Abstract: A waveguide apparatus comprises in combination: a light pipe with an optical axis for guiding light therethrough; a light coupling element in optical contact with an elongate portion of the reflecting surface of the light guide; and an optical waveguide in optical contact with the coupling element.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination device comprising: a laser; a waveguide comprising at least first and second transparent lamina; a first grating device for coupling light from the laser into a TIR path in the waveguide; a second grating device for coupling light from the TIR path out of the waveguide; and a third grating device for applying a variation of at least one of beam deflection, phase retardation or polarization rotation across the wavefronts of the TIR light. The first second and third grating devices are each sandwiched by transparent lamina.

Abstract: A near eye optical display includes a waveguide comprising a first surface and a second surface, an input coupler, a fold grating, and an output grating. The input coupler is configured to receive collimated light from a display source and to cause the light to travel within the waveguide via total internal reflection between the first surface and the second surface to the fold grating; the fold grating is configured to provide pupil expansion in a first direction and to direct the light to the output grating via total internal reflection between the first surface and the second surface; and the output grating is configured to provide pupil expansion in a second direction different than the first direction and to cause the light to exit the waveguide from the first surface or the second surface.

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: 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: 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: There is provided a projection display device comprising: a light source, an SBG device comprising a multiplicity of separately SBG elements sandwich between transparent substrate to which transparent electrodes have been applied. The substrates function as a light guide. A least one transparent electrode comprises plurality of independently switchable transparent electrodes elements, each electrode element substantially overlaying a unique SBG element. Each SBG element encodes image information to be projected on an image surface. Light coupled into the light guide, undergoes total internal reflection until diffracted out to the light guide by an activated SBG element. The SBG diffracts light out of the light guide to form an image region on an image surface when subjected to an applied voltage via said transparent electrodes.

Abstract: A light projection apparatus is provided comprising: a source of light; a switchable grating on a first substrate; and a diffractive optical element. Light is diffracted at least once by the switchable grating and is diffracted at least once by the DOE.

Abstract: An eye tracker comprises a light source; a detector; and first and second waveguides. The first waveguide comprises an input coupler for coupling source light into a waveguide path and a first grating for coupling light out of the waveguide path onto an eye. The second waveguide comprises a second grating for coupling light reflected from the eye into a waveguide path and an output coupler for coupling light out of the waveguide path onto the detector. The second grating is optically configured for imaging the eye onto the detector.

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 contact image sensor comprises: a light source providing a collimated beam; a detector and a switchable grating array comprising first and second transparent substrates sandwiching an array of switchable grating elements with transparent electrodes applied to said substrates, said substrates together providing a total internal reflection light guide. A first transmission grating layer overlays said first substrate. A second transmission grating layer overlays said second substrate. A quarter wavelength retarder layer overlays said second transmission grating layer. A platen overlays said quarter wavelength retarder layer; a polarization-rotating reflecting layer overlaying said first transmission grating layer. An input coupler for directing light from said light source into said light guide and an output coupler for extracting light out of said light guide towards said detector are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a switchable Raman Nath grating configured to be implemented in a waveguide-based display. The waveguide-based display may include: a waveguide; a light source; a coupler for directing light from the light source into a total internal reflection path within the waveguide; a switchable Raman-Nath grating supported by said waveguide operative to provide a first polarization direction sensitivity under a first voltage and a second polarization direction sensitivity under a second voltage; a voltage generator for applying a first voltage or a second voltage across the switchable Raman-Nath grating, where the switchable Raman-Nath grating receives light in the total internal reflection path. Switchable Raman-Nath gratings may provide advantageous effects which may make them particularly suitable for despeckler gratings.

Abstract: There is provided an object tracker comprising: a first waveguide; a source of illumination light; a detector optically coupled to said waveguide; and at least one grating lamina formed within said waveguide. Illumination light propagating along a first optical path from said source to an object in relative motion to the object tracker. Image light reflected from at least one surface of an object is deflected by said grating lamina into a second optical path towards said detector.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing holographic waveguide display using integrated gratings in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are illustrated. One embodiment includes a waveguide display including a source of light, and a first waveguide including a grating structure including first and second gratings, and an input coupler configured to couple a first field-of-view portion of light, and couple a second field-of-view portion of light, wherein the first grating is configured to provide beam expansion in a first direction for the first field-of-view portion of light, and provide beam expansion in the first direction and beam extraction towards a viewer for the second field-of-view portion of light, the second grating is configured to provide beam expansion in a second direction for the second field-of-view portion of light, and provide beam expansion in the second direction and beam extraction towards a viewer for the first field-of-view portion of light.

Abstract: An image generation device comprises: a spatial light modulator; a source of light; a beam deflector; an illumination waveguide and an image transport waveguide, each waveguide containing at least one switchable grating; and a coupler for directing scanned light into a first set of TIR paths in said illumination waveguide. A switchable grating in the illumination waveguide diffracts light onto said SLM, a switchable grating in said image transport waveguide diffracting image-modulated from the SLM into a waveguide path.

Abstract: Systems integrating display resolution-multiplication solutions can be implemented in a variety of different ways. In many embodiments, the system includes an image projector for projecting image light, an image processor for computing a native image and at least one image shifted in a predefined direction, and at least one switchable grating capable of being switched between diffracting and non-diffracting states. In some embodiments, the switchable grating is optically coupled to the image projector. In a number of embodiments, the switchable gratings have a first configuration for propagating the native image light and at least one other configuration for propagating shifted image light having an angular displacement corresponding to the image shift in a predefined direction. By displaying the native and shifted images sequentially within a human eye integration period, the display resolution can be multiplied.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating head-up displays (HUDs) using waveguides incorporating Bragg gratings in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are provided. The term HUD is typically utilized to describe a class of displays that incorporates a transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. HUDs can be incorporated in any of a variety of applications including (but not limited to) vehicular and near-eye applications, such as googles, eyewear, etc. HUDs that utilize planar waveguides that incorporate Bragg gratings in accordance with various embodiments of the invention can achieve significantly larger fields of view and have lower volumetric requirements than HUDs implemented using conventional optical components.

Abstract: A projection display device comprising a light source and an SBG device having a multiplicity of separate SBG elements sandwiched between transparent substrates to which transparent electrodes have been applied. The substrates function as a light guide. A least one transparent electrode comprises a plurality of independently switchable transparent electrode elements, each electrode element substantially overlaying a unique SBG element. Each SBG element encodes image information to be projected on an image surface. Light coupled into the light guide undergoes total internal reflection until diffracted out to the light guide by an activated SBG element. The SBG diffracts light out of the light guide to form an image region on an image surface when subjected to an applied voltage via said transparent electrodes.

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: 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.