Method of making a substrate-guided optical device utilizing polarization beam splitters

• US 8,873,150 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Lumus Ltd.
• Inventors: Amitai, Yaakov
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapel, Derek S
• Application Number:
  US13/852,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20130276960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 359/638
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/0073 Optical laminates
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0125 Field-of-view increase by wavefront division
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0136 with a single image source for both eyes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/015 involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0081 with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1066 for enhancing image performance, like resolution, pixel numbers, dual magnifications or dynamic range, by tiling, slicing or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1073 characterized by manufacturing or alignment methods
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/14 operating by reflection only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/145 having sequential partially reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/003 : Lens or lenticular sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 : Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 : Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0056 : for producing polarisation effects, e.g. by a surface with polarizing properties or by an additional polarizing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/105 : having optical polarisation effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 : Electronic devices other than hearing aids

Abstract

There is provided an optical device, including a light waves-transmitting substrate having two major surfaces and edges, optical means for coupling light into the means for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection, and plurality of partially reflecting surfaces (22a, 22b) carried by the substrate wherein the partially reflecting surfaces (22a, 22b) are parallel to each other and are not parallel to any of the edges of the substrate, and wherein one or more of the partially reflecting surfaces (22a, 22b) is an anisotropic surface.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating an optical device having a light-wave transmitting substrate with at least two major surfaces and edges and a plurality of partially reflecting surfaces carried by the substrate, for producing a substrate allowing light-waves to traverse the substrate between the two major surfaces, the method comprising:

attaching to each other a plurality of substantially completely transparent flat plates and a plurality of plates having one major surface that is partially reflecting and a second major surface that is transparent, the flat plates and the plates having a partially reflecting surface arranged in a staggered stack;

slicing the staggered stack to form a substrate containing a plurality of plates with a partially reflecting surface, each plate parallel to each other and not parallel to any of the edges of the substrate; and

grinding or polishing the substrate.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flat plates and the partially reflecting surfaces are attached to each other by gluing.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of plates has a partially reflecting anisotropic surface.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of plates are flat transparent plates.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two segments are sliced off from a single stacked form.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising cementing a blank plate to at least one of the major surfaces of the substrate, forming two external major surfaces of the substrate.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein two external major surfaces are parallely cemented to each other.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising cementing an optical means to the substrate for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection.

9. A method for fabricating an optical device having a light wave transmitting substrate with at least two major surfaces and edges and a plurality of partially reflecting surfaces carried by the substrate, for producing a substrate allowing light-waves to traverse the substrate between the two major surfaces, the method comprising:

attaching a plurality of substantially completely transparent flat plates to a plurality of plates having one major surface that is partially reflecting and a second major surface that is transparent to produce a staggered stack of transparent plates and plates having partially reflecting surfaces;

slicing the staggered stack into a substrate having a plurality of plates with a partially reflecting surface parallel to each other and not parallel to any of the edges of the substrate;

grinding or polishing the substrate; and

cementing a blank plate to at least one of the major surfaces of the substrate to produce two external major surfaces of the substrate.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of plates is a flat transparent plate and at least one of the plurality of plates has a partially reflecting surface.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the two external major surfaces are parallel to each other.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, further cementing an optical means to the substrate for coupling the light into the substrate by total internal reflection.

13. A method for fabricating an optical device having a light wave transmitting substrate with at least two major surfaces and edges, the substrate including a plurality of partially reflecting surfaces, for producing a substrate allowing light-waves to traverse the substrate between the two major surfaces, the method comprising:

gluing a plurality of substantially completely transparent flat plates to a plurality of plates having one major surface that is partially reflecting and a second major surface that is transparent to produce a staggered stack of transparent plates and plates having a partially reflecting surface;

slicing the staggered stack into a substrate having a plurality of plates with a partially reflecting surface parallel to each other and not parallel to any of the edges of the substrate; and

grinding or polishing the substrate, producing a substrate with at least one edge slanted at an oblique angle with respect to the major surfaces of the substrate.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, further cementing an optical means to the substrate, at the slanted edge, for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the optical means is a prism and wherein one of the prism'"'"'s surfaces is located adjacent to the slanted edge of the substrate.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of plates is a flat transparent plate and at least one of the plurality of plates has a partially reflecting surface.