Abstract: An optical system includes a grating including at least one substrate and a grating structure coupled to the at least one substrate. The grating structure is configured to diffract a first light having an incidence angle within a predetermined range. The optical system also includes a polarizer configured to transmit the first light diffracted by the grating structure and block a second light reflected by a surface of the at least one substrate.

Abstract: A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser for near-field illumination of an eye includes a semiconductor substrate, a first reflector, a mesa region, a first electrical contact, and a second electrical contact. The first reflector is disposed on a first side of the semiconductor substrate and the mesa region is disposed on the first reflector. The mesa region includes a second reflector and an active region, where the mesa region is configured to generate a diverging infrared beam. The first electrical contact is disposed on a second side of the semiconductor substrate, opposite the first side, for electrically coupling to the first reflector. The second electrical contact is also disposed on the second side of the semiconductor substrate for electrically coupling to the second reflector.

Abstract: An optical element for a head mounted display (HMD) includes an illumination layer, an optical combiner, and an optically transparent layer. The illumination layer is configured to emit infrared light towards an eyeward side of the optical element. The optical combiner is configured to receive reflected infrared light that is reflected by an eye of a user and to direct the reflected infrared light towards an infrared camera. The optically transparent layer is disposed between the illumination layer and the eyeward side of the optical element. The optical element may further include one or both of a confinement layer and an infrared extractor. The confinement layer is disposed on a surface of the optically transparent layer to induce waveguiding of confined infrared light propagating within the optically transparent layer. The infrared extractor is disposed on a side-edge of the optically transparent layer to absorb or frustrate the confined infrared light.

Abstract: An optical system includes a grating including at least one substrate and a grating structure coupled to the at least one substrate. The grating structure is configured to diffract a first light having an incidence angle within a predetermined range. The optical system also includes a polarizer configured to transmit the first light diffracted by the grating structure and block a second light reflected by a surface of the at least one substrate.

Abstract: An optical element for a head mounted display (HMD) includes an illumination layer, an optical combiner, and an optically transparent layer. The illumination layer is configured to emit infrared light towards an eyeward side of the optical element. The optical combiner is configured to receive reflected infrared light that is reflected by an eye of a user and to direct the reflected infrared light towards an infrared camera. The optically transparent layer is disposed between the illumination layer and the eyeward side of the optical element. The optical element may further include one or both of a confinement layer and an infrared extractor. The confinement layer is disposed on a surface of the optically transparent layer to induce waveguiding of confined infrared light propagating within the optically transparent layer. The infrared extractor is disposed on a side-edge of the optically transparent layer to absorb or frustrate the confined infrared light.

Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein relate generally to eye-tracking in near-eye display systems. One example of an eye illuminator for eye-tracking includes a substrate transparent to visible light, an array of light sources immersed in the substrate and configured to emit infrared light, and a holographic optical element conformally coupled to a surface of the substrate and encapsulated by an encapsulation layer. The holographic optical element is configured to transmit the visible light and diffract the infrared light emitted by the array of light sources to the eye of a user for eye-tracking.

Abstract: An example device may include a light source, an optical element, and, optionally, an encapsulant layer. A light beam generated by the light source may be received by the optical element and redirected towards an illumination target, such as an eye of a user. The optical element may include a material, for example, with a refractive index of at least approximately 2 at a wavelength of the light beam. The light source may be a semiconductor light source, such as a light-emitting diode or a laser. The optical element may be supported by an emissive surface of the light source. Refraction at an exit surface of the optical element, and/or within a metamaterial layer, may advantageously modify the beam properties, for example, in relation to illuminating a target. In some examples, the light source and optical element may be integrated into a monolithic light source module.

Abstract: A form birefringent optical element includes a structured layer and a dielectric environment disposed over the structured layer. At least one of the structured layer and the dielectric environment includes a nanovoided polymer, the nanovoided polymer having a first refractive index in an unactuated state and a second refractive index different than the first refractive index in an actuated state. Actuation of the nanovoided polymer can be used to reversibly control the form birefringence of the optical element. Various other apparatuses, systems, materials, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical element includes a nanovoided polymer layer having a first refractive index in an unactuated state and a second refractive index different than the first refractive index in an actuated state. Compression or expansion of the nanovoided polymer layer, for instance, can be used to reversibly control the size and shape of the nanovoids within the polymer layer and hence tune its refractive index over a range of values, e.g., during operation of the optical element. Various other apparatuses, systems, materials, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A plurality of light sources such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are configured to emit non-visible light through emission apertures. Optics are formed over the emission apertures of the plurality of light sources. The optics may provide different tilt angles or divergence angles to the non-visible light emitted by the light sources in the plurality of light sources.

Abstract: A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser for near-field illumination of an eye includes a semiconductor substrate, a first reflector, a mesa region, a first electrical contact, and a second electrical contact. The first reflector is disposed on a first side of the semiconductor substrate and the mesa region is disposed on the first reflector. The mesa region includes a second reflector and an active region, where the mesa region is configured to generate a diverging infrared beam. The first electrical contact is disposed on a second side of the semiconductor substrate, opposite the first side, for electrically coupling to the first reflector. The second electrical contact is also disposed on the second side of the semiconductor substrate for electrically coupling to the second reflector.