Waveguide comprising a bragg polarization grating
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- an optical waveguide comprising an input-coupler, an intermediate-component, an output-coupler, and a bulk-substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface; and
a display engine configured to produce an image and to direct light corresponding to the image towards the input-coupler of the optical waveguide, wherein;
the input-coupler is configured to couple light corresponding to the image, that is incident on the input-coupler, into the optical waveguide and towards the intermediate-component;
the intermediate-component is configured to perform pupil expansion and direct the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler;
the output-coupler is configured to couple, out of the optical waveguide, the light corresponding to the image that travels in the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the output-coupler via the intermediate-component by way of total internal reflection (TIR); and
the intermediate-component comprises a Bragg polarization grating comprising a stack of birefringent layers, the stack of birefringent layers being located on one of the first major surface or the second major or being embedded between the first major surface and the second major surface.
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Abstract
An optical waveguide, for use a near-eye or heads-up display system, includes an input-coupler, an intermediate-component and an output-coupler. The input-coupler is configured to couple light corresponding to an image that is incident on the input-coupler, into the optical waveguide and towards the intermediate-component. The intermediate-component can be implemented as a Bragg polarization grating that comprises a stack of birefringent layers configured to diffract the light corresponding to the image that is incident thereon into a zero-order beam having one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization, and a first-order beam having the other one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization. The output-coupler is configured to couple, out of the optical waveguide, the light corresponding to the image that travels in the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the output-coupler via the intermediate-component by way of total internal reflection (TIR).
78 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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an optical waveguide comprising an input-coupler, an intermediate-component, an output-coupler, and a bulk-substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface; and a display engine configured to produce an image and to direct light corresponding to the image towards the input-coupler of the optical waveguide, wherein; the input-coupler is configured to couple light corresponding to the image, that is incident on the input-coupler, into the optical waveguide and towards the intermediate-component; the intermediate-component is configured to perform pupil expansion and direct the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler; the output-coupler is configured to couple, out of the optical waveguide, the light corresponding to the image that travels in the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the output-coupler via the intermediate-component by way of total internal reflection (TIR); and the intermediate-component comprises a Bragg polarization grating comprising a stack of birefringent layers, the stack of birefringent layers being located on one of the first major surface or the second major or being embedded between the first major surface and the second major surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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producing light corresponding to an image; coupling the light corresponding to the image into an optical waveguide comprising an input-coupler, an intermediate-component, and an output-coupler; after the light corresponding to the image has been coupled into the optical waveguide, and has traveled within at least a portion of the optical waveguide by way of total internal reflection (TIR), diffracting the light corresponding to the image into a zero-order beam having one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization, and a first-order beam having the other one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization; after the light corresponding to the image has been diffracted into the zero-order beam having the one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization, and the first-order beam having the other one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization, coupling at least a portion of the light corresponding to the image out of the optical waveguide; and implementing the intermediate-component using a stack of birefringent layers that is configured to; diffract the light corresponding to the image that is incident thereon into the zero-order beam having the one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization, and the first-order beam having the other one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization; have a relatively high diffractive efficiency for light within an angle of incidence range having one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization; and have a relatively low diffractive efficiency for light within the angle of incidence range having the other one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A system comprising:
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an optical waveguide comprising an input-coupler, an intermediate-component, and an output-coupler; and a display engine configured to produce an image and to direct light corresponding to the image towards the input-coupler of the optical waveguide, wherein; the input-coupler is configured to couple light corresponding to the image, that is incident on the input-coupler, into the optical waveguide and towards the intermediate-component; the intermediate-component is configured to perform pupil expansion and direct the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler; the output-coupler is configured to couple, out of the optical waveguide, the light corresponding to the image that travels in the optical waveguide from the input-coupler to the output-coupler via the intermediate-component by way of total internal reflection (TIR); and the intermediate-component comprises a Bragg polarization grating configured to; diffract the light corresponding to the image that is incident thereon into a zero-order beam having one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization, and a first-order beam having the other one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization; have a relatively high diffractive efficiency for light within an angle of incidence range having one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization; and have a relatively low diffractive efficiency for light within the angle of incidence range having the other one of right handed circular polarization or left handed circular polarization. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification