallium phosphide, or any combination or derivative thereof.

Abstract: A multilayer grating is a diffraction grating that includes a plurality of layers. The plurality of layers arranged to form a 2-dimensional grating, the layers including at least a first patterned layer and a second patterned layer. The first patterned layer includes a plurality of different materials that are arranged in a first pattern such that the first patterned layer has a first index profile. The second patterned layer includes a plurality of different materials that are arranged in a second pattern such that the second patterned layer has a second index profile that is inverted relative to the first index profile. Ambient light incident on the first patterned layer and the second patterned layer creates a first diffracted ray and a second diffracted ray, respectively, and the first diffracted ray and the second diffracted ray destructively interfere with each other based in part on the inverted index profile.