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 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: 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: 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: 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.

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.

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) that includes optical components that provide multiple focal distances for light emitted from an electronic display. The HMD includes a multifocal structure having a plurality of optical components positioned in series such that light from an electronic display is received and passes through the optical components at least once before being output from the multifocal structure. The plurality of optical components includes a pixel level polarizer positioned to receive light from the electronic display. The pixel level polarizer has a first configuration that causes the pixel level polarizer to linearly polarize light in a first direction and a second configuration that causes the pixel level polarizer to linearly polarize light in a second direction that is different than the first direction. The multifocal structure is configured to output image light different focal distances based in part on the configuration of the pixel level polarizer.

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 near-eye-display (NED) includes an eye tracking system and a waveguide display. The eye tracking system tracks locations based on a location of the user's eyes. The waveguide display includes a light source, an output waveguide and a controller. The output waveguide includes a dynamic output grating that outputs an expanded image light to the tracked eyebox locations. The decoupling grating is a 2D array of spatially switchable liquid crystal (LC) pixels including an active subset of LC pixels emitting light only to regions within the tracked eyebox locations. The decoupling grating dynamically out-couples the expanded image light to the tracked location based on switching instructions generated and provided by the controller.

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 varifocal optical assembly includes a plurality of optical elements configured to transmit light in successive optical stages. Each respective optical stage of the successive optical stages includes at least one respective optical element of the plurality of optical elements and is configurable to be in one of a first state and a second state. The respective optical stage in the first state has a first respective optical power for light of a first polarization and a second respective optical power for light of a second polarization. The respective optical stage in the second state has a third optical power for light of the first polarization and a fourth optical power for light of the second polarization. The optical power of varifocal optical assembly is adjustable by changing the states of one or more of the successive optical stages.

Abstract: A waveguide is provided including first and second diffraction gratings and a phase-matching region conterminous with the first and second diffraction gratings and disposed in an optical path between the gratings. For an optical beam propagating along the optical path, the first grating adds a first phase shift to the optical beam reflecting from the first grating, the second grating adds a second phase shift to the optical beam reflecting from the second grating, and the phase-matching region adds a matching phase shift to the optical beam reflecting from the phase-matching region. The matching phase shift is between minimum and maximum values of the first and second phase shifts.

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: An artificial-reality display uses an anisotropic material to circularly-polarize light exiting a waveguide so that the artificial-reality display is relatively transparent.

Abstract: An artificial-reality display uses an anisotropic material to circularly-polarize light exiting a waveguide so that the artificial-reality display is relatively transparent.

Abstract: A method disclosed herein includes applying a layer of photoalignment material on a non-flat optical surface, and exposing the layer of photoalignment material to alignment light that satisfies photoalignment criteria that are determined based on a representative thickness profile of a layer of liquid crystal material. The method also includes applying the layer of liquid crystal material over the layer of photoalignment material. Also disclosed is an optical element including a non-flat optical surface, a first layer of photoalignment material applied on the non-flat optical surface and a first layer of liquid crystal material. The layer of photoalignment material is aligned based on alignment light that satisfies photoalignment criteria that are determined based on a representative thickness profile of the layer of liquid crystal polymers.

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) includes a multifocal block having one or more possible focal distances and includes a multifocal structure. The multifocal structure has a first focal distance and a second focal distance of the one or more possible focal distances. The multifocal structure includes one or more optical components positioned in series such that light from an electronic display is received and passes through each of the one or more optical components at least once before being output from the multifocal structure. The one or more optical components includes a switchable half waveplate (SHWP). The SHWP has a first state that causes the multifocal structure to output image light at the first focal distance, and a second state that causes the multifocal structure to output the image light at the first focal distance.

Abstract: A head-mounted display (HMD) that includes optical components that provide multiple focal distances for light emitted from an electronic display. The HMD includes a multifocal structure having a plurality of optical components positioned in series such that light from an electronic display is received and passes through the optical components at least once before being output from the multifocal structure. The plurality of optical components includes a pixel level polarizer positioned to receive light from the electronic display. The pixel level polarizer has a first configuration that causes the pixel level polarizer to linearly polarize light in a first direction and a second configuration that causes the pixel level polarizer to linearly polarize light in a second direction that is different than the first direction. The multifocal structure is configured to output image light different focal distances based in part on the configuration of the pixel level polarizer.