Abstract: An optical diffuser includes optically anisotropic molecules arranged in a predefined configuration such that the optical diffuser diffuses first light having a first polarization and transmits second light having a second polarization that is different from the first polarization upon receiving the second light. In addition to polarization selectivity, the optical diffuser may also exhibit wavelength selectivity and/or incident angle selectivity. A method of diffusing light using the optical diffuser and a method of making the optical diffuser are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system is provided for generating a polarization interference pattern. The system includes a light source configured to output a first beam having a predetermined wavelength. The system includes a transmissive polarization volume hologram (“PVH”) mask configured to provide a predetermined diffraction efficiency to a second beam having the predetermined wavelength, a circular polarization, and a non-zero incident angle at the transmissive PVH mask. The system includes a light deflecting element disposed between the light source and the transmissive PVH mask, and configured to deflect the first beam as the second beam toward the transmissive PVH mask. The transmissive PVH mask is configured to forwardly diffract the second beam incident thereon as a third beam and a fourth beam having orthogonal circular polarizations, a substantially same light intensity, and symmetric propagation directions. The third beam and the fourth beam interfere with one another to generate the polarization interference pattern.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed. The method includes: receiving, from a web server associated with a protected resource, a first signal including a request to validate a bearer token submitted by a client device to the web server, the bearer token including a digital signature; validating the bearer token, the validating including verifying the digital signature using a public key associated with an end user of the client device; and in response to validating the bearer token, sending to the web server a second signal including a notification that the bearer token is valid.

Abstract: A system includes a diffractive optical element including at least one substrate and a grating structure. The grating structure is configured to diffract a first light having an incidence angle within a predetermined range, and the at least one substrate is configured to reflect a second light. The system also includes a polarization selective mechanism configured to generate images based on the first light and the second light, respectively.

Abstract: A system includes a mask configured to forwardly diffract an input beam as a first set of two polarized beams. The system also includes a polarization conversion element configured to convert the first set of two polarized beams into a second set of two polarized beams having opposite handednesses. The two polarized beams having opposite handednesses interfere with one another to generate a polarization interference pattern.

Abstract: A system includes a surface relief grating configured to forwardly diffract an input beam as two linearly polarized beams. The system also includes a waveplate optically coupled with the surface relief grating and configured to convert the two linearly polarized beams into two circularly polarized beams having orthogonal circular polarizations. The two circularly polarized beams having orthogonal circular polarizations interfere with one another to generate a polarization interference pattern.

Abstract: An optical device includes an optical component (e.g., a polarization volume hologram, a geometric phase device, or a polarization-insensitive diffractive optical element) having a uniform thickness and configured to modify a wavefront of a light beam that includes light in two or more wavelengths visible to human eyes, where the optical component has a chromatic aberration between the two or more wavelengths. The optical device also includes a metasurface on the optical component. The metasurface includes a plurality of nanostructures configured to modify respective phases of incident light at a plurality of regions of the metasurface, where the plurality of nanostructures is configured to, at each region of the plurality of regions, add a respective phase delay for each of the two or more wavelengths to correct the chromatic aberration between the two or more wavelengths.

Abstract: A system includes a diffractive optical element configured to receive a first beam and a second beam interfering with one another to generate a first interference pattern. The diffractive optical element is also configured to forwardly diffract the first beam and the second beam to output a third beam and a fourth beam. The third beam and the fourth beam interfere with one another to generate a second interference pattern. The system also includes a detector configured to detect the second interference pattern.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed. The method includes: receiving, via a communication interface from a client application executing on a first device, a first signal including a request to obtain an access token for accessing a protected resource, the request including a public key associated with an end user; validating the request to obtain the access token; and in response to validating the request: encrypting an authorization code associated with the request using the public key to generate a first code; and transmitting, via the communication interface to the client application on the first device, a second signal including both the access token for accessing the protected resource and the first code.

Abstract: An optical element includes a first birefringent medium layer with orientations of directors of first optically anisotropic molecules spatially varying with a first in-plane pitch and a first vertical pitch. The optical element also includes a second birefringent medium layer with orientations of directors of second optically anisotropic molecules spatially varying with a second in-plane pitch and a second vertical pitch. The second birefringent medium layer is optically coupled with the first birefringent medium layer and configured to reduce a diffraction of a light by the first birefringent medium layer. The first in-plane pitch is substantially the same as the second in-plane pitch, and the second vertical pitch is smaller than the first vertical pitch.

