Light wave separation lattices and methods of formation are provided herein. In some embodiments, a light wave separation lattice includes a first layer having the formula RO.sub.xN.sub.y, wherein the first layer has a first refractive index; and a second layer, different from the first layer, disposed atop the first layer, and having the formula R′O.sub.xN.sub.y, wherein the second layer has a second refractive index different from the first refractive index, and wherein R and R′ are each one of a metal or a dielectric material. In some embodiments, a method of forming a light wave separation lattice includes depositing a first layer having a predetermined desired refractive index atop a substrate by a physical vapor deposition process; and depositing a second layer, different from the first layer, atop the first layer, wherein the second layer has a predetermined second refractive index different from the first refractive index.

A projector according to the present technology includes a blower mechanism, a liquid crystal lightbulb, a light-incident-side polarization plate, and a light-emitting-side polarization plate. The blower mechanism generates a cooling wind. The light-incident-side polarization plate includes a plurality of wires formed to extend non-parallel to the cooling wind blown by the blower mechanism and is arranged on a light-incident side of the liquid crystal lightbulb. The light-emitting-side polarization plate includes a plurality of wires formed to extend non-parallel to