Abstract: A device for photo alignment includes: a bearing platform; a linearly polarized light source located at one side of the bearing platform; and a control assembly located between the linearly polarized light source and the bearing platform. One side of the bearing platform close to the control assembly is configured for placing a large plate glass to be aligned, and the large plate glass to be aligned includes a plurality of alignment areas; the linearly polarized light source is configured for providing a first polarized light to the control assembly; the control assembly is configured for adjusting a polarization direction of the first polarized light, and configured for providing a second polarized light to the plurality of alignment areas included in the large plate glass to be aligned; and polarization directions of the second polarized light respectively corresponding to at least two alignment areas are different.

Abstract: A leaky-mode acousto-optical modulator may be used to generate visual images suitable for direct viewing, without image-forming optics. To extend a field of view of the modulator to limits suitable for visual displays, the leaky-mode acousto-optical modulator may be equipped with a switchable beam redirector, e.g. a switchable-angle reflector, providing field of view portions one by one in a time-sequential manner. The field of view portions coalesce into a continuous synthetic field of view suitable for wide-angle visual display applications.

Abstract: A leaky-mode acousto-optical modulator may be used to generate visual images suitable for direct viewing, without image-forming optics. To extend a field of view of the modulator to limits suitable for visual displays, an array of acoustic transducers is coupled to a waveguide along its length. Each acoustic transducer generates an acoustic wave causing a corresponding leaky mode to appear. A reflector is disposed proximate each transducer for directing the out-coupled light portion at a unique angle, providing a corresponding field of view portion for that direction. The field of view portions coalesce into a continuous synthetic field of view suitable for wide-angle visual display applications.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing waveguide display devices utilizing overlapping integrated dual action (IDA) waveguides. One embodiment includes a waveguide display device including: a first input image source providing first image light; a second input image source provide second image light; a first IDA waveguide; and a second IDA waveguide. The first IDA waveguide and the second IDA waveguide may include an overlapping region where a first two-dimensionally expanded first image light, a second two-dimensionally expanded first image light, a first two-dimensionally expanded second image light, and a second two-dimensionally expanded second image light is ejected towards an eyebox. Advantageously, resolution may be enhanced and field of view may be expanded through the use of overlapping IDA waveguides.

Abstract: A waveguide display comprises: a waveguide supporting a single grating layer; a source of data-modulated light; a first input coupler for directing a first spectral band of light from the source into a first waveguide pupil; a second input coupler for directing a second spectral band of light from the source into a second waveguide pupil; an output coupler comprising multiplexed first and second gratings, at least one fold grating for directing the first spectral band along a first path from the first pupil to the output coupler and providing a first beam expansion; at least one fold grating for directing the second spectral band along a second path from the second pupil to the output coupler and providing a first beam expansion. The first multiplexed grating directing the first spectral band out of the waveguide in a first direction with beam expansion orthogonal to the first beam expansion.

Abstract: A pupil-replicating lightguide includes a slab of transparent material, a switchable out-coupling grating for out-coupling portions of image light to propagate towards an eyebox, and a switchable tracking grating for redirecting tracking light carrying an eye image towards an eye tracking camera. One of the two gratings may be turned ON while the other is turned OFF, in a time-sequential manner, allowing the combined use of the pupil-replicating lightguide for carrying image light and eye tracking light.

Abstract: An optical element includes a waveguide body that is configured to guide light by total internal reflection from an input end to an output end, an input coupling structure located at the input end for coupling light into the waveguide body, and an output coupling structure located at the output end for coupling light out of the waveguide body, where the waveguide body includes a layer of an optically anisotropic organic solid crystal. Such an optical element may have low weight and exhibit good color uniformity while presenting a 2D diagonal field-of-view of at least approximately 10°.

Abstract: A see-through illuminator for a reflective display panel provides a better image contrast when the illuminator is configured to direct a leakage light beam exiting the lightguide from a side opposing the display panel to propagate non-parallel to an image light formed by reflection of an illuminating light beam from the display panel. An objective lens may concentrate the image and leakage light beams at different locations, enabling a user's eye placed at a location of the image light beam to see the projected image without interference from the leakage light beam.

Abstract: A waveguide for conveying image light in a display device is disclosed. The waveguide comprises a waveguide body, an input coupler configured to couple the image light into the waveguide body for propagating the image light within the waveguide body along a zigzag light path, and a plurality of slanted bulk mirrors disposed along the zigzag light path within the waveguide body and having a tunable reflectivity parameter for controlling a spatial distribution of image light portions out-coupled from the waveguide body by the plurality of slanted bulk mirrors. The waveguide may include a plurality of slanted polarization-selective bulk mirrors, and a liquid crystal layer configured to alter the polarization of the image light, the liquid crystal layer being disposed between a backplane electrode and a pixelated electrode configured to control the liquid crystal layer by application of a spatially-varying voltage profile.

