Holographic waveguides incorporating birefringence control and methods for their fabrication
First Claim
1. A waveguide comprising:
- at least one waveguide substrate;
at least one birefringent grating;
at least one birefringence control layer;
a light source for outputting light;
an input coupler for directing the light into total internal reflection paths within the waveguide; and
an output coupler for extracting light from the waveguide, wherein light in the total internal reflection paths undergoes multiple interactions along the waveguide with each of the birefringent grating and the birefringence control layer, wherein the interaction of the light with the birefringence control layer and the birefringent grating provides a predefined characteristic of light extracted from the waveguide.
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Abstract
Many embodiments in accordance with the invention are directed towards waveguides implementing birefringence control. In some embodiments, the waveguide includes a birefringent grating layer and a birefringence control layer. In further embodiments, the birefringence control layer is compact and efficient. Such structures can be utilized for various applications, including but not limited to: compensating for polarization related losses in holographic waveguides; providing three-dimensional LC director alignment in waveguides based on Bragg gratings; and spatially varying angular/spectral bandwidth for homogenizing the output from a waveguide. In some embodiments, a polarization-maintaining, wide-angle, and high-reflection waveguide cladding with polarization compensation is implemented for grating birefringence. In several embodiments, a thin polarization control layer is implemented for providing either quarter wave or half wave retardation.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A waveguide comprising:
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at least one waveguide substrate; at least one birefringent grating; at least one birefringence control layer; a light source for outputting light; an input coupler for directing the light into total internal reflection paths within the waveguide; and an output coupler for extracting light from the waveguide, wherein light in the total internal reflection paths undergoes multiple interactions along the waveguide with each of the birefringent grating and the birefringence control layer, wherein the interaction of the light with the birefringence control layer and the birefringent grating provides a predefined characteristic of light extracted from the waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of fabricating a waveguide, the method comprising:
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providing a first transparent substrate; depositing a layer of grating recording material, wherein the layer of grating recording material is deposited onto the first substrate; exposing the layer of grating recording material to form a grating layer; forming a birefringence control layer; applying a second transparent substrate; depositing a layer of liquid crystal polymer material; and aligning the liquid crystal polymer material using directional UV light, wherein the second transparent substrate is applied over the aligned liquid crystal polymer layer. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification