Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) includes a field curvature corrected (FC) display to mitigate field curvature in an image that is output to a user's eyes. The FC display includes elements that generate the image light and elements to mitigate field curvature from the image light. The FC display may include a display panel with lenses, a display panel with a reflective polarizer and reflective surface, or other optical elements. The FC display may include a pancake lens configuration including a polarized display with a quarter wave plate, a reflective mirror, and a polarization reflective mirror.

Abstract: An electronic display assembly includes a display element and a corrective element coupled to the display element. The display element has a first plurality of sub-pixels of a first type and a second plurality of sub-pixels of a second type. Two adjacent sub-pixels of the first plurality of sub-pixel are separated by a sub-pixel distance. The corrective element has a plurality of features configured to diffuse light emitted by the first plurality of sub-pixels such that an apparent distance between the two adjacent sub-pixels of the first type, viewed at a viewing distance away from the electronic display assembly, is less than the sub-pixel distance.

Abstract: An electronic display assembly includes a display element and a corrective element coupled to the display element. The display element has a first plurality of sub-pixels of a first type and a second plurality of sub-pixels of a second type. Two adjacent sub-pixels of the first plurality of sub-pixel are separated by a sub-pixel distance. The corrective element has a plurality of features configured to diffuse light emitted by the first plurality of sub-pixels such that an apparent distance between the two adjacent sub-pixels of the first type, viewed at a viewing distance away from the electronic display assembly, is less than the sub-pixel distance.

Abstract: A waveplate is provided. The waveplate includes a first liquid crystal (“LC”) layer including LC molecules that are in-plane switchable by an external field to switch the waveplate between states of different phase retardances. The waveplate includes a second LC layer and a third LC layer sandwiching the first LC layer. Azimuthal angles of effective refractive index ellipsoids of the second LC layer and the third LC layer are different.

Abstract: An optical device is provided. The optical device includes a first optical element configured to output an elliptically polarized light having one or more predetermined polarization ellipse parameters. The optical device also includes a second optical element including a birefringent material with a chirality, and configured to receive the elliptically polarized light from the first optical element and reflect the elliptically polarized light as a circularly polarized light.

Abstract: A display device includes a relay waveguide and a scanner. The scanner is configured to angularly scan image light for coupling into the waveguide, and includes a scanning reflector and a second reflector disposed between the scanning reflector and an input coupler of the waveguide. The scanning reflector has an aperture for the image light to propagate therethrough toward the second reflector. The second reflector is configured to reflect at least a portion of the image light received through the aperture back toward the scanning reflector and to transmit at least a portion of the image light reflected from the scanning reflector toward the input coupler. The arrangement enables a compact design of the display.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a partial reflector that is optically coupled with a first polarization volume holographic element. The partial reflector is capable of receiving first light having a first circular polarization and transmitting a portion of the first light having a first circular polarization. The first polarization volume holographic element is configured to receive the first portion of the first light and reflect the first portion of the first light as second light having the first circular polarization. The partial reflector is capable of receiving the second light and reflecting a first portion of the second light as third light having a second circular polarization opposite to the first polarization. The first polarization volume holographic element is configured to receive the third light having the second circular polarization and transmit the third light having the second circular polarization.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing thin, multi-bend optics includes placing an optical substrate and a protective sheet into a compression mold and closing the compression mold to deform the optical substrate and to deform the protective sheet. The optical substrate can include an optical surface and the protective sheet can be disposed between the compression mold and the optical surface of the optical substrate. The compression mold can include a mold contact surface that is characterized by a surface roughness. The compression mold can be held in a closed position for a compression time period, during which, the protective sheet contacts the mold contact surface and provides a buffer layer between the mold contact surface and the optical surface thereby mitigating against transfer of the surface roughness of the mold contact surface onto the optical surface.

Abstract: An optical waveplate is provided. The optical waveplate includes a plurality of liquid crystal (“LC”) layers stacked together. At least one of the plurality of LC layers includes LC molecules that are in-plane switchable by an external field to switch the optical waveplate between states of different phase retardances.

Abstract: A method includes placing an optical substrate onto a vacuum mold having a bent contact surface characterized by a surface roughness. The method further includes bending, by an applied bending force, the optical substrate and the protective sheet to cause the protective sheet to come into contact with the bent contact surface of the vacuum mold, generating a vacuum-induced holding force to hold the protective sheet against the bent contact surface of the vacuum mold. After a holding time period, the vacuum-induced holding force is released. During molding, a protective sheet provides a buffer layer between the bent contact surface of the vacuum mold and an optical surface of the optical substrate thereby mitigating against transfer of the surface roughness of the bent contact surface onto the optical surface.

