Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus for displaying an image comprising: a first optical substrate comprising at least one waveguide layer configured to propagate light in a first direction, wherein the at least one waveguide layer of the first optical substrate comprises at least one grating lamina configured to extract the light from the first substrate along the first direction; and a second optical substrate comprising at least one waveguide layer configured to propagate the light in a second direction, wherein the at least one waveguide layer of the second optical substrate comprises at least one grating lamina configured to extract light from the second substrate along the second direction; wherein the at least one grating lamina of at least one of the first and second optical substrates comprises an SBG in a passive mode.

Abstract: A method for producing holograms with a multiplicity of holographic prescriptions from a single master is provided. A multiplicity of holographic substrates each containing a first hologram is stacked on a second holographic recording medium substrate. The first hologram is designed to diffract light from a first direction into a second direction. When expose to illumination from the first direction zero order and diffracted light from each first hologram interfere in the second holographic recording medium substrate forming a second hologram. The second hologram is then copied into a third holographic recording medium substrate to provide the final copy hologram.

Abstract: A general purpose sensor architecture integrating a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate, a diffractive laser beam delivery substrate and a diffractive infrared detection substrate is provided that can be used to implement a low-cost, compact lab-on-a-chip biosensor that can meet the needs of large-scale infectious disease testing. The sensor architecture can also be used in any other application in which molecules present in the liquid, gaseous or solid phases need to be characterized reliably, cost-effectively and with minimal intervention by highly skilled personnel.

Abstract: A transparent wearable data display having a source of collimated light, a deflector for deflecting the collimated light into a scanned beam, and a first of switchable grating elements sandwiched between first and second parallel transparent substrates, which together functioning as a first light guide. A first coupling is provided for directing the scanned beam into a first total internal reflection (TIR) light path of the first light guide along the first array column. The grating elements having diffracting and non-diffracting states, in their diffracting state deflecting light out of said light guide. The grating elements are switchable into their diffracting states one group of elements at a time.

Abstract: Improvements to gratings for use in waveguides and methods of producing them are described herein. Deep surface relief gratings (SRGs) may offer many advantages over conventional SRGs and Bragg gratings, an important one being a higher S-diffraction efficiency. In one embodiment, deep SRGs can be implemented as polymer surface relief gratings or evacuated Bragg gratings (EBGs). EBGs can be formed by first recording a holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) grating. Removing the liquid crystal from the cured grating provides a polymer surface relief grating. Polymer surface relief gratings have many applications including for use in waveguide-based displays.

Abstract: Multiplexed reflection and transmission gratings, and methods of their manufacture, are provided that improve uniformity with laser light, that is, reduced banding and other illumination artifacts occurring in waveguides. The mechanism for this can be the multiple reflections between the waveguide reflecting surfaces and the reflection hologram, which promote illumination averaging as beam propagation processes within a waveguide. In some gratings, a beam splitter layer overlapping the multiplexed gratings can be provided for the purposes of reducing banding in a laser-illuminated waveguide. The beam splitter can be provided by one or more dielectric layers. The beamsplitter can have sensitivity to one polarization. The beamsplitter can be sensitive to S-polarization. The beam splitter can be an anti-reflection coating optimized for normal incidence that becomes reflective at high TIR angles when immersed in glass or plastic.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various implementations display devices including phonic crystals. One embodiment includes a heads-up display including: a picture generation unit for projecting collimated light over a field of view; a first waveguide comprising an input grating for coupling the light from the picture generation unit into a total internal reflection path in the first waveguide and an output grating for providing beam expansion and light extraction from the first waveguide; a curved transparent substrate; and a mirror disposed with its reflecting surface facing a waveguide output surface of the first waveguide. The mirror may be configured to reflect light extracted from the first waveguide back through the first waveguide towards the curved transparent substrate. The first waveguide may be configured such that the curved transparent substrate reflects light extracted from the first waveguide towards an eyebox forming a virtual image viewable through the transparent curved substrate from the eyebox.

Abstract: An optical waveguide comprises at least two TIR surface and contains a grating. Input TIR light with a first angular range along a first propagation direction undergoes at least two diffractions at the grating. Each diffraction directs light into a unique TIR angular range along a second propagation direction.

Abstract: A transparent wearable data display having a source of collimated light, a deflector for deflecting the collimated light into a scanned beam, and a first of switchable grating elements sandwiched between first and second parallel transparent substrates, which together functioning as a first light guide. A first coupling is provided for directing the scanned beam into a first total internal reflection (TIR) light path of the first light guide along the first array column. The grating elements having diffracting and non-diffracting states, in their diffracting state deflecting light out of said light guide. The grating elements arc switchable into their diffracting states one group of elements at a time.

Abstract: A waveguide display comprises: a waveguide supporting a single grating layer; a source of data-modulated light; a first input coupler for directing a first spectral band of light from the source into a first waveguide pupil; a second input coupler for directing a second spectral band of light from the source into a second waveguide pupil; an output coupler comprising multiplexed first and second gratings, at least one fold grating for directing the first spectral band along a first path from the first pupil to the output coupler and providing a first beam expansion; at least one fold grating for directing the second spectral band along a second path from the second pupil to the output coupler and providing a first beam expansion. The first multiplexed grating directing the first spectral band out of the waveguide in a first direction with beam expansion orthogonal to the first beam expansion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing waveguide display devices utilizing overlapping integrated dual action (IDA) waveguides. One embodiment includes a waveguide display device including: a first input image source providing first image light; a second input image source provide second image light; a first IDA waveguide; and a second IDA waveguide. The first IDA waveguide and the second IDA waveguide may include an overlapping region where a first two-dimensionally expanded first image light, a second two-dimensionally expanded first image light, a first two-dimensionally expanded second image light, and a second two-dimensionally expanded second image light is ejected towards an eyebox. Advantageously, resolution may be enhanced and field of view may be expanded through the use of overlapping IDA waveguides.

