General diffractive optics method for expanding an exit pupil
First Claim
1. An optical device comprising:
- a substrate of optical material having a first surface and an opposing second surface;
a first diffractive element disposed on the substrate configured to receive a light beam;
a second diffractive element disposed on the substrate in relationship with the first diffractive element and having substantially the same grating line orientation as the first diffractive element; and
an intermediate diffractive element disposed between the first and the second diffractive elements, whereinthe first diffractive element is configured to diffract at least part of the received light beam within the first and second surfaces for providing a diffracted light component to the intermediate diffractive element in an incident direction substantially,the intermediate diffractive element is configured to couple by diffraction substantially between the first and second surfaces at least part of the diffracted light component for providing a coupled diffracted light component to the second diffractive element, andthe second diffractive element is configured to couple at least part of the coupled diffracted light component to exit the substrate by diffraction in the second diffractive element, wherein the intermediate diffractive element has a substantially periodic pattern composed of substantially linear elements along a pattern direction for producing conical diffraction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exit pupil extender with one input optical element and two exit optical elements disposed on different sides of the input optical element. The exit pupil extender also comprises two intermediate diffractive optical couplers, each disposed between the input optical element and one exit optical element. The couplers serve as exit pupil extending components. The grating lines of the couplers are at substantially a 60-degree angle from that of the optical elements in order to optimize the exit pupil extending efficiency. This invention further describes a general diffractive optics method that uses a plurality of diffractive elements on an optical substrate for expanding the exit pupil of a display of an electronic device for viewing. The system can support a broad range of rotations angles (e.g., 0<ρ<70°) and corresponding conical angles and remains geometrically accurate.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An optical device comprising:
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a substrate of optical material having a first surface and an opposing second surface; a first diffractive element disposed on the substrate configured to receive a light beam; a second diffractive element disposed on the substrate in relationship with the first diffractive element and having substantially the same grating line orientation as the first diffractive element; and an intermediate diffractive element disposed between the first and the second diffractive elements, wherein the first diffractive element is configured to diffract at least part of the received light beam within the first and second surfaces for providing a diffracted light component to the intermediate diffractive element in an incident direction substantially, the intermediate diffractive element is configured to couple by diffraction substantially between the first and second surfaces at least part of the diffracted light component for providing a coupled diffracted light component to the second diffractive element, and the second diffractive element is configured to couple at least part of the coupled diffracted light component to exit the substrate by diffraction in the second diffractive element, wherein the intermediate diffractive element has a substantially periodic pattern composed of substantially linear elements along a pattern direction for producing conical diffraction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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receiving a light beam at a first diffractive element disposed on a substrate of optical material having a first surface and an opposing second surface; diffracting at least part of the received light beam in the first diffractive element substantially within the first and second surfaces for providing a diffracted light component to an intermediate diffractive element at an incident direction; further diffracting at least part of said diffracted light component by said intermediate diffractive element substantially between the first and second surfaces for providing a coupled diffracted light component to a second diffractive element so as to allow at least part of the coupled diffracted optical component to exit the substrate by diffraction in the second diffractive element, wherein said second diffractive element is disposed on said substrate in relationship with the first diffractive element and having substantially the same grating line orientation as the first diffractive element, and said intermediate diffractive element is disposed adjacent to the first and the second diffractive elements and has a substantially periodic pattern composed of substantially linear elements along a pattern direction to produce conical diffraction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An electronic device comprising:
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a data processing unit; an optical engine operatively connected to the data processing unit for receiving image data from the data processing unit; a display device operatively connected to the optical engine for forming an image based on the image data; and an exit pupil extender, comprising; a substrate of optical material having a first surface and an opposing second surface; a first diffractive element disposed on the substrate configured to receive a light beam; a second diffractive element disposed on the substrate in relationship with the first diffractive element and having substantially the same grating line orientation as the first diffractive element; and an intermediate diffractive element disposed between the first and the second diffractive elements, wherein the first diffractive element is configured to diffract at least part of the received light beam within the first and second surfaces for providing a diffracted light component to the intermediate diffractive element in an incident direction substantially, the intermediate diffractive element is configured to couple by diffraction substantially between the first and second surfaces at least part of the diffracted light component for providing a coupled diffracted light component to the second diffractive element, and the second diffractive element is configured to couple at least part of the coupled diffracted light component to exit the substrate by diffraction in the second diffractive element, wherein the intermediate diffractive element has a substantially periodic pattern composed of substantially linear elements along a pattern direction for producing conical diffraction. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification