Abstract: An eyepiece for an augmented reality display system. The eyepiece can include a waveguide substrate. The waveguide substrate can include an input coupler grating (ICG), an orthogonal pupil expander (OPE) grating, a spreader grating, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) grating. The ICG can couple at least one input light beam into at least a first guided light beam that propagates inside the waveguide substrate. The OPE grating can divide the first guided light beam into a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart light beams. The spreader grating can receive the light beams from the OPE grating and spread their distribution. The spreader grating can include diffractive features oriented at approximately 90° to diffractive features of the OPE grating. The EPE grating can re-direct the light beams from the first OPE grating and the first spreader grating such that they exit the waveguide substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a device including a first waveguide, the first waveguide having a first input coupler operable to receive a first color light and in-couple the first color light into the first waveguide, and a coating area adjacent to a grating of the first input coupler, the coating area operable to receive a second color light, the coating area having an anti-reflective coating with a transmission refractive index such that in operation the second color light is transmitted through the first waveguide to a second waveguide, the second waveguide below the first waveguide, the second waveguide having a second input coupler disposed below and aligned with the coating area, the second input coupler operable to receive the second color light and in-couple the second color light into the second waveguide.

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: Implementations of the present disclosure relate to apparatus, systems, and methods of a compact, high numerical aperture light engine, for example thin optics-based light engine systems using meta-surfaces for wearable displays. One implementation includes an optical device. The optical device includes one or more spatial light modulators, wherein each spatial light modulator is an array of pixels that are individually controllable to output visible light. The optical device also includes a surface defining an exit pupil that is arranged to allow the output visible light to exit the optical device via the exit pupil. The optical device also includes one or more metasurfaces disposed between the one or more spatial light modulators and the exit pupil. The one or more metasurfaces are to focus the visible light that is output by the one or more spatial light modulators.

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: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods of forming a substrate having a target thickness distribution at one or more eyepiece areas across a substrate. The substrate includes eyepiece areas corresponding to areas where optical device eyepieces are to be formed on the substrate. Each eyepiece area includes a target thickness distribution. A base substrate thickness distribution of a base substrate is measured such that a target thickness change can be determined. The methods described herein are utilized along with the target thickness change to form a substrate with the target thickness distribution.

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 method of operating an eyepiece waveguide includes directing light from a projector to impinge on an incoupling grating (ICG). The method also includes diffracting a first fraction of the light from the projector into a first portion of the eyepiece waveguide, propagating the first fraction of the light into a second portion of the eyepiece waveguide, and diffracting the first fraction of the light out of the eyepiece waveguide. The method further includes diffracting a second fraction of the light from the projector into the second portion of the eyepiece waveguide, propagating the second fraction of the light into the first portion of the eyepiece waveguide, and diffracting the second fraction out of the eyepiece waveguide.

Abstract: A method of operating a dynamic eyepiece in an augmented reality headset includes producing first virtual content associated with a first depth plane, coupling the first virtual content into the dynamic eyepiece, and projecting the first virtual content through one or more waveguide layers of the dynamic eyepiece to an eye of a viewer. The one or more waveguide layers are characterized by a first surface profile. The method also includes modifying the one or more waveguide layers to be characterized by a second surface profile different from the first surface profile, producing second virtual content associated with a second depth plane, coupling the second virtual content into the dynamic eyepiece, and projecting the second virtual content through the one or more waveguide layers of the dynamic eyepiece to the eye of the viewer.

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: An eyepiece for an augmented reality display system. The eyepiece can include a waveguide substrate. The waveguide substrate can include an input coupler grating (ICG), an orthogonal pupil expander (OPE) grating, a spreader grating, and an exit pupil expander (EPE) grating. The ICG can couple at least one input light beam into at least a first guided light beam that propagates inside the waveguide substrate. The OPE grating can divide the first guided light beam into a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart light beams. The spreader grating can receive the light beams from the OPE grating and spread their distribution. The spreader grating can include diffractive features oriented at approximately 90° to diffractive features of the OPE grating. The EPE grating can re-direct the light beams from the first OPE grating and the first spreader grating such that they exit the waveguide substrate.

Abstract: Techniques for coordinating output of inferred content using various components and systems are described. A supplemental content system and a notification system may each receive inferred content to be output. When the supplemental content system or the notification system outputs the inferred content, the respective system stores a record of the output of the content in a historical output storage. Thereafter, when the other system is ready to output the inferred content, the other system may prevent the inferred content from being output based on the inferred content having already been output, as represented in the historical output storage.

Abstract: An augmented reality device includes a projector, projector optics optically coupled to the projector, and a substrate structure including a substrate having an incident surface and an opposing exit surface and a first variable thickness film coupled to the incident surface. The substrate structure can also include a first combined pupil expander coupled to the first variable thickness film, a second variable thickness film coupled to the opposing exit surface, an incoupling grating coupled to the opposing exit surface, and a second combined pupil expander coupled to the opposing exit surface.

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: 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 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: 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: 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.