Abstract: A general purpose sensor architecture integrating a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate, a diffractive laser beam delivery substrate and a diffractive infrared detection substrate is provided that can be used to implement a low-cost, compact lab-on-a-chip biosensor that can meet the needs of large-scale infectious disease testing. The sensor architecture can also be used in any other application in which molecules present in the liquid, gaseous or solid phases need to be characterized reliably, cost-effectively and with minimal intervention by highly skilled personnel.

Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus for displaying an image comprising: a first optical substrate comprising at least one waveguide layer configured to propagate light in a first direction, wherein the at least one waveguide layer of the first optical substrate comprises at least one grating lamina configured to extract the light from the first substrate along the first direction; and a second optical substrate comprising at least one waveguide layer configured to propagate the light in a second direction, wherein the at least one waveguide layer of the second optical substrate comprises at least one grating lumina configured to extract light from the second substrate along the second direction, wherein the at least one grating lamina of at least one of the first and second optical substrates comprises an SBG in a passive mode.

Abstract: Waveguides and waveguide displays having a layer for blocking non-image light (i.e. haze) that could otherwise reduce contrast and degrade color gamut and uniformity, while providing high transmission to external light are provided. Many waveguides and displays incorporate at least one light control layer applied to at least one external surface of said waveguide and overlapping at least a portion of said at least one grating, to divert or block scattered light from said set of gratings that might otherwise enter said eyebox.

Abstract: A waveguide apparatus, comprises: disposed in at least one layer: an input coupler; a first fold grating; a second fold grating; an output coupler; and a source of light optically coupled to the waveguide providing at least first and second polarizations of the light and at least one wavelength. The input coupler is configured to cause the first polarization light to travel along a first total internal reflection (TIR) path and the second polarization light to travel along a second TIR path.

Abstract: Typical waveguides rely on total internal reflection between the outer surfaces of substrates, which can make them highly susceptible to beam misalignment caused by nonplanarity of the substrates. In the manufacturing of the glass sheets commonly used for substrates, ripples can occur during the stretching and drawing of glass as it emerges from a furnace. Although glass manufacturers try to minimize ripples using predictions from mathematical models, it is difficult to totally eradicate the problem from the glass manufacturing process. Typically, these beam misalignments manifest themselves as image distortions and non-uniformities in the output illumination from the waveguide. Many embodiments of the invention are directed toward optically efficient, low cost solutions to the problem of controlling output image quality in waveguides manufactured using commercially available substrate glass and to the problem of compensating the image distortions and non-uniformity of curved waveguides.

Abstract: An optical display, including a first waveguide having a first set of surfaces, an input grating, a fold grating, and an output grating; an image input image node assembly; and a prismatic relay optics is provided. The prismatic relay optics may be configured to be optomechanically connected to the waveguide and the input image node assembly. The optical display is may also be configured to operate alone or as integrated with a headpiece to be used as a HUD. The HUD may have a first and a second configuration wherein the waveguide is decoupled or coupled.

Abstract: Mastering systems and methods of fabricating waveguides and waveguide devices using such mastering systems are described. Mastering systems for fabricating holographic waveguides can include using a master to control the application of energy (e.g. a laser, light, or magnetic beam) onto a liquid crystal substrate to fabricate a holographic waveguide into the liquid crystal substrate. Mastering systems for fabricating holographic waveguides in accordance with embodiments of the invention can include a variety of features. These features include, but are not limited to: chirp for single input beam copy (near i.e. hybrid contact copy), dual chirped gratings (for input and output), zero order grating for transmittance control, alignment reference gratings, 3:1 construction, position adjustment tooling to enable rapid alignment, optimization of lens and window thickness for multiple RKVs simultaneously, and avoidance of other orders and crossover of the diffraction beam.

Abstract: An optical display comprises: a first waveguide comprising a first surface and a second surface, an input coupler, a fold grating, and an output grating. The input coupler receives collimated first wavelength light from an Input Image Node causes the light to travel within the first waveguide via total internal reflection between the first surface and the second surface to the fold grating. The fold grating provides pupil expansion in a first direction directs the light to the output grating via total internal reflection between the first surface and the second surface. The output grating provides pupil expansion in a second direction different than the first direction and causes the light to exit the first waveguide from the first surface or the second surface. At least one of the input coupler, fold grating and output grating is a rolled k-vector grating, and the fold grating is a dual interaction grating.

Abstract: Multiplexed reflection and transmission gratings, and methods of their manufacture, are provided that improve uniformity with laser light, that is, reduced banding and other illumination artifacts occurring in waveguides. The mechanism for this can be the multiple reflections between the waveguide reflecting surfaces and the reflection hologram, which promote illumination averaging as beam propagation processes within a waveguide. In some gratings, a beam splitter layer overlapping the multiplexed gratings can be provided for the purposes of reducing banding in a laser-illuminated waveguide. The beam splitter can be provided by one or more dielectric layers. The beamsplitter can have sensitivity to one polarization. The beamsplitter can be sensitive to S-polarization. The beam splitter can be an anti-reflection coating optimized for normal incidence that becomes reflective at high TIR angles when immersed in glass or plastic.