BEAM EXPANSION WITH THREE-DIMENSIONAL DIFFRACTIVE ELEMENTS
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate made of an optical material having a first surface and a second surface; and
a three-dimensional diffractive element comprising a plurality of pixels disposed on the substrate, said three-dimensional diffractive element comprises;
at least one area configured to receive an input optical beam, andat least one further area configured to provide at least one output opticalbeam with an exit pupil expanded in one or two dimensions,wherein at least part of the input optical beam is diffracted in said at least one area to provide at least one optical beam substantially within the first and second surfaces, andat least part of the at least one optical beam is further coupled out of the first or the second surface of the substrate by diffraction in said at least one further area to provide said at least one output optical beam.
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Abstract
The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for using a three-dimensional (3D) diffractive element (e.g., a 3D diffractive grating) for expanding in one or two dimensions the exit pupil of an optical beam in electronic devices. Various embodiments of the present invention can be applied, but are not limited, to forming images in virtual reality displays, to illuminating of displays (e.g., backlight illumination in liquid crystal displays) or keyboards, etc.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a substrate made of an optical material having a first surface and a second surface; and a three-dimensional diffractive element comprising a plurality of pixels disposed on the substrate, said three-dimensional diffractive element comprises; at least one area configured to receive an input optical beam, and at least one further area configured to provide at least one output optical beam with an exit pupil expanded in one or two dimensions, wherein at least part of the input optical beam is diffracted in said at least one area to provide at least one optical beam substantially within the first and second surfaces, and at least part of the at least one optical beam is further coupled out of the first or the second surface of the substrate by diffraction in said at least one further area to provide said at least one output optical beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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3. (canceled)
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5. The apparatus of 4, wherein said height of said pixels in said at least one area is larger than in said at least one further area.
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7. (canceled)
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16. A method, comprising:
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receiving an input optical beam by at least one area of a three-dimensional diffractive element comprising a plurality of pixels disposed on a substrate made of an optical material; diffracting at least part of the input optical beam in said at least one area to provide at least one optical beam substantially within the first and second surfaces; and coupling out at least part of the diffracted optical beam of the first or the second surface of the substrate by diffraction in at least one further area of said three-dimensional diffractive element to provide at least one output optical beam with an exit pupil expanded in one or two dimensions. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 20)
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19. The method of 18, wherein said height of said pixels in said at least one area is larger than in said at least one further area.
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21-30. -30. (canceled)
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31. An electronic device, comprising:
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a three-dimensional exit pupil expander comprising; a substrate made of an optical material having a first surface and a second surface; and a three-dimensional diffractive element comprising a plurality of pixels disposed on the substrate, said three-dimensional diffractive element comprises; at least one area configured to receive an input optical beam, and at least one further area configured to provide at least one output optical beam with an exit pupil expanded in one or two dimensions, wherein at least part of the input optical beam is diffracted in said at least one area to provide at least one optical beam substantially within the first and second surfaces, and at least part of the at least one optical beam is further coupled out of the first or the second surface of the substrate by diffraction in said at least one further area to provide said at least one output optical beam; at least one component comprising said substrate; and a light source driver, responsive to an illumination selection signal, for providing a drive signal to a light source in said component for providing said input optical beam. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33-34. -34. (canceled)
Specification