Abstract: A wearable image display system comprises a headpiece, a first and a second light engine, and a first and a second optical component. The first and second light engines generate a first and a second set of beams respectively, each beam substantially collimated so that the first and second set form a first and a second virtual image respectively. Each optical component is located to project an image onto a first and a second eye of a wearer respectively. The first and second sets of beams are directed to incoupling structures of the first and second optical components respectively. Exit structures of the first and second optical components guide the first and second sets of beams onto the first and second eyes respectively. The optical components are located between the light engines and the eyes. Both of the light engines are mounted to a central portion of the headpiece.

Abstract: A display system comprises an optical waveguide and a light engine. The light engine generates multiple input beams which form a virtual image. An incoupling grating of the waveguide couples each beam into an intermediate grating of the waveguide, in which that beam is guided onto multiple splitting regions. The intermediate grating, formed by modulations on a first surface of the waveguide, splits that beam at the splitting regions to provide multiple substantially parallel versions of that beam. Those multiple versions are coupled into an exit grating of the waveguide, in which the multiple versions are guided onto multiple exit regions. The exit grating diffracts the multiple versions of that beam outwardly. The multiple input beams thus cause multiple exit beams to exit the waveguide which form a version of the virtual image. A polarization state of each beam interacting with the modulations is controlled by a retarder film.

Abstract: A display system comprises an optical waveguide and a light engine. The light engine generates multiple input beams which form a virtual image. An incoupling grating of the waveguide couples each beam into an intermediate grating of the waveguide, in which that beam is guided onto multiple splitting regions. The intermediate grating splits that beam at the splitting regions to provide multiple substantially parallel versions of that beam. Those multiple versions are coupled into an exit grating of the waveguide, in which the multiple versions are guided onto multiple exit regions. The exit grating diffracts the multiple versions of that beam outwardly. The multiple input beams thus cause multiple exit beams to exit the waveguide which form a version of the virtual image. One or more surfaces of the intermediate grating comprise surface variations such that a visible banding effect is eliminated from the version of the virtual image.

Abstract: Microfabrication processes and apparatuses for fabricating microstructures on a substrate are disclosed. The substrate has a current diffraction grating pattern formed by current surface modulations over at least a portion of the substrate's surface that exhibit a substantially uniform grating linewidth over the surface portion. An immersion depth of the substrate in a fluid for patterning the substrate is gradually changed so that different points on the surface portion are immersed for different immersion times. The fluid changes the linewidth of the surface modulations at each immersed point on the surface portion by an amount determined by the immersion time of that point, thereby changing the current diffraction grating pattern to a new diffraction grating pattern formed by new surface modulations over the surface portion that exhibit a spatially varying grating linewidth that varies over the surface portion.

Abstract: Various optical components are disclosed herein, which have diffraction gratings formed by modulations of at least portions of their outer surfaces. The gratings exhibit gradually varying characteristics that vary over the surface portion so as to gradually vary the manner in which the incident light is diffracted at different points on the surface portion. Display systems incorporating such optical components are also disclosed.

Abstract: A microfabrication apparatus for fabricating a microstructure on a substrate is disclosed and comprises a partitioning system arranged to provide an aperture, a particle source that can generate a beam of particles for patterning the substrate and a substrate holder which supports the substrate. Relative motion is effected between the aperture and the substrate over a portion of the substrate's surface so that different points on the surface portion are exposed at different times. Whilst that motion is ongoing, one or more exposure conditions are varied so that the different points are subject to different exposure conditions. Corresponding microfabrication processes and products obtained thereby are also disclosed.

Abstract: Microfabrication processes and apparatuses for fabricating microstructures on a substrate are disclosed. The substrate has a current diffraction grating pattern formed by current surface modulations over at least a portion of the substrate's surface that exhibit a substantially uniform grating linewidth over the surface portion. An immersion depth of the substrate in a fluid for patterning the substrate is gradually changed so that different points on the surface portion are immersed for different immersion times. The fluid changes the linewidth of the surface modulations at each immersed point on the surface portion by an amount determined by the immersion time of that point, thereby changing the current diffraction grating pattern to a new diffraction grating pattern formed by new surface modulations over the surface portion that exhibit a spatially varying grating linewidth that varies over the surface portion.

Abstract: A transparent waveguide for use in eye tracking includes an input-coupler and an output-coupler. The input-coupler comprises a plurality of curved grating lines having a radially varying pitch. When positioned in front of an eye illuminated with infrared light, infrared light beams reflected from the eye and incident on the input-coupler enter the waveguide at the input-coupler, propagate through the waveguide by way of total internal reflections, and exit the waveguide proximate the output-coupler.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing uniform color distribution of light emitted from a light source to an eye box in a near eye display (NED). An example of the system and method uses an optical element including two or more waveguides optimized to different colors of the visible light spectrum. The optical element further includes one or more polarization state generators for controlling the polarization of light incident on the waveguides to facilitate coupling of light into a matched waveguide, and to impede coupling of light into unmatched waveguides.

Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for using exit pupil expanders (EPE) with spherical or aspheric non-flat substrates and a plurality of diffractive elements for expanding the exit pupil of a display for viewing in order to reduce image spreading. This can also enable improved image resolution and utilization of shorter focus distances.

Abstract: An apparatus including a first expander configured to provide a first image and including a first portion configured to provide a first calibration image; a second expander configured to provide a second image and including a second portion configured to provide a second calibration image; and a controller configured to control alignment of the first image and the second image, a combination of the first calibration image and the second calibration image being useable to control alignment of the first image and the second image.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for providing uniform color distribution of light emitted from a light source to an eye box in a near eye display (NED). An example of the system and method uses an optical element including two or more waveguides optimized to different colors of the visible light spectrum. The optical element further includes one or more polarization state generators for controlling the polarization of light incident on the waveguides to facilitate coupling of light into a matched waveguide, and to impede coupling of light into unmatched waveguides.

Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for providing color separation in an exit pupil expander system that uses a plurality of diffractive elements for expanding the exit pupil of a display in an electronic device for viewing by introducing a selectively absorbing area or areas in the exit pupil expander.

Abstract: An eye tracker device (200) comprises a diffractive beam expander (207) to provide two substantially collimated illuminating light beams (B11, B12). The collimated light beams (B11, B12) provide two reflection spots (G1, G2) appearing in the image of the eye. The gaze direction (GZD) is calculated from the positions of the reflection spots (G1, G2) with respect to the pupil (P) of the eye (E1). The two illuminating beams (B11, B12) are provided by splitting an infrared laser beam (B4) into two in-coupled beams (B5, B6), which propagate in different directions in the substrate (7) of the beams expander. The in-coupled beams (B5, B6) are expanded and their light is subsequently coupled out of the substrate (7) by an out-coupling grating (230) to illuminate the eye (E1). The same substrate (7) may also be used to implement a virtual display device (100) for displaying virtual images to said eye (E1).

Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for providing a stereoscopic display in electronic devices with a diffractive exit pupil expander using sequentially switching between right and left images of one display (e.g., microdisplay). An optical delivery system can provide a sequential left and right image of the display and the illumination is then switched for left and right accordingly using exit pupil expander (EPE) with asymmetric, e.g., highly slanted, in-coupling gratings, sending light practically to only one direction (e.g., one area of the EPE substrate).

Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for providing color separation in an exit pupil expander system that uses a plurality of diffractive elements for expanding the exit pupil of a display in an electronic device for viewing by introducing a selectively absorbing area or areas in the exit pupil expander.

Abstract: Illuminating light (B2, B3) for a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) micro-display (210) is provided by an illuminating unit (100). The illuminating unit (100) has a waveguiding substrate (7) and a plurality of light out-coupling features (F30). The substrate (7) has two substantially parallel surfaces (41,42). Light coupled into said substrate (7) is reflected several times on the surfaces (41,42) of the substrate (7) by total internal reflection (TIR) before being coupled out of the substrate (7). Thus a portion (102) of said substrate (7) may act as an optical integrator for smoothing out variations in spatial intensity distribution of light propagating within said substrate (7). The out-coupling efficiencies of the out-coupling features (F30) may be selected to minimize vignetting and/or to minimize stray light effects.

Abstract: A diffractive beam expander (50) comprises a substantially planar waveguiding substrate, an input grating (10) to provide an in-coupled beam (B1) propagating within said substrate, and an output grating (30) to provide an out-coupled beam. The expander (50) comprises also four or more further grating portions to expand the height of the in-coupled beam (B1). A part of the in-coupled light is diffracted by a first deflecting grating portion (21a) to provide a first deflected beam. A part of the in-coupled light is diffracted by a second deflecting grating portion (22a) to provide a second deflected beam. The first deflected beam propagates downwards and the second deflected beam propagates upwards with respect to the in-coupled beam (B1). The first deflected beam impinges on a first direction-restoring grating portion (21b) and the second deflected beam impinges on a second direction-restoring grating portion (22b).

Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for designing and using display devices with integrated backlight layer structure utilizing separate color diffractive out-coupling (e.g., diffraction out-coupling). A lower substrate of the display can be used to integrate the backlight component (or the backlight layer structure), thus enabling a thin module with the integrated backlighting.

Abstract: The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for using a split exit pupil expander to provide general diffractive optics method that uses a plurality of diffractive elements for expanding the exit pupil of a display of an electronic device for viewing.