Abstract: Single-shot, adaptive metrology of rotationally variant optical surfaces, such as toroids, off-axis conies and freeform surfaces. An adaptive interferometric null test uses a high definition liquid crystal phase-only spatial light modulator (SLM) as the reconfigurable null element, on which a simulated nulling phase function is encoded, based on the specifications of the surface under test to generate a null interferogram. The power component of the surface sag is nulled by system design, not the SLM, enabling the SLM to fully compensate the residual departure without the need to tilt the optic or use a custom Offner-null. By wrapping the phase function at multiples of 2*pi radian, the upper limit in sag of the optic under test is theoretically removed.

Abstract: An echelle spectrometer includes a slit opening for incoming light, a collimator which collimates a diverging beam of light generated through the slit, a reflective echelle grating which disperses the collimated light along a first dimension; a cross-disperser which disperses at least a portion of the collimated light in a second dimension orthogonal to the first dimension to create a two-dimensional spectral field-of-view; and an imaging system which images the two-dimensional spectral field-of-view onto a detector; wherein the imaging system comprises primary, secondary, and tertiary tilted mirrors, where each of the tilted mirrors comprises a freeform, rotationally non-symmetric surface shape.

Abstract: A cascaded interferometric system for Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) in which the output of one sub-system interferometer is directed through a second sub-system interferometer for performing the Fourier transform in hardware.

Abstract: An echelle spectrometer includes a slit opening for incoming light, a collimator which collimates a diverging beam of light generated through the slit, a reflective echelle grating which disperses the collimated light along a first dimension; a cross-disperser which disperses at least a portion of the collimated light in a second dimension orthogonal to the first dimension to create a two-dimensional spectral field-of-view; and an imaging system which images the two- dimensional spectral field-of-view onto a detector; wherein the imaging system comprises primary, secondary, and tertiary tilted mirrors, where each of the tilted mirrors comprises a freeform, rotationally non-symmetric surface shape.

Abstract: Single-shot, adaptive metrology of rotationally variant optical surfaces, such as toroids, off-axis conies and freeform surfaces. An adaptive interferometric null test uses a high definition liquid crystal phase-only spatial light modulator (SLM) as the reconfigurable null element, on which a simulated nulling phase function is encoded, based on the specifications of the surface under test to generate a null interferogram. The power component of the surface sag is nulled by system design, not the SLM, enabling the SLM to fully compensate the residual departure without the need to tilt the optic or use a custom Offner-null. By wrapping the phase function at multiples of 2*pi radian, the upper limit in sag of the optic under test is theoretically removed.

Abstract: A near eye display includes at least one of a combiner, a secondary mirror, and a waveguide having a freeform nanostructured surface. The freeform nanostructured surface encompasses a freeform surface, a nanostructured surface or a combination of both the freeform surface and the nanostructured surface. The freeform nanostructured surface can be incorporated into a combiner or a secondary mirror in the near eye display in a compact folded geometry, wherein an anamorphic or freeform optic can be optically intermediate an image source and the freeform nanostructured surface. The nanostructured surface can include a meta-grating operable across the visible spectrum. The meta-grating includes meta-atoms configured to provide a given efficiency at the desired wavelengths in reflection.

Abstract: A cascaded interferometric system for Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) in which the output of one sub-system interferometer is directed through a second sub-system interferometer for performing the Fourier transform in hardware.

Abstract: A near eye display includes at least one of a combiner, a secondary mirror, and a waveguide having a freeform nanostructured surface. The freeform nanostructured surface encompasses a freeform surface, a nanostructured surface or a combination of both the freeform surface and the nanostructured surface. The freeform nanostructured surface can be incorporated into a combiner or a secondary mirror in the near eye display in a compact folded geometry, wherein an anamorphic or freeform optic can be optically intermediate an image source and the freeform nanostructured surface. The nanostructured surface can include a meta-grating operable across the visible spectrum. The meta-grating includes meta-atoms configured to provide a given efficiency at the desired wavelengths in reflection.

Abstract: In one embodiment, imaging a medium under evaluation includes generating acquired images of the medium, each acquired image comprising a cross-sectional image along a lateral and a depth direction of the medium that results from scanning the medium at a different depths, filtering each acquired image to remove out-of-focus portions of the images and generate filtered images, and merging the filtered images to form a high-resolution fused image.

