Abstract: A near eye display (NED) includes an electronic display configured to output image light. Further, the NED includes an eye tracking module and multiple optical elements that are combined to form an optical system to allow for changes in position of one or both eyes of a user of the NED. Various types of such optical elements, which may have optical states that are switchable, may be used to steer a light beam toward the user's eye. A direction of the steering may be based on eye tracking information measured by the eye tracking module.

Abstract: A waveguide assembly is provided. The waveguide assembly includes a pair of pupil-replicating waveguides. The first pupil-replicating waveguide is configured for receiving an input beam of image light and providing an intermediate beam comprising multiple offset portions of the input beam. The second pupil-replicating waveguide is configured for receiving the intermediate beam from the first pupil-replicating waveguide and providing an output beam comprising multiple offset portions of the intermediate beam. The input beam may be expanded by the waveguide assembly in such a manner that pupil gaps are reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A Pancharatnam Berry Phase (PBP) color corrected structure is presented that comprises a plurality of switchable gratings and a plurality of PBP active elements. Each switchable grating has an inactive mode when reflects light of a specific color channel, of a set of color channels, and transmits light of other color channels in the set of color channels, wherein the specific color channel is different for each of the plurality of switchable gratings, and to have an active mode to transmit light that is inclusive of the set of color channels. The PBP active elements receive light output from at least one of the plurality of switchable gratings. Each of the PBP active elements is configured to adjust light of a different color channel of the set of color channels by a same amount to output light corrected for chromatic aberration for the set of color channels.

Abstract: A scanning projector for a display apparatus includes a first scanning reflector configured to steer a light beam in a first plane, a second scanning reflector configured to steer the light beam received from the first scanning reflector in a second plane, and beam relay optics configured to relay a first pupil defined at the first scanning reflector to a second pupil defined at the second scanning reflector, and to relay the second pupil to an output pupil of the scanning projector. The beam relay optics may include a concave reflector and a polarization beam splitter coupled to a scanning reflector in a triple pass configuration.

Abstract: A waveguide coupler may be coupled to a multi-beam light source, such as an array of superluminescent light-emitting diodes. The waveguide coupler includes a substrate having an end facet and a surface, e.g. a top flat surface, adjoining the end facet. At least one tilted reflector is supported by the substrate. A plurality of waveguides supported by the substrate extend between the end facet and the at least one tilted reflector. The at least one tilted reflector is configured to redirect light propagating in the plurality of waveguides to the surface of the substrate. In this manner, the waveguide coupler may provide an array of surface emission points on a substrate. All the surface emission points are disposed in one plane and may be suitably configured for subsequent joint collimation for use e.g. in a scanning projector display.

Abstract: A near eye display (NED) includes an electronic display configured to output image light. Further, the NED includes an eye tracking module and multiple optical elements that are combined to form an optical system to allow for changes in position of one or both eyes of a user of the NED. Various types of such optical elements, which may have optical states that are switchable, may be used to steer a light beam toward the user's eye. A direction of the steering may be based on eye tracking information measured by the eye tracking module.

Abstract: In one example, an apparatus comprises a plurality of sub-pixels arranged sideway, a shared optical element positioned over the plurality of sub-pixels, the shared optical element being configured to direct light originating from a same location in a scene to each sub-pixel in the plurality of sub-pixels; one or more polarizers positioned between the shared optical element and one or more first sub-pixels of the plurality of sub-pixels and configured to selectively pass one or more components of the light having one or more pre-determined polarization states, to enable the photodiodes of each of the one or more first sub-pixels to generate signals based on intensities of the one or more components; and one or more processors configured to generate polarimetric measurements of the received light based on signals obtained from the photodiodes of the one or more first sub-pixels and polarization properties of the one or more polarizers.

Abstract: An optical device is provided. The optical device includes a first liquid crystal (“LC”) cell and a second LC cell stacked with the first LC cell. The first and second LC cells are configured to provide a phase retardation to a light transmitted therethrough. The optical device also includes at least one first compensation film disposed between the first LC cell and the second LC cell. The optical device also includes a second compensation film disposed at a first side of the first LC cell opposite to a second side of the first LC cell where the at least one first compensation film is disposed. The optical device also includes a third compensation film disposed at a first side of the second LC cell opposite to a second side of the second LC cell where the at least one first compensation film is disposed.

Abstract: A display device including a laser-based light engine is disclosed. Optical interference effects due to the coherent nature of a laser light source are mitigated by shortening a coherence length of the laser source. The coherence length shortening is achieved by at least one of the following: providing a multiple longitudinal mode laser source, pulsing a laser source to achieve spectral broadening, or providing multi-emitter laser source(s) with emission wavelength varying from emitter to emitter.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a first flexible membrane and a first optical element coupled with at least a first portion of the first flexible membrane. The optical assembly also includes a substrate having a curved surface. The first optical element is coupled to the curved surface of the substrate with the first flexible membrane. A method for making an optical assembly includes obtaining a first flexible membrane and a first optical element. The method includes coupling the first optical element with at least a first portion of the first flexible membrane and coupling, with the first flexible membrane, the first optical element to a curved surface of a substrate.

