Abstract: A tunable waveguide display includes a source waveguide, a first tunable lens (FTL), an output waveguide, and a second tunable lens (STL). The source waveguide receives light, expands the light in a first dimension, and outputs the expanded light. The FTL adjusts a wavefront of the expanded light to form adjusted light. The output waveguide receives the adjusted light, expands the adjusted light in a second dimension to form image light, and outputs the image light. The STL adjusts a wavefront of the image light. The FTL and the STL control an image plane of the image light.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes an electronic display having a pixel array configured to display a sequence of subframes, and an image shifting electro-optic device that is operable to shift at least a portion of an image of the display pixel array synchronously with displaying the sequence of subframes, so as to form a sequence of offset subframe images for providing an enhanced image resolution and pixel correction in a compound image. The image shifting electro-optic device may include a polarization switch in series with a polarization grating, for shifting image pixels between offset image positions in coordination with displaying consecutive subframes.

Abstract: A varifocal liquid crystal lens in Alvarez configuration is disclosed. A head mounted or near-eye display may include a liquid crystal Alvarez lens for focus adjustment for user sight accommodation, vergence accommodation, etc. The liquid crystal Alvarez lens may be of various types, such as Pancharatnam-Berry phase (PBP) lens or a polarization volume holographic lens.

Abstract: A device and method are provided. The device comprises a reflector having variable optical power; and a waveguide display assembly optically coupled to the reflector and having a light source. The waveguide display assembly is configured to guide light from the light source to transmit in a first direction towards the reflector for a first optical path, and in a second direction towards an eye-box of the device for a second optical path. The reflector is configured to reflect the light in the first direction towards the eye-box.

Abstract: A head-mounted device (HMD) contains a display, an optics block, a redirection structure, and an eye tracking system. The display is configured to emit image light and provide it to an eye of a user. The optics block is configured to direct the emitted light in order to allow it to reach the eye. The eye tracking system contains a camera, an illumination source, and a controller. The camera is configured to capture image data using infrared light reflected from the eye. The controller is configured to use this image data to determine eye tracking information. The illumination source is configured to illuminate the eye with infrared light for the purpose of taking eye tracking measurements. The redirection structure is configured to direct infrared light reflected from the eye to the eye tracking system. In multiple embodiments, redirection structures may comprise prism arrays, lenses, liquid crystal layers, or grating structures.

Abstract: A waveguide display is used for presenting media to a user. The waveguide display, includes a light source, a projection assembly (PA), a source waveguide (SW), and an output waveguide (OW). The light source emits light, the PA reshapes the wavefront of the light and the SW receives the light from the PA, expands the light in a first dimension and outputs the expanded light. The SW has an adjustable curvature along the first dimension expanding the light with a curved wavefront. The OW receives the expanded light emitted from the SW, expands the expanded light in a second dimension orthogonal to the first dimension to form image light and outputs the image light. The wavefront curvature from the light source, the curvature of the OW along the second dimension and the curvature of the SW control a location of an image plane of the image light.

Abstract: A Pancharatnam Berry Phase (PBP) liquid crystal structure for adjusting or focusing light of a plurality of color channels emitted by a display of a head-mounted display (HMD) comprises a plurality of PBP active elements. Each PBP active element of the structure is configured to act as a half waveplate for light of a corresponding color channel, such that light of the corresponding color channel is adjusted by a predetermined amount. In addition, each PBP active element acts as a one waveplate for light of the remaining color channels, such that light of the remaining color channels passes through the PBP active element substantially unaffected. As such, the PBP structure is able to adjust incident light of the plurality of color channels uniformly in an apochromatic fashion.

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 pupil-replicating waveguide suitable for operation with a coherent light source is disclosed. A waveguide body has opposed surfaces for guiding a beam of image light. An out-coupling element is disposed in an optical path of the beam for out-coupling portions of the beam at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the optical path. Electrodes are coupled to at least a portion of the waveguide body for modulating an optical path length of the optical path of the beam to create time-varying phase delays between the portions of the beam out-coupled by the out-coupling element.

Abstract: A method for fabrication of a nano-scale mold to create a high precision alignment layer for liquid crystals is described. The method comprises forming a nano-scale mold with a negative of a liquid crystal alignment pattern and imprinting a resist material on the mold. The method further comprises performing a set operation on the resist material to cause the resist material to set, the resist material forming a liquid crystal alignment layer. The nano-scale mold is separated from the liquid crystal alignment layer. The method further comprises performing an infiltration operation to cause the liquid crystals to be deposited on the alignment layer, the alignment layer causing the liquid crystals to form the liquid crystal alignment pattern.