Abstract: An optical system includes a dynamically focused lens that variably changes focal length to focus light on a material under evaluation at discrete axial depths, and a scanning element that laterally scans the material to focus light on the material at points that are laterally adjacent the axial depth.

Abstract: Systems and methods of generating a tunable laser beam are disclosed. An example method includes: generating coherent optical beams from a plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs); combining the coherent optical beams into a combined coherent optical beam; and tuning the combined beam to a selected frequency range to output a coherent optical beam having only the selected frequency range. In some embodiments, the SOAs are arranged in parallel within a resonant cavity, and each coherent optical beam has a different center wavelength that overlaps in bandwidth with another one of the coherent optical beams.

Abstract: An optical system includes a dynamically focused lens that variably changes focal length to focus light on a material under evaluation at discrete axial depths, and a scanning element that laterally scans the material to focus light on the material at points that are laterally adjacent the axial depth.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for providing illumination in a head mounted display. In one embodiment a method includes emitting light from a plurality of sources at a plurality of wavelengths and transmitting the light from the plurality of sources to a first device. The method further includes combining the light, utilizing the first device, from the plurality of sources into a combined light signal and creating telecentricity in the combined light signal. The method also includes receiving a telecentric light signal on a display surface. In one embodiment the system includes a light source, a hybrid reflective structure configured as a truncated pyramid and further configured to transmit light emitted by the light source and an optics device configured to create telecentricity in light that was transmitted through the hybrid reflective structure to a display surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods of generating a tunable laser beam are disclosed. An example method includes: generating coherent optical beams from a plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs); combining the coherent optical beams into a combined coherent optical beam; and tuning the combined beam to a selected frequency range to output a coherent optical beam having only the selected frequency range. In some embodiments, the SOAs are arranged in parallel within a resonant cavity, and each coherent optical beam has a different center wavelength that overlaps in bandwidth with another one of the coherent optical beams.

Abstract: An optical system, apparatus and method are capable of mutual occlusions. The core of the system is a spatial light modulator (SLM) which allows users to block or pass certain parts of a scene which is viewed through the head worn display. An objective lens images the scene onto the SLM and the modulated image is mapped back to the original scene via an eyepiece. The invention combines computer-generated imagery with the modulated version of the scene to form the final image a user would see. The invention is a breakthrough in display hardware from a mobility (i.e. compactness), resolution, and speed, and is specifically, related to virtual objects being able to occlude real objects and real objects being able to occlude virtual objects.

Abstract: In one embodiment, imaging a medium under evaluation includes generating acquired images of the medium, each acquired image comprising a cross-sectional image along a lateral and a depth direction of the medium that results from scanning the medium at a different depths, filtering each acquired image to remove out-of-focus portions of the images and generate filtered images, and merging the filtered images to form a high-resolution fused image.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system and method for designing an optical surface pertain to constructing a matrix of radial basis functions, each column of the matrix corresponding to a radial basis function, selecting an initial surface to be used as a starting point, selecting initial weights for the radial basis functions, generating an initialized optical surface based upon the selected initial surface and initial weights, and optimizing the initialized optical surface to minimize an error function.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a hybrid display system includes a dome in which a system user may enter, the dome including an inner surface, a projector configured to project a background image on the dome inner surface that the user can view, and a head-mounted display (HMD) that the user can wear, the HMD being configured to display an insert image to the user simultaneous to the projection of the background image so that the user can view a hybrid image comprising both the background image of the dome and the insert image of the HMD.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an optical probe includes a housing, and an optical system provided within the housing, the optical system having a dynamically adjustable focal length such that the optical system can be focused at different points spaced a variety of distances from the housing while the probe is in use.

Abstract: A differential Shack-Hartmann curvature sensor for measuring a curvature including principal curvatures and directions of a wavefront. The curvature sensor includes a Shack-Hartmann sensor with an input beam and an optical element to split said input beam into three output beams traveling in different directions. Three lenslet arrays in each of the three beam paths produce corresponding Hartmann grids. A shearing device shears two of the three Hartmann grids in two perpendicular directions a differential difference. A measuring device measures the Hartmann grid coordinates generated by said three beams to determine various curvatures of the wavefront at each of the Hartmann grid points.