An optical aperture multiplier includes a first optical waveguide (10) having a rectangular cross-section and including partially reflecting surfaces (40) at an oblique angle to a direction of elongation of the waveguide. A second optical waveguide (20), also including partially reflecting surfaces (45) at an oblique angle, is optically coupled with the first optical waveguide (10). An image coupled into the first optical waveguide with an initial direction of propagation at an oblique coupling angle advances by four-fold internal reflection along the first optical waveguide, with a proportion of intensity of the image reflected at the partially reflecting surfaces so as to be coupled into the second optical waveguide, and then propagates through two-fold reflection within the second optical waveguide, with a proportion of intensity of the image reflected at the partially reflecting surfaces so as to be directed outwards from one of the parallel faces as a visible image.

An optical resonator system includes a multi-strip waveguide structure having spaced semiconductor strips for guiding an IR radiation, a STP resonance structure (STP=slab tamm-plasmon-polariton), wherein the STP resonance structure includes an alternating arrangement of semiconductor strips and interjacent dielectric strips and includes a metal strip adjacent to the semiconductor strip at a boundary region of the STP resonance structure, wherein the metal strip and the adjacent semiconductor strip are arranged to provide a metal-semiconductor interface, and wherein the semiconductor strips of the multi-strip waveguide structure and the semiconductor strips of the STP resonance structure are arranged perpendicular to each other, and an optical coupling structure having a semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor layer is arranged between the multi-strip waveguide structure and the STP resonance structure for optically coupling the IR radiation between the multi-strip waveguide structure and the STP resonance structure.

Waveguides, such as light guides, made entirely of elastomeric material or with indents on an outer surface are disclosed. These improved waveguides can be used in sensors, soft robotics, or displays. For example, the waveguides can be used in a strain sensor, a curvature sensor, or a force sensor. In an instance, the waveguide can be used in a hand prosthetic. Sensors that use the disclosed waveguides and methods of manufacturing waveguides also are disclosed.

Waveguides, such as light guides, made entirely of elastomeric material or with indents on an outer surface are disclosed. These improved waveguides can be used in sensors, soft robotics, or displays. For example, the waveguides can be used in a strain sensor, a curvature sensor, or a force sensor. In an instance, the waveguide can be used in a hand prosthetic. Sensors that use the disclosed waveguides and methods of manufacturing waveguides also are disclosed.

A laser beam phase-modulation device, a laser beam steering device, and a laser beam steering system including the same are provided. The laser beam phase-modulation device includes a refractive index conversion layer having a refractive index that is changed according to an electrical signal applied thereto, the refractive index conversion layer including an upper surface on which the laser beam is incident and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, at least one antenna pattern embedded in the upper surface of the refractive index conversion layer, and a metal mirror layer provided under the lower surface of the refractive index conversion layer and configured to reflect the laser beam.

A light guide is described that includes a thermoplastic light channeling layer having at least a first segment, at least a second segment, and at least one groove dividing the thermoplastic light channeling layer into the first segment and second segment. The light guide further includes one or more light sources at least at the first segment. The at least one groove is shaped to block light from leaking between the first segment and the second segment. A method of forming the light guide is described that includes: providing a thermoplastic light channeling layer, thermoforming the at least one groove to divide the light guide into the first and second segments, and providing one of more light sources to at least the first segment.

A display subsystem for a virtual image generation system comprises a planar waveguide apparatus, an optical fiber, at least one light source configured for emitting light from a distal end of the optical fiber, and a mechanical drive assembly to which the optical fiber is mounted as a fixed-free flexible cantilever. The drive assembly is configured for displacing a distal end of the optical fiber about a fulcrum in accordance with a scan pattern, such that the emitted light diverges from a longitudinal axis coincident with the fulcrum. The display subsystem further comprises an optical modulation apparatus configured for converging the light from the optical fiber towards the longitudinal axis, and an optical waveguide input apparatus configured for directing the light from the optical modulation apparatus down the planar waveguide apparatus, such that the planar waveguide apparatus displays one or more image frames to an end user.

Building blocks are provided for on-chip chemical sensors and other highly-compact photonic integrated circuits combining interband or quantum cascade lasers and detectors with passive waveguides and other components integrated on a III-V or silicon. A MWIR or LWIR laser source is evanescently coupled into a passive extended or resonant-cavity waveguide that provides evanescent coupling to a sample gas (or liquid) for spectroscopic chemical sensing. In the case of an ICL, the uppermost layer of this passive waveguide has a relatively high index of refraction that enables it to form the core of the waveguide, while the ambient air, consisting of the sample gas, functions as the top cladding layer. A fraction of the propagating light beam is absorbed by the sample gas if it contains a chemical species having a fingerprint absorption feature within the spectral linewidth of the laser emission.

Disinfecting devices (100) can include an electromagnetic wave emitting device (EWE device 110) configured to emit UV radiation (115) and a light guide (120) having a front surface (121). The light guide can be configured to distribute UV radiation received from the EWE device across the front surface and be partially transmissive of visible light. UV radiation received by the light guide and distributed across the front surface can function to disinfect the front surface. The device may be configured such that when positioned between a use device (140) and a user (150), the use device is observable through the disinfection device. Methods for disinfecting may similarly include emitting UV radiation into a light guide, reflecting and diffusing UV radiation within the light guide across the front surface of the light guide thereby disinfecting the front surface; and receiving an interaction with a use device through the disinfection device via the front surface from a user.

A waveguide apparatus includes a planar waveguide and at least one optical diffraction element (DOE) that provides a plurality of optical paths between an exterior and interior of the planar waveguide. A phase profile of the DOE may combine a linear diffraction grating with a circular lens, to shape a wave front and produce beams with desired focus. Waveguide apparati may be assembled to create multiple focal planes. The DOE may have a low diffraction efficiency, and planar waveguides may be transparent when viewed normally, allowing passage of light from an ambient environment (e.g., real world) useful in AR systems. Light may be returned for temporally sequentially passes through the planar waveguide. The DOE(s) may be fixed or may have dynamically adjustable characteristics. An optical coupler system may couple images to the waveguide apparatus from a projector, for instance a biaxially scanning cantilevered optical fiber tip.