Abstract: The disclosure describes an improved drop-on-demand, controlled volume technique for dispensing resist onto a substrate, which is then imprinted to create a patterned optical device suitable for use in optical applications such as augmented reality and/or mixed reality systems. The technique enables the dispensation of drops of resist at precise locations on the substrate, with precisely controlled drop volume corresponding to an imprint template having different zones associated with different total resist volumes. Controlled drop size and placement also provides for substantially less variation in residual layer thickness across the surface of the substrate after imprinting, compared to previously available techniques. The technique employs resist having a refractive index closer to that of the substrate index, reducing optical artifacts in the device.

Abstract: Embodiments herein are generally directed to a waveguide display assembly and a near-eye display system incorporating the waveguide display assembly. In an embodiment, the waveguide display includes a light engine, a waveguide combiner, an input coupling grating, and one or more coupling gratings exposed to an ambient environment of the waveguide display assembly. The waveguide combiner extends across a user's eye at a wrap angle ?wrap(xy) relative to a waveguide plane, and the light engine is configured to project light toward the input coupling grating at a compensation angle ?Cl so as to increase the grating vector of the exposed gratings and reduce the angles and wavelengths at which light can be diffracted and coupled by the exposed grating into the waveguide combiner to the user's eye.

Abstract: Display devices include waveguides with in-coupling optical elements that mitigate re-bounce of in-coupled light to improve in-coupling efficiency and/or uniformity. A waveguide receives light from a light source and includes an in-coupling optical element that in-couples the received light to propagate by total internal reflection within the waveguide. The in-coupled 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 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: A pupil separation system includes an input surface and a central portion including one or more dichroic mirrors. The pupil separation system also includes a reflective surface disposed laterally with respect to the central portion and an output surface including a central surface operable to transmit light in a first wavelength range and a peripheral surface operable to transmit light in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range. The light in the second wavelength range is reflected by the one or more dichroic mirrors before being reflected by the reflective surface.

Abstract: An optical device comprising a substrate with a front surface, a back surface and a circumferential side surface is described. At least one portion of an edge of the front surface has a texturization, wherein recesses of the texturization are filled with a light-absorbent material. The circumferential side surface is free of light-absorbent material.

Abstract: A waveguide combiner including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a wavelength selective film, wherein the wavelength selective film is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the wavelength selective film is operable to reflect a red light, refract and transmit a blue light, and refract and transmit a green light.

Abstract: An eyepiece waveguide for an augmented reality display system may include an optically transmissive substrate, an input coupling grating (ICG) region, a multi-directional pupil expander (MPE) region, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) region. The ICG region may receive an input beam of light and couple the input beam into the substrate as a guided beam. The MPE region may include a plurality of diffractive features which exhibit periodicity along at least a first axis of periodicity and a second axis of periodicity. The MPE region may be positioned to receive the guided beam from the ICG region and to diffract it in a plurality of directions to create a plurality of diffracted beams. The EPE region may overlap the MPE region and may out couple one or more of the diffracted beams from the optically transmissive substrate as 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: Embodiments of the present disclosure include apparatus and methods for optical devices. In one embodiment, a method for forming an optical device generally includes disposing a first material device layer on a substrate, patterning a portion of the first material device layer to form a first plurality of device structures in the first material device layer, disposing a second material device layer on an un-patterned portion of the first device material layer, and patterning the second material device layer to form a second plurality of device structures disposed on the first material device layer.

Abstract: The disclosure describes an improved drop-on-demand, controlled volume technique for dispensing resist onto a substrate, which is then imprinted to create a patterned optical device suitable for use in optical applications such as augmented reality and/or mixed reality systems. The technique enables the dispensation of drops of resist at precise locations on the substrate, with precisely controlled drop volume corresponding to an imprint template having different zones associated with different total resist volumes. Controlled drop size and placement also provides for substantially less variation in residual layer thickness across the surface of the substrate after imprinting, compared to previously available techniques. The technique employs resist having a refractive index closer to that of the substrate index, reducing optical artifacts in the device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to augmented reality devices and related methods. The augmented reality devices include a projection system. The projection system includes a projector including a major axis. The projected is configured to project an image along the major axis. A prism is configured to refract the image. The image includes a first spectrum, a second spectrum, and a third spectrum. A waveguide is disposed at a wrap angle from a plane formed from the major axis of the projector. The waveguide includes an input coupler, and an output coupler.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to augmented reality devices and related methods. In one or more embodiments, an augmented reality device includes a projection system and a waveguide. The projection system includes a projector and a prism. The projector projects an image along the projectors major axis. The prism refracts the image having a first spectrum, a second spectrum, and a third spectrum. The waveguide is disposed at a wrap angle from a plane formed from the major axis of the projector. The waveguide includes an input coupler and an output coupler. The input coupler includes input structures at an input period and an input orientation and the input coupler is configured to receive the spectrums at different corresponding input angles. The output coupler includes output structures at an output period and an output orientation and the output coupler out couples the respective spectrums at an about equal output angle.

Abstract: Diffraction gratings provide optical elements, e.g., in a head-mountable display system, that can affect light, for example by incoupling light into a waveguide, outcoupling light out of a waveguide, and/or multiplying light propagating in a waveguide. The diffraction gratings may be configured to have reduced polarization sensitivity such that light of different polarization states, or polarized and unpolarized light, is incoupled, outcoupled, multiplied, or otherwise affected with a similar level of efficiency. The reduced polarization sensitivity may be achieved through provision of a transmissive layer and a metallic layer on one or more gratings. A diffraction grating may comprise a blazed grating or other suitable configuration.

Abstract: A waveguide is disclosed. The waveguide includes one or more gratings disposed over a substrate. The gratings include grating structures having a grating pitch. The waveguide includes a waveguide region disposed over the substrate between each grating and an edge of the substrate. The waveguide region includes auxiliary structures with an auxiliary pitch less than the grating pitch.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure include an optical device. The optical device generally includes an in-coupler (IC) configured to receive light from a projector, where the IC includes at least one grating line offset (GLO) associated with one or more phase deviations of the light from the projector. The device also includes a waveguide and an output coupler (OC), where the IC is configured to redirect the light from the projector to the OC through the waveguide.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provided herein include waveguide combiners. More specifically, embodiments described herein provide for waveguide combiners with a waveguide layer and a coating having a tapered portion disposed thereover. The waveguide includes one or more gratings, the one or more gratings including a plurality of grating structures disposed over a waveguide substrate, wherein the grating structures include a waveguide material, and the plurality of grating structures include exterior grating structures at outer edges of the one or more gratings. A waveguide layer is disposed over the waveguide substrate between the exterior grating structures and an edge of the waveguide substrate, the waveguide layer including the waveguide material, and a coating disposed over the waveguide layer, the coating having a tapered portion that is tapered from at least one of the exterior grating structures to a planar portion of the coating.

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 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: An eyepiece waveguide for an augmented reality display system may include an optically transmissive substrate, an input coupling grating (ICG) region, a multi-directional pupil expander (MPE) region, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) region. The ICG region may receive an input beam of light and couple the input beam into the substrate as a guided beam. The MPE region may include a plurality of diffractive features which exhibit periodicity along at least a first axis of periodicity and a second axis of periodicity. The MPE region may be positioned to receive the guided beam from the ICG region and to diffract it in a plurality of directions to create a plurality of diffracted beams. The EPE region may overlap the MPE region and may out couple one or more of the diffracted beams from the optically transmissive substrate as output beams.