Abstract: A self-calibrating display can detect and compensate for binocular disparity or other visual imperfection of the display. The display includes a pair of projection units for projecting test light carrying test images through waveguides, which are normally used to carry images to left and right eyes of a user. A detection unit detects the test light propagated through the waveguides, and extracts the test images. Position of reference features in the detected test images may be used to determine binocular disparity, and luminance and color distribution across the test images may be used to determine the illumination and color uniformity of the images displayed to the user. After the visual defects have been detected, they may be reduced or compensated for by pre-emphasizing or shifting images to be displayed to the left and right eyes of the user.

Abstract: An optical device for providing illumination light includes an optical waveguide and a plurality of polarization selective elements. The plurality of polarization selective elements is disposed adjacent to the optical waveguide so that a respective polarization selective element receives light in a first direction, and redirects a first portion of the light in a second direction. A second portion, distinct from the first portion, of the light undergoes total internal reflection, thereby continuing to propagate inside the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical device includes a waveguide, a projector, a reflective display, and an in-coupler. The waveguide has a first side and an opposing second side. The projector is configured to project illumination light toward the first side of the waveguide. The reflective display is configured to receive the illumination light and to output image light toward the second side of the waveguide. The in-coupler is configured to receive the image light output by the reflective display and redirect a portion of the image light so that the portion of the image light undergoes total internal reflection inside the waveguide.

Abstract: Various embodiments set forth high-resolution liquid crystal displays and components thereof. In some embodiments, light emitted by a high-resolution green color liquid crystal display is combined, via a combiner, with light emitted by at least one lower-resolution red and blue color liquid crystal display. The red and blue color display(s) may include a single display or two displays positioned on opposing sides of the combiner. The combiner may be a dichroic or polarization-based combiner. Combined light from the green color display and the red and blue color display(s) is passed through collimating optics, such as a pancake lens or a Fresnel lens, toward a viewer's eye.

Abstract: An optical device is provided. The optical device includes a first optical element configured to output an elliptically polarized light having one or more predetermined polarization ellipse parameters. The optical device also includes a second optical element including a birefringent material with a chirality, and configured to receive the elliptically polarized light from the first optical element and reflect the elliptically polarized light as a circularly polarized light.

Abstract: An optical device for providing illumination light includes an optical waveguide and a plurality of polarization selective elements. The plurality of polarization selective elements is disposed adjacent to the optical waveguide so that a respective polarization selective element receives light in a first direction, and redirects a first portion of the light in a second direction. A second portion, distinct from the first portion, of the light undergoes total internal reflection, thereby continuing to propagate inside the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical device includes a spatial light modulator and an optical waveguide with a plurality of extraction features. The plurality of extraction features is positioned relative to the optical waveguide so that a respective extraction feature receives light, having propagated within the optical waveguide, in a first direction and directs a first portion of the light in a second direction distinct from the first direction to exit the optical waveguide and illuminate at least a portion of the spatial light modulator. The plurality of extraction features is also positioned relative to the optical waveguide so that a respective extraction feature directs a second portion, distinct from the first portion, of the light to undergo total internal reflection, thereby continuing to propagate within the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a reflector and a volume Bragg grating (VBG). The VBG is positioned for: (i) transmitting light having a first polarization and incident upon the VBG at an incident angle that is within a first angular range, (ii) reflecting light having the first polarization and incident upon the VBG at an incident angle that is within a second angular range distinct from the first angular range, and (iii) transmitting light having a second polarization different from the first polarization. The optical assembly is configured to receive first light, having the first polarization, and reflect the first light at the reflector and at the VBG before the first light is output from the optical assembly. The optical assembly is configured to receive second light, having the second polarization, and output the second light from the optical assembly without undergoing reflection at either the reflector or the VBG.

Abstract: A system includes an eyewear device, and a neckband device. The neckband device includes a power source and a processor communicatively coupled to the eyewear device. The system includes a bracelet device, which includes at least one sensor configured to determine a position signal in response to movement of the user's hand, the bracelet device communicatively coupled to the processor. A display device is configured to present content to a user, and is also configured to couple to and be removable from the eyewear device.

Abstract: This present disclosure describes a system and process for laminating a planar film sheet onto a curved surface of an optical element. One or more cuts to a planar film sheet are determined based in part on a curved surface of an optical element. The planar film sheet is cut along the determined one or more cuts to the planar film sheet to form a lamination sample. And the lamination sample has a plurality of stress relief boundaries that correspond to the determined one or more cuts to the planar film sheet. The lamination sample is laminated to the curved surface of the optical element to form a laminated coating on the optical element. And adjacent stress relief boundaries of the plurality of stress relief boundaries are in contact with each other, such that the laminated coating is a continuous film across the curved surface.