Abstract: A HMD includes a display block. The display block combines light from a local area with image light to form an augmented scene. The display block also provides the augmented scene to an eyebox corresponding a location of a user's eye. The display block includes a waveguide display, a focusing assembly and a compensation assembly. The waveguide display emits the image light. The focusing assembly includes a focusing geometric phase lens and presents the augmented scene at a focal distance. The compensation assembly includes a compensation geometric phase lens that has an axis of orientation orthogonal to an axis of orientation of the focusing geometric phase lens. The compensation assembly compensates the optical power of the focusing assembly.

Abstract: A manufacturing system for controlling an optical axis of a birefringent material includes an illumination system. The illumination system illuminates the birefringent material that is formed on a curved optical surface with polarized light. The polarized light forms a pattern on the photoalignment material deposited on the curved optical surface. In some configurations, the manufacturing system applies a liquid crystal layer on the formed pattern. The liquid crystal layer includes a liquid crystal director whose orientation is determined by the pattern formed.

Abstract: A tunable polarizing beam splitter receives light, reflects a portion of the light that is linearly polarized in a first direction and transmits a second portion of the light that is linearly polarized in a second direction. The first and second polarization directions can be adjusted by controlling the fast axis of switchable liquid crystals (LCs) in the tunable polarizing beam splitter. The tunable polarizing beam splitter may include interlaced isotropic layers and LC birefringent layers, each LC birefringent layer including integrated switchable LCs. In another example, the tunable polarizing beam splitter includes switchable half wave plates (HWPs) with switchable LCs, and a static beam splitter including interlaced isotropic and birefringent layers.

Abstract: A Pancharatnam Berry Phase (PBP) liquid crystal structure for adjusting or focusing light of a plurality of color channels emitted by a display of a head-mounted display (HMD) comprises a plurality of PBP active elements. Each PBP active element of the structure is configured to act as a half waveplate for light of a corresponding color channel, such that light of the corresponding color channel is adjusted by a predetermined amount. In addition, each PBP active element acts as a one waveplate for light of the remaining color channels, such that light of the remaining color channels passes through the PBP active element substantially unaffected. As such, the PBP structure is able to adjust incident light of the plurality of color channels uniformly in an apochromatic fashion.

Abstract: A pupil-replicating waveguide suitable for operation with a coherent light source is disclosed. A waveguide body has opposed surfaces for guiding a beam of image light. An out-coupling element is disposed in an optical path of the beam for out-coupling portions of the beam at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the optical path. Electrodes are coupled to at least a portion of the waveguide body for modulating an optical path length of the optical path of the beam to create time-varying phase delays between the portions of the beam out-coupled by the out-coupling element.

Abstract: A pupil-replicating waveguide suitable for operation with a coherent light source is disclosed. A waveguide body has opposed surfaces for guiding a beam of image light. An out-coupling element is disposed in an optical path of the beam for out-coupling portions of the beam at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the optical path. Electrodes are coupled to at least a portion of the waveguide body for modulating an optical path length of the optical path of the beam to create time-varying phase delays between the portions of the beam out-coupled by the out-coupling element.

Abstract: An optical element comprising a stacked liquid crystal (LC) structure for rotating polarization (e.g., handedness) of an incident circularly polarized light over a broad wavelength and incident angle for head-mounted displays (HMD)s display application is proposed. The stacked LC structure has a dual cell structures, which includes at least a first LC cell and a second LC cell, and the stacked LC structure rotates the polarized light for a broad band of light (e.g., visible spectrum) over a given field a view. The performance of designed dual LC cells structures may be optimized for narrow band wavelength and a narrow incident angle for different application cases.

Abstract: An active PBP device having a reduced chromatic and angular dependence of focusing power includes a stack of active PBP devices where each PBP LC element of the stack has a birefringence of odd number of half wavelengths at one of the R, G, B color channels, and even number of half wavelengths at remaining ones of the R, G, B color channels. Retarder sheets are used to improve off-axis operation of the active PBP device. The device can be placed near user's eye in a head mounted display.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a pixelated display, an eye tracking system, and a segmented resolution enhancing device coupled to the eye tracking system and operable to selectively enhance effective image resolution for the electronic display in the gaze direction. The segmented resolution enhancing device may include a polarization switch in series with a polarization gratings, at least one of which is segmented, for shifting image pixels in the gaze direction between offset positions while displaying a frame.

Abstract: A waveguide display includes a display projector for emitting polychromatic image light, and a waveguide assembly for transmitting image light to an exit pupil. The waveguide assembly includes two or more waveguides disposed in a stack, each having an in-coupler aligned with the other in-couplers and an offset out-coupler aligned with the other out-couplers. The assembly is configured so that at least one color channel of the image light propagates to the exit pupil along at least two waveguides. A method for selecting the waveguides of the stack to suppress color channel splitting at the exit pupil is provided.