Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to augmented reality waveguide combiners. The waveguides includes a waveguide substrate, having a substrate refractive index (RI) nsub, a slab waveguide layer disposed over the waveguide substrate, the slab waveguide layer having a slab RI nswg and a slab depth dswg, the slab depth dswg from a lower surface to an upper surface of the slab waveguide layer, at least one grating defined by a plurality of grating structures, the grating structures are disposed in, on, or over the slab waveguide layer, and a superstrate between and over the grating structures, the superstrate having a superstrate RI nsuperstrate and an interface with the slab waveguide layer. The slab RI nswg is greater than the substrate RI nsub and the slab RI nswg is greater than the superstrate RI nsuperstrate.

Abstract: Very high refractive index (n>2.2) lightguide substrates enable the production of 70° field of view eyepieces with all three color primaries in a single eyepiece layer. Disclosed herein are viewing optics assembly architectures that make use of such eyepieces to reduce size and cost, simplifying manufacturing and assembly, and better-accommodating novel microdisplay designs.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods for forming a waveguide. Methods may include measuring a waveguide substrate, the waveguide having a substrate thickness distribution; and depositing an index-matched layer onto a surface of the waveguide, the index-matched layer having a first surface disposed on the waveguide substrate and a second surface opposing the first surface, wherein the index-matched layer is disposed only over a portion of the waveguide substrate, and a device slope of a second surface of the index-matched layer is substantially the same as the waveguide slope of the first surface of the waveguide.

Abstract: An anti-reflective waveguide assembly comprising a waveguide substrate having a first index of refraction, a plurality of diffractive optical elements disposed upon a first surface of the waveguide and an anti-reflective coating disposed upon a second surface of the waveguide. The anti-reflective coating preferably increases absorption of light through a surface to which it is applied into the waveguide so that at least 97 percent of the light is transmitted. The anti-reflective coating is composed of four layers of material having different indices of refraction that the first index of refraction and an imaginary refractive index less than 1×10?3 but preferably less than 5×10?4.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for improving the color uniformity of a display of a display device. A plurality of images of the display are captured using an image capture device. The plurality of images are captured in a color space, with each image corresponding to one of a plurality of color channels. A global white balance is performed to the plurality of images to obtain a plurality of normalized images. A local white balance is performed to the plurality of normalized images to obtain a plurality of correction matrices. Performing the local white balance includes defining a set of weighting factors based on a figure of merit and computing a plurality of weighted images based on the plurality of normalized images and the set of weighting factors. The plurality of correction matrices are computed based on the plurality of weighted images.

Abstract: A pupil separation system includes an input surface, a central portion including a set of dichroic mirrors, a first reflective surface disposed laterally with respect to the central portion, and a second reflective surface disposed laterally with respect to the central portion. The pupil separation system also includes an exit face including a central surface operable to transmit light in a first wavelength range, a first peripheral surface adjacent the central surface and operable to transmit light in a second wavelength range, and a second peripheral surface adjacent the central surface and opposite to the first peripheral surface. The second peripheral surface is operable to transmit light in a third wavelength range.

Abstract: A method for displaying an image using a wearable display system including directing display light from a display towards a user through an eyepiece to project images in the user's field of view, determining a relative location between an ambient light source and the eyepiece, and adjusting an attenuation of ambient light from the ambient light source through the eyepiece depending on the relative location between the ambient light source and the eyepiece.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a near-eye, near-eye display system comprises a stack of waveguides having pillars in a central, active portion of the waveguides. The active portion may include light outcoupling optical elements configured to outcouple image light from the waveguides towards the eye of a viewer. The pillars extend between and separate neighboring ones of the waveguides. The light outcoupling optical elements may include diffractive optical elements that are formed simultaneously with the pillars, for example, by imprinting or casting. The pillars are disposed on one or more major surfaces of each of the waveguides. The pillars may define a distance between two adjacent waveguides of the stack of waveguides. The pillars may be bonded to adjacent waveguides may be using one or more of the systems, methods, or devices herein. The bonding provides a high level of thermal stability to the waveguide stack, to resist deformation as temperatures change.

Abstract: An eyepiece waveguide for an augmented reality display system. The eyepiece waveguide can include an input coupling grating (ICG) region. The ICG region can couple an input beam into the substrate of the eyepiece waveguide as a guided beam. A first combined pupil expander-extractor (CPE) grating region can be formed on or in a surface of the substrate. The first CPE grating region can receive the guided beam, create a first plurality of diffracted beams at a plurality of distributed locations, and out-couple a first plurality of output beams. The eyepiece waveguide can also include a second CPE grating region formed on or in the opposite surface of the substrate. The second CPE grating region can receive the guided beam, create a second plurality of diffracted beams at a plurality of distributed locations, and out-couple a second plurality of output beams.

Abstract: Display devices include waveguides with in-coupling optical elements that mitigate re-bounce of in-coupled light to improve overall in-coupling efficiency and/or uniformity. A waveguide receives light from a light source and/or projection optics and includes an in-coupling optical element that in-couples the received light to propagate by total internal reflection in a propagation direction within the waveguide. Once in-coupled into the waveguide the light may undergo re-bounce, in which the light reflects off a waveguide surface and, after the reflection, strikes the in-coupling optical element. Upon striking the in-coupling optical element, the light may be partially absorbed and/or out-coupled by the optical element, thereby effectively reducing the amount of in-coupled light propagating through the waveguide.

