Anisotropic leaky-mode modulator for holographic video displays
First Claim
1. An anisotropic spatial acousto-optic modulator for a holographic display system, the modulator having an input end and an output end, the modulator comprising:
- a substrate;
an anisotropic waveguide residing on the substrate, the waveguide being configured to guide light entering the modulator at the input end into a single polarization, the waveguide having a material composition and structure that can propagate at least red, green, and blue wavelengths of light without damage to the modulator; and
at least one transducer disposed at or near the output end of the modulator, the at least one transducer being placed and configured to generate surface acoustic waves that propagate linearly with the guided, polarized light in the anisotropic waveguide, thereby creating a diffraction grating that converts at least some of the polarized light into a leaky mode of orthogonal polarized light at the modulator output end,wherein the modulator is edge-lit such that light is coupled into the modulator at an angle nearly collinear to the diffraction grating, and wherein the leaky mode of orthogonal polarized light exiting the modulator is scanned at an angle from the output end of the modulator into an optical path of the holographic display system for viewing at an angle that is nearly collinear to the diffraction grating.
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Abstract
An anisotropic spatial acousto-optic modulator for a holographic display system includes a substrate, an anisotropic waveguide that guides light into a single polarization, and a transducer that generates surface acoustic waves that propagate linearly with the guided, polarized light, converting at least some of the polarized light into a leaky mode of orthogonally polarized light. The acoustic waves may be encoded with holographic information. The modulator may include coupling devices for coupling light into the waveguide, which may have multiple channels. A holographic video display system includes at least one anisotropic spatial acousto-optic modulator. The pattern of the surface acoustic waves, encoded with holographic information, acts as a diffraction pattern that causes the modulator output to form a wavefront that becomes at least part of a holographic image. The system may have multiple channels in multiple waveguides, wherein each waveguide writes one or more lines of the holographic image.
10 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An anisotropic spatial acousto-optic modulator for a holographic display system, the modulator having an input end and an output end, the modulator comprising:
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a substrate; an anisotropic waveguide residing on the substrate, the waveguide being configured to guide light entering the modulator at the input end into a single polarization, the waveguide having a material composition and structure that can propagate at least red, green, and blue wavelengths of light without damage to the modulator; and at least one transducer disposed at or near the output end of the modulator, the at least one transducer being placed and configured to generate surface acoustic waves that propagate linearly with the guided, polarized light in the anisotropic waveguide, thereby creating a diffraction grating that converts at least some of the polarized light into a leaky mode of orthogonal polarized light at the modulator output end, wherein the modulator is edge-lit such that light is coupled into the modulator at an angle nearly collinear to the diffraction grating, and wherein the leaky mode of orthogonal polarized light exiting the modulator is scanned at an angle from the output end of the modulator into an optical path of the holographic display system for viewing at an angle that is nearly collinear to the diffraction grating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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- 12. A holographic video display system comprising at least one guided-wave anisotropic leaky-mode spatial acousto-optic modulator having an input end and an output end, wherein each modulator has a material composition and structure that can propagate at least red, green, and blue wavelengths of light without damage to the modulator, wherein each modulator is edge-lit such that light is coupled into the input end of the modulator at an angle nearly collinear to a holographic diffraction pattern that converts at least some of the light into a leaky mode of orthogonal polarized light at the modulator output end, and wherein the leaky mode of orthogonal polarized light exiting the modulator is scanned at an angle from the output end of the modulator into an optical path of the holographic video display system for viewing at an angle that is nearly collinear to the diffraction pattern.
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23. A method for creating holographic images, comprising:
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providing one or more wavelengths of light to a holographic video display system, the system comprising at least one guided-wave anisotropic leaky-mode spatial acousto-optic modulator having an input end and an output end, wherein each modulator has a material composition and structure that can propagate at least red, green, and blue wavelengths of light without damage to the modulator; providing holographic information to the at least one anisotropic modulator for use in encoding surface acoustic waves, the encoded surface acoustic waves forming a holographic diffraction pattern; coupling the light received at the holographic video display system into the at least one anisotropic modulator for diffraction by the surface acoustic waves according to the encoded holographic information, wherein each modulator is edge-lit such that light is coupled into the input end of the modulator at an angle nearly collinear to the holographic diffraction pattern and wherein the diffraction pattern converts at least some of the light into a leaky mode of orthogonal polarized light at the modulator output end; and scanning the diffracted light output by the anisotropic modulator to form the holographic image, wherein the leaky mode of orthogonal polarized light exiting the modulator is scanned at an angle from the output end of the modulator into an optical path of the holographic video display system for viewing at an angle that is nearly collinear to the diffraction pattern. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification