Optical device having a wide field-of-view for multicolor images
First Claim
1. A diffractive optical element for trapping and propagating a light having a color spectrum characterized by a plurality of wavelengths longer than a shortest wavelength, λ
-
B, and shorter than a longest wavelength λ
R, the light striking the diffractive optical element at an angle greater than a first field-of-view angle, α
−
FOV, and smaller than a second field-of-view angle, α
+FOV, the diffractive optical element comprising a linear grating being formed in a light-transmissive substrate, wherein;
(a) said linear grating is characterized by a pitch, d, selected so as to allow total internal reflection of a first light ray having wavelength of λ
B and a striking angle of α
−
FOV, thereby to trap said first light ray by total internal reflection;
(b) said light-transmissive substrate is characterized by an index of refraction, ns, larger than a minimal index of refraction, nMIN, said minimal index of refraction is selected so as to allow total internal reflection of a second light ray having wavelength of λ
R and a striking angle of α
+FOV, thereby to trap said second light ray by total internal reflection; and
(c) a thickness of said light-transmissive substrate is sufficiently large so as to allow propagation of a light of any wavelength longer than λ
B and shorter than λ
R, striking said light-transmissive substrate at any angle larger than α
−
FOV and smaller than α
+FOV.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A diffractive optical element for guiding a light having a color spectrum characterized by a plurality of wavelengths longer than a shortest wavelength, λB, and shorter than a longest wavelength, λR, the light striking the diffractive optical element at an angle greater than a first field-of-view angle, α−FOV, and smaller than a second field-of-view angle, α+FOV. The diffractive optical element comprising a linear grating being formed in a light-transmissive substrate. The linear grating is characterized by a pitch, d, selected so as to allow total internal reflection of a light having wavelength of λB and a striking angle of α−FOV. The light-transmissive substrate is characterized by an index of refraction, ns, larger than a minimal index of refraction, nMIN, which is selected so as to allow total internal reflection of a light having wavelength of λR and a striking angle of α+FOV.
110 Citations
112 Claims
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1. A diffractive optical element for trapping and propagating a light having a color spectrum characterized by a plurality of wavelengths longer than a shortest wavelength, λ
-
B, and shorter than a longest wavelength λ
R, the light striking the diffractive optical element at an angle greater than a first field-of-view angle, α
−
FOV, and smaller than a second field-of-view angle, α
+FOV, the diffractive optical element comprising a linear grating being formed in a light-transmissive substrate, wherein;(a) said linear grating is characterized by a pitch, d, selected so as to allow total internal reflection of a first light ray having wavelength of λ
B and a striking angle of α
−
FOV, thereby to trap said first light ray by total internal reflection;
(b) said light-transmissive substrate is characterized by an index of refraction, ns, larger than a minimal index of refraction, nMIN, said minimal index of refraction is selected so as to allow total internal reflection of a second light ray having wavelength of λ
R and a striking angle of α
+FOV, thereby to trap said second light ray by total internal reflection; and
(c) a thickness of said light-transmissive substrate is sufficiently large so as to allow propagation of a light of any wavelength longer than λ
B and shorter than λ
R, striking said light-transmissive substrate at any angle larger than α
−
FOV and smaller than α
+FOV.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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B, and shorter than a longest wavelength λ
-
23. An optical device for transmitting a light having a color spectrum characterized by a plurality of wavelengths longer than a shortest wavelength, λ
-
B, and shorter than a longest wavelength λ
R, the light striking the optical device at an angle greater than a first field-of-view angle, α
−
FOV, and smaller than a second field-of-view angle, α
+FOV, the optical device comprising a first diffractive optical element being formed in a light-transmissive substrate, and a second diffractive optical element, laterally displaced from said first diffractive optical element, and being formed in said light-transmissive substrate, wherein;(a) said first and said second diffractive optical elements are linear gratings characterized by a pitch, d, selected so as to allow total internal reflection of a first light ray having wavelength of λ
B and a striking angle of α
−
FOV, thereby to trap said first light ray by total internal reflection;
(b) said light-transmissive substrate is characterized by an index of refraction, ns, larger than a minimal index of refraction, nMIN, said minimal index of refraction is selected so as to allow total internal reflection of a second light ray having wavelength of λ
R and a striking angle of α
+FOV, thereby to trap said second light ray by total internal reflection; and
(c) a thickness of said light-transmissive substrate is sufficiently large so as to allow propagation of a light of any wavelength longer than λ
B and shorter than λ
R, striking said light-transmissive substrate at any angle larger than α
−
FOV and smaller than α
+FOV.- View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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B, and shorter than a longest wavelength λ
-
55. A method of manufacturing a diffractive optical element for trapping and propagating a light having a color spectrum characterized by a plurality of wavelengths longer than a shortest wavelength, λ
-
B, and shorter than a longest wavelength λ
R, the light striking the diffractive optical element at an angle greater than a first field-of-view angle, α
−
FOV, and smaller than a second field-of-view angle, α
+FOV, the method comprising;(a) determining a linear grating pitch, d, so as to allow total internal reflection of a first light ray having wavelength of λ
B and a striking angle of α
−
FOV, thereby to trap said first light ray by total internal reflection;
(b) determining a minimal index of refraction, nMIN, so as to allow total internal reflection of a second light ray having wavelength of λ
R and a striking angle of α
+FOV, thereby to trap said second light ray by total internal reflection; and
(c) forming a linear grating characterized by said grating pitch, d, in a light-transmissive substrate characterized by an index of refraction, ns, wherein said ns being larger than said nMIN, wherein a thickness of said light-transmissive substrate is selected sufficiently large so as to allow propagation of a light of any wavelength longer than λ
B and shorter and λ
R, striking said light-transmissive substrate at any angle larger than α
−
FOV and smaller than α
+FOV.- View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
-
B, and shorter than a longest wavelength λ
-
79. A method of manufacturing an optical device for transmitting a light having a color spectrum characterized by a plurality of wavelengths longer than a shortest wavelength, λ
-
B and shorter than a longest wavelength λ
R, the light striking the optical device at an angle greater than a first field-of-view angle, α
−
FOV, and smaller than a second field-of-view angle, α
+FOV, the method comprising;(a) determining a linear grating pitch, d, so as to allow total internal reflection of a first light ray having wavelength of λ
B and a striking angle of α
−
FOV thereby to trap said first light ray by total internal refection;
(b) determining a minimal index of refraction, nMIN, so as to allow total internal reflection of a second light ray having wavelength of λ
R and a striking angle of α
+FOV, thereby to trap said second light ray by total internal reflection; and
(c) positioning a light-transmissive substrate and forming therein a first diffractive optical element and a second diffractive optical element laterally displaced from said first diffractive optical element;
wherein said first and said second diffractive optical elements are linear gratings characterized by said grating pitch, d, and said light-transmissive substrate is characterized by an index of refraction, ns, which is larger than said nMIN, and further, wherein a thickness of said light-transmissive substrate is selected sufficiently large so as to allow propagation of a light of any wavelength longer than λ
B and shorter than λ
R, striking said light-transmissive substrate at any angle larger than α
−
FOV and smaller than α
+FOV.- View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112)
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B and shorter than a longest wavelength λ
Specification