Abstract: A display device includes a directional illuminator providing a light beam, a display panel downstream of a directional illuminator, for receiving and spatially modulating the light beam, and a beam redirecting module downstream of the display panel, for variably redirecting the spatially modulated light beam. Steering the illuminating light by the beam redirecting module enables one to steer the exit pupil of the display device to match the user's eye location(s).

Abstract: A system is provided. The system includes a light source configured to emit an infrared light to illuminate an eye of a user. The system includes a grating disposed facing the eye and including a birefringent material film configured with a uniform birefringence lower than or equal to 0.1. The grating is configured to diffract the infrared light reflected from the eye, and transmit a visible light from a real world environment toward the eye, with a diffraction efficiency less than a predetermined threshold. The system includes an optical sensor configured to receive the diffracted infrared light and generate an image of the eye based on the diffracted infrared light.

Abstract: Various embodiments set forth a foveated display system and components thereof. The foveated display system includes a peripheral display module disposed in series with a foveal display module. The peripheral display module is configured to generate low-resolution, large field of view imagery for a user's peripheral vision. The foveal display module is configured to perform foveated rendering in which high-resolution imagery is focused towards a foveal region of the user's eye gaze. The peripheral display module may include a diffuser that is disposed within a pancake lens, which is a relatively compact design. The foveal display module may include a Pancharatnam-Berry Phase grating stack that increases the steering range of a beam-steering device such that a virtual image can be steered to cover an entire field of view visible to the user's eye.

Abstract: A method includes providing a radiation with a predetermined intensity profile. The method also includes providing a photo-sensitive medium layer including a mixture of a photo-sensitive material and an absorbing additive. The absorbing additive has a predetermined non-uniform distribution in at least one of a direction within a film plane or a thickness direction of the photo-sensitive medium layer. The predetermined non-uniform distribution of the absorbing additive is configured to result in a predetermined non-uniform absorption of the radiation. The method also includes exposing the photo-sensitive medium layer to the radiation to form a polymer film. The optical film includes at least one predetermined birefringence variation in at least one of a direction within a film plane or a thickness direction of the polymer film.

Abstract: A polarization conversion device includes a geometric phase grating and an angular selective waveplate. The geometric phase grating includes a first liquid crystal layer and is configured to diffract a unpolarized or partially polarized incident light beam into a first light beam and a second light beam (e.g., in two different diffraction orders). The first light beam is characterized by a first polarization state and propagates in a first direction. The second light beam is characterized by a second polarization state and propagates in a second direction. The angular selective waveplate includes a second liquid crystal layer, and functions as a zero or full-wave plate for the first light beam incident in the first direction and a half-wave plate for the second light beam incident in the second direction.

Abstract: A device includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The device also includes a birefringent medium layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. Orientations of directors of optically anisotropic molecules included in the birefringent medium layer varying periodically with an in-plane pitch tunable by an external field to adjust a diffraction angle of a light beam diffracted by the birefringent medium layer.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a beam steering device and a holographic optical element. The beam steering device is switchable between different states including a first state and a second state. The beam steering device includes a first polarization-selective optical element and a first tunable optical retarder optically coupled with the first polarization-selective optical element. The holographic optical element is positioned relative to the beam steering device for receiving light from the beam steering device and projecting a first light pattern while the beam steering device is in the first state and a second light pattern distinct from the first light pattern while the beam steering device is in the second state.

Abstract: A device includes a diffraction element and an optical filter stacked with the diffraction element. The optical filter is configured to forwardly deflect a light from a real-world environment incident onto the optical filter, at an incidence angle greater than or equal to a predetermined angle, toward the diffraction element. The diffraction element is configured to substantially transmit the light forwardly deflected by the optical filter.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes at least one substrate that provides a first curved surface and a second surface. The optical assembly also includes a beam splitter on the first curved surface, a reflector on the second surface, and an optical retarder disposed between the beam splitter and the reflector. The optical assembly is configured to receive first light at the first curved surface and reflect the first light at the reflector and subsequently, at the beam splitter before outputting the first light from the reflector. The first light is transmitted through the optical assembly at a first optical power. The optical assembly is also configured to transmit second light at a second optical power that is less than the first optical power. The second light is transmitted through peripheral portions of the beam splitter and reflector without reflection at the reflector.

Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a memory, a camera module, a communications module, and a processor that is configured to: receive, from the camera module, image data associated with a machine-readable optical label, the optical label encoding transaction details of a transfer of data to a recipient account, wherein the transaction details do not indicate an identity of the recipient account; receive a user input indicating authorization to initiate a transfer of data, via a protected resource, from an account associated with the user to the recipient account; and in response to receiving the user input, generate a request for initiating the transfer of data based on the transaction details, the request including an access token for use in authenticating the user on requests to access the protected resource.