Abstract: A wearable display system includes an eyepiece stack having a world side and a user side opposite the world side, wherein during use a user positioned on the user side views displayed images delivered by the system via the eyepiece stack which augment the user’s view of the user’s environment. The wearable display system also includes an angularly selective film arranged on the world side of the of the eyepiece stack. The angularly selective film includes a polarization adjusting film arranged between pair of linear polarizers. The linear polarizers and polarization adjusting film significantly reduces transmission of visible light incident on the angularly selective film at large angles of incidence without significantly reducing transmission of light incident on the angularly selective film at small angles of incidence.

Abstract: An eyepiece waveguide for an augmented reality display system. The eyepiece waveguide can include an input coupling grating (ICG) region. The ICG region can couple an input beam into the substrate of the eyepiece waveguide as a guided beam. A first combined pupil expander-extractor (CPE) grating region can be formed on or in a surface of the substrate. The first CPE grating region can receive the guided beam, create a first plurality of diffracted beams at a plurality of distributed locations, and out-couple a first plurality of output beams. The eyepiece waveguide can also include a second CPE grating region formed on or in the opposite surface of the substrate. The second CPE grating region can receive the guided beam, create a second plurality of diffracted beams at a plurality of distributed locations, and out-couple a second plurality of output beams.

Abstract: A wearable display system includes an eyepiece stack having a world side and a user side opposite the world side. During use, a user positioned on the user side views displayed images delivered by the wearable display system via the eyepiece stack which augment the user's field of view of the user's environment. The system also includes an optical attenuator arranged on the world side of the of the eyepiece stack, the optical attenuator having a layer of a birefringent material having a plurality of domains each having a principal optic axis oriented in a corresponding direction different from the direction of other domains. Each domain of the optical attenuator reduces transmission of visible light incident on the optical attenuator for a corresponding different range of angles of incidence.

Abstract: An augmented reality display system. The system can include a first eyepiece waveguide with a first input coupling grating (ICG) region. The first ICG region can receive a set of input beams of light corresponding to an input image having a corresponding field of view (FOV), and can in-couple a first subset of the input beams. The first subset of input beams can correspond to a first sub-portion of the FOV. The system can also include a second eyepiece waveguide with a second ICG region. The second ICG region can receive and in-couple at least a second subset of the input beams. The second subset of the input beams can correspond to a second sub-portion of the FOV. The first and second sub-portions of the FOV can be at least partially different but together include the complete FOV of the input image.

Abstract: Diffraction gratings provide optical elements in head-mounted display systems to, e.g., incouple light into or out-couple light out of a waveguide. These diffraction gratings may be configured to have reduced polarization sensitivity. Such gratings may, for example, incouple or outcouple light of different polarizations with similar level of efficiency. The diffraction gratings and waveguides may include a transmissive layer and a metal layer. The diffraction grating may comprises a blazed grating.

Abstract: A wearable display system includes an eyepiece stack having a world side and a user side opposite the world side, wherein during use a user positioned on the user side views displayed images delivered by the system via the eyepiece stack which augment the user's view of the user's environment. The wearable display system also includes an angularly selective film arranged on the world side of the of the eyepiece stack. The angularly selective film includes a polarization adjusting film arranged between pair of linear polarizers. The linear polarizers and polarization adjusting film significantly reduces transmission of visible light incident on the angularly selective film at large angles of incidence without significantly reducing transmission of light incident on the angularly selective film at small angles of incidence.

Abstract: Display devices include waveguides with in-coupling optical elements that mitigate re-bounce of in-coupled light to improve overall in-coupling efficiency and/or uniformity. A waveguide receives light from a light source and/or projection optics and includes an in-coupling optical element that in-couples the received light to propagate by total internal reflection in a propagation direction within the waveguide. Once in-coupled into the waveguide the light may undergo re-bounce, in which the light reflects off a waveguide surface and, after the reflection, strikes the in-coupling optical element. Upon striking the in-coupling optical element, the light may be partially absorbed and/or out-coupled by the optical element, thereby effectively reducing the amount of in-coupled light propagating through the waveguide.

Abstract: A wearable display system includes an eyepiece stack having a world side and a user side opposite the world side. During use, a user positioned on the user side views displayed images delivered by the wearable display system via the eyepiece stack which augment the user's field of view of the user's environment. The system also includes an optical attenuator arranged on the world side of the of the eyepiece stack, the optical attenuator having a layer of a birefringent material having a plurality of domains each having a principal optic axis oriented in a corresponding direction different from the direction of other domains. Each domain of the optical attenuator reduces transmission of visible light incident on the optical attenuator for a corresponding different range of angles of incidence.

Abstract: An augmented reality display system. The system can include a first eyepiece waveguide with a first input coupling grating (ICG) region. The first ICG region can receive a set of input beams of light corresponding to an input image having a corresponding field of view (FOV), and can in-couple a first subset of the input beams. The first subset of input beams can correspond to a first sub-portion of the FOV. The system can also include a second eyepiece waveguide with a second ICG region. The second ICG region can receive and in-couple at least a second subset of the input beams. The second subset of the input beams can correspond to a second sub-portion of the FOV. The first and second sub-portions of the FOV can be at least partially different but together include the complete FOV of the input image.

Abstract: A rainbow-free waveguide display, a near-eye display incorporating the rainbow-free waveguide, and methods of manufacturing the rainbow-free waveguide are provided. The display includes a waveguide display configured to direct image light to an eyebox plane having a length (LEyebox) and to a user's eye. The waveguide display includes a waveguide combiner and an out-coupler grating, wherein the out-coupler grating has a grating period ?OC such that all angles of incidence ?in of light from an external light source, result in diffracted angles ?out, that miss the user's eye.