Abstract: A method for aligning a layer of photopolymers includes projecting light onto a rotating optical element and asymmetrically focusing the light transmitted through the rotating optical element onto a layer of photopolymers. The asymmetrically focused light is swept across different regions of the layer of photopolymers while a direction of polarization in the light is varied due to the rotation of the first optical element, producing a pattern of orientations for the layer of photopolymers. The method can be incorporated in a raster-scanning process to produce an alignment pattern in a layer of photopolymers with a large surface area, and is faster and provides improved precision and/or uniformity of the alignment pattern compared to currently available methods. An apparatus for aligning the layer of photopolymers is also disclosed.

Abstract: A driver for powering a pulsed light source of a scanning projector display is configured to provide a succession of powering electric pulses to the light source. Duration of the powering electric pulses is less than a pixel time interval during which a scanner of the projector display is directing the light beam to form a corresponding pixel of the image to be displayed. The amplitude of the powering electric pulses is proportionally higher, such that the light pulse has a pulse energy similar to the light energy provided by the light source when continuously driven through the pixel time interval. This enables the light source to be operated at a steeper portion of the electro-optical transfer curve, thereby improving the wall plug efficiency of the scanning projector display.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a first optical assembly including a first optical element and a first flexible membrane. The first optical element has a first optical element surface and a second optical element surface that is opposite to the first optical element surface. The first flexible membrane has a first membrane surface and a second membrane surface that is opposite to the first membrane surface. The first optical element is a geometric phase optical element or a polarization volume hologram optical element. The second optical element surface of the first optical element is coupled with at least a first portion of the first membrane surface of the first flexible membrane. The method also includes coupling the first optical element with the first flexible membrane attached thereto to a target substrate. Also disclosed is an optical assembly comprising the first optical element and the first flexible membrane.

Abstract: A varifocal block includes, in optical series, a switchable half waveplate (SHWP) and a plurality of liquid crystal (LC) lenses. The SHWP outputs circularly polarized light, and a handedness of the circularly polarized light is controlled by the SHWP being in an active state or a non-active state. Each LC lens of the plurality of LC lenses has a plurality of optical states, the plurality of optical states including an additive state that adds optical power to the LC lens and a subtractive state that removes optical power from the LC lens. The plurality of optical states of each of the plurality of the LC lenses compounded in optical series provides a range of adjustment of optical power for the varifocal block.

Abstract: An eye-tracker for determining a position of the pupil of an eye includes a detector and an optical element. The optical element is configured to receive first light reflected off the eye and reflectively diffract a portion of the first light that has a first polarization toward the detector. The optical element is also configured to transmit second light. The second light includes a second portion of the first light that has a second polarization that is different from the first polarization. A head-mounted display device that includes a display system and the eye-tracker is also disclosed. A method for determining the location of a pupil of an eye is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A scanning projector for a display apparatus includes a first scanning reflector configured to steer a light beam in a first plane, a second scanning reflector configured to steer the light beam received from the first scanning reflector in a second plane, and beam relay optics configured to relay a first pupil defined at the first scanning reflector to a second pupil defined at the second scanning reflector, and to relay the second pupil to an output pupil of the scanning projector. The beam relay optics may include a concave reflector and a polarization beam splitter coupled to a scanning reflector in a triple pass configuration.

Abstract: A device includes a first optical element configured to receive first light in a first direction. The first light includes a first component having a first circular polarization and a second component having a second circular polarization. The first optical element is also configured to convert the first component of the first light into second light having the second circular polarization and output the second light in a second direction. The first optical element is further configured to convert the second component of the first light into third light having the first circular polarization and output the third light in a third direction. The device also includes a second optical configured to receive and transmit the second light and to receive the third light and convert to the third light into fourth light having the second circular polarization.

Abstract: A device is provided. The device includes a waveguide configured to output a first light having a first polarization to a first side of the waveguide and a second light having the first polarization to a second side of the waveguide. The device also includes an optical element assembly disposed at the first side of the waveguide and configured to convert the first light having the first polarization into a third light having a second polarization, and output the third light toward the waveguide. The device further includes a polarizer disposed at the second side of the waveguide and configured to transmit the third light having the second polarization, and block the second light having the first polarization.

Abstract: A device includes a first lens. The device also includes a first polarized image sensor coupled with the first lens and configured to capture, from a first perspective, a first set of image data in a plurality of polarization orientations. The device also includes a second lens disposed apart from the first lens. The device further includes a second polarized image sensor coupled with the second lens and configured to capture, from a second perspective different from the first perspective, a second set of image data in the plurality of polarization orientations.

Abstract: A device includes a first polarized image sensor configured to capture first image data relating to an object from a first perspective. The device also includes a second polarized image sensor configured to capture second image data relating to the object from a second perspective different from the first perspective. The device further includes a processor configured to obtain at least one of polarization information or depth information of the object based on at least one of the first image data or the second image data, and to extract a feature of the object based on the at least one of the polarization information or the depth information.