Abstract: An optical assembly includes a first reflector and a second reflector. The first reflector is positioned to receive first light having a first polarization and provide the first light toward a first direction, and receive second light having the first polarization and provide the second light toward a second direction. The second reflector is positioned to receive the second light from the first reflector and reflect the second light back toward the first reflector. The first reflector receives light having a second polarization, having been reflected by the second reflector, and provide the light toward the first direction so that a first image corresponding to the first light and a second image corresponding to the second light are projected on a common image plane where at least a portion of the second image is located between two portions of the first image.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a partial reflector that is optically coupled with a first polarization volume holographic element. The partial reflector is capable of receiving first light having a first circular polarization and transmitting a portion of the first light having a first circular polarization. The first polarization volume holographic element is configured to receive the first portion of the first light and reflect the first portion of the first light as second light having the first circular polarization. The partial reflector is capable of receiving the second light and reflecting a first portion of the second light as third light having a second circular polarization opposite to the first polarization. The first polarization volume holographic element is configured to receive the third light having the second circular polarization and transmit the third light having the second circular polarization.

Abstract: An illumination system is provided. The illumination system includes a light source assembly configured to output a first polarized light having a first handedness. The illumination system also includes a light guide plate configured to guide the first polarized light received from the light source assembly and output a second polarized light having a second handedness opposite to the first handedness. The light guide plate includes two wedges coupled to one other at a slanted surface between the two wedges and a reflective polarizer disposed at the slanted surface. The illumination system also includes a reflective sheet arranged at a first side surface of the light guide plate and configured to reflect the first polarized light as the second polarized light. The reflective polarizer includes a birefringent material having a chirality, and is configured to selectively transmit the first polarized light and reflect the second polarized light.

Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) includes a field curvature corrected (FC) display to mitigate field curvature in an image that is output to a user's eyes. The FC display includes elements that generate the image light and elements to mitigate field curvature from the image light. The FC display may include a display panel with lenses, a display panel with a reflective polarizer and reflective surface, or other optical elements. The FC display may include a pancake lens configuration including a polarized display with a quarter wave plate, a reflective mirror, and a polarization reflective mirror.

Abstract: An electronic display assembly includes a display element and a corrective element coupled to the display element. The display element has a first plurality of sub-pixels of a first type and a second plurality of sub-pixels of a second type. Two adjacent sub-pixels of the first plurality of sub-pixel are separated by a sub-pixel distance. The corrective element has a plurality of features configured to diffuse light emitted by the first plurality of sub-pixels such that an apparent distance between the two adjacent sub-pixels of the first type, viewed at a viewing distance away from the electronic display assembly, is less than the sub-pixel distance.

Abstract: A device for illuminating a spatial light modulator includes a light source and an optical element. The light source is configured to provide illumination light. The optical element has a first surface, a second surface that is distinct from and non-parallel to the first surface, and a third surface that is distinct from and non-parallel to the first surface and the second surface. The optical element is configured to receive the illumination light at the first surface, propagate the illumination light via total internal reflection, and output the illumination light from the third surface. Also disclosed is a method performed by the device.

Abstract: A multipass scanner usable e.g. in a near-eye display is disclosed. The multipass scanner scans a light beam angularly, forming an image in angular domain. The multipass scanner includes a light source, a tiltable reflector, and a multipass coupler that couples light emitted by the light source to the tiltable reflector, receives the reflected light and couples it back to the tiltable reflector to double the scanning angle. Then, the multipass coupler couples the light reflected at least twice from the tiltable reflector to an exit pupil of the scanner. A pupil-replicating waveguide disposed at the exit pupil of the scanner extends the image in angular domain. Multiple reflections of the light beam from the tiltable reflector enable one to increase the angular scanning range and associated field of view of the display without having to increase the angular scanning range of the tiltable reflector.

Abstract: An electronic display assembly includes a display element and a corrective element coupled to the display element. The display element has a first plurality of sub-pixels of a first type and a second plurality of sub-pixels of a second type. Two adjacent sub-pixels of the first plurality of sub-pixel are separated by a sub-pixel distance. The corrective element has a plurality of features configured to diffuse light emitted by the first plurality of sub-pixels such that an apparent distance between the two adjacent sub-pixels of the first type, viewed at a viewing distance away from the electronic display assembly, is less than the sub-pixel distance.

Abstract: An optical device is provided. The optical device includes a first optical element configured to output an elliptically polarized light having one or more predetermined polarization ellipse parameters. The optical device also includes a second optical element including a birefringent material with a chirality, and configured to receive the elliptically polarized light from the first optical element and reflect the elliptically polarized light as a circularly polarized light.