Abstract: A lightguide assembly includes a stack of optically separated lightguide plates for conveying image light to an eyebox. At least one lightguide plate of the stack includes an in-coupler configured for switchably in-coupling the image light into the lightguide plate. The switchable in-coupler(s) may be used to time-sequence through different lightguides of the stack, each lightguide carrying a portion of the image such as a field of view portion or a color channel of the image. The time-sequencing through the lightguides allows one to compensate for image offsets due to the lightguide being non-parallel to one another, by providing corresponding offsets in the image portions being carried by different lightguides.

Abstract: A near-eye display includes a first polarizer in a path of external light to an eyebox of the display for polarizing the external light to a first polarization state. A see-through lightguide is disposed in the path between the first polarizer and the eyebox for conveying image light to the eyebox in a second, orthogonal polarization state while transmitting the external light in the first polarization state. A second polarizer is disposed in the path downstream of the see-through lightguide for adjusting a power balance of the external light and the image light at the eyebox.

Abstract: Typical waveguides rely on total internal reflection between the outer surfaces of substrates, which can make them highly susceptible to beam misalignment caused by nonplanarity of the substrates. In the manufacturing of the glass sheets commonly used for substrates, ripples can occur during the stretching and drawing of glass as it emerges from a furnace. Although glass manufacturers try to minimize ripples using predictions from mathematical models, it is difficult to totally eradicate the problem from the glass manufacturing process. Typically, these beam misalignments manifest themselves as image distortions and non-uniformities in the output illumination from the waveguide. Many embodiments of the invention are directed toward optically efficient, low cost solutions to the problem of controlling output image quality in waveguides manufactured using commercially available substrate glass and to the problem of compensating the image distortions and non-uniformity of curved waveguides.

Abstract: A device includes a light source configured to output a first beam, and a light guide coupled with an in-coupling element and an out-coupling element. The device includes a display panel and a lens assembly disposed at opposite sides of the light guide. The in-coupling element is configured to couple the first beam into the light guide as a second beam. The out-coupling element is configured to couple a first portion of the second beam out of the light guide as a third beam propagating toward the display panel to illuminate the display panel, and couple a second portion of the second beam out of the light guide as a fourth beam propagating toward the lens assembly. A normal of a surface of the light guide where the out-coupling element is disposed is tilted by a predetermined angle with respect to an axis of the display panel.

Abstract: A see-through illuminator for a reflective display panel provides a better image contrast when the illuminator is configured to direct a leakage light beam exiting the lightguide from a side opposing the display panel to propagate non-parallel to an image light formed by reflection of an illuminating light beam from the display panel. An objective lens may concentrate the image and leakage light beams at different locations, enabling a user's eye placed at a location of the image light beam to see the projected image without interference from the leakage light beam.

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: A waveguide is provided. The waveguide includes a substrate having two outer surfaces for propagating a beam of light in the substrate by reflecting the beam from the two outer surfaces. The waveguide includes at least one polarization volume hologram (PVH) grating to couple light in and/or out of the waveguide. The PVH grating may be a multi-layer PVH grating with graded birefringence.

Abstract: A field of view of an imaging or ranging device may be increased multiple times by providing a switchable diffraction grating structure upstream of an imaging camera or ranging light source. The switchable diffraction grating changes the angle of propagating of incoming light by a fixed step, enabling the device to switch between several portions of a compound field of view. The switchable diffraction grating structure may be supported by a lightguide that guides the image light or ranging light by a series of reflections from opposed surfaces of the lightguide.

Abstract: A directional illuminator for a display apparatus includes a switchable diffuser for tuning a divergence of a light beam illuminating a display panel of the display apparatus. The tunable divergence of the illuminating light beam translates into a tunable exit pupil size at the eyebox of the display apparatus, which may be matched to a pupil size of a user’s eye, thus providing a configurable illumination of the eye pupil. A tiltable reflector in an optical path of the illuminating light beam may be used to shift the location of the exit pupil at the eyebox of the display apparatus.

Abstract: An illuminator for a display panel includes a slab of transparent material for propagating illuminating light between outer surfaces of the slab, an out-coupler supported by the slab for out-coupling portions of the illuminating light along one of the outer surfaces of the slab, and a tunable microlens array for forming an array of light spots from the out-coupled illuminating light portions downstream of the focusing element for illuminating pixels of the display panel. The array of light spots may be repeated at a distance from the tunable microlens array due to Talbot effect. The display panel may be illuminated in a color-sequential manner, and the tunable microlens array may be used to adjust the focal plane position for each color channel individually.

Abstract: A switchable grating may be used to redirect illuminating light for illuminating a user’s eye in an eye tracking system, to facilitate the determination of eye position and/or orientation. The eye tracking system may be used in a near-eye display. An eye tracking camera obtains an eye image, and a controller performs an initial determination of the eye position. The controller may switch the switchable grating to direct the illuminating light beam onto the eye, for a better position and/or eye orientation determination.