Abstract: A display device may include a plurality of tiled spatial light modulators (SLMs) imparting image information upon respective light beams to obtain image beams. Pupil steering optics are configured to steerably direct the image beams towards a same or different exit pupil locations within an eyebox of the display device, providing exit pupil replication and/or an expanded field of view. An eye tracking system provides location information of the user's eye, enabling the pupil steering optic to direct at least some of the image beams to a desired exit pupil location.

Abstract: An optical system includes an optical waveguide, and a first optical element configured to direct a first ray, having a first circular polarization and impinging on the first optical element at a first incidence angle, in a first direction so that the first ray propagates through the optical waveguide via total internal reflection toward a second optical element. The first optical element is configured to also direct a second ray, having a second circular polarization that is distinct from the first circular polarization and impinging on the first optical element at the first incidence angle, in a second direction that is distinct from the first direction so that the second ray propagates away from the second optical element. The second optical element is configured to direct the first ray propagating through the optical waveguide toward a detector.

Abstract: An optical assembly includes a partial reflector that is optically coupled with a first polarization volume holographic element. The partial reflector is capable of receiving first light having a first circular polarization and transmitting a portion of the first light having a first circular polarization. The first polarization volume holographic element is configured to receive the first portion of the first light and reflect the first portion of the first light as second light having the first circular polarization. The partial reflector is capable of receiving the second light and reflecting a first portion of the second light as third light having a second circular polarization opposite to the first polarization. The first polarization volume holographic element is configured to receive the third light having the second circular polarization and transmit the third light having the second circular polarization.

Abstract: An optical device includes a first polarization selective reflector; a second polarization selective reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs first light having a first nonplanar polarization toward the second polarization selective reflector and the second polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the first light toward the first polarization selective reflector as second light. The optical device includes a first reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the second light having a second nonplanar polarization toward the first reflector as third light.

Abstract: A multipass scanner usable e.g. in a near-eye display is disclosed. The multipass scanner scans a light beam angularly, forming an image in angular domain. The multipass scanner includes a light source, a tiltable reflector, and a multipass coupler that couples light emitted by the light source to the tiltable reflector, receives the reflected light and couples it back to the tiltable reflector to double the scanning angle. Then, the multipass coupler couples the light reflected at least twice from the tiltable reflector to an exit pupil of the scanner. A pupil-replicating waveguide disposed at the exit pupil of the scanner extends the image in angular domain. Multiple reflections of the light beam from the tiltable reflector enable one to increase the angular scanning range and associated field of view of the display without having to increase the angular scanning range of the tiltable reflector.

Abstract: An optical device for providing illumination light includes an optical waveguide and a plurality of polarization selective elements. The plurality of polarization selective elements is disposed adjacent to the optical waveguide so that a respective polarization selective element receives light in a first direction, and redirects a first portion of the light in a second direction. A second portion, distinct from the first portion, of the light undergoes total internal reflection, thereby continuing to propagate inside the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical device includes a waveguide, a projector, a reflective display, and an in-coupler. The waveguide has a first side and an opposing second side. The projector is configured to project illumination light toward the first side of the waveguide. The reflective display is configured to receive the illumination light and to output image light toward the second side of the waveguide. The in-coupler is configured to receive the image light output by the reflective display and redirect a portion of the image light so that the portion of the image light undergoes total internal reflection inside the waveguide.

Abstract: An example optical assembly includes a display, a light source for illuminating the display, and a first diffraction type polarizing beam splitter (DT-PBS) configured to direct light from a first light director, wherein the first DT-PBS is polarization sensitive and configured to direct, based on polarization, a first portion of light towards the display.

Abstract: An example eye-tracking optical assembly includes a light source for illuminating an eye, a first diffraction type polarizing beam splitter (DT-PBS), and a second DT-PBS, wherein the first DT-PBS is configured to direct, based on polarization, a first portion of light from the second DT-PBS towards an eye-tracking detector.

Abstract: An optical device includes a first polarization selective reflector; a second polarization selective reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs first light having a first nonplanar polarization toward the second polarization selective reflector and the second polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the first light toward the first polarization selective reflector as second light. The optical device includes a first reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the second light having a second nonplanar polarization toward the first reflector as third light.

Abstract: Various embodiments set forth high-resolution liquid crystal displays and components thereof. In some embodiments, light emitted by a high-resolution green color liquid crystal display is combined, via a combiner, with light emitted by at least one lower-resolution red and blue color liquid crystal display. The red and blue color display(s) may include a single display or two displays positioned on opposing sides of the combiner. The combiner may be a dichroic or polarization-based combiner. Combined light from the green color display and the red and blue color display(s) is passed through collimating optics, such as a pancake lens or a Fresnel lens, toward a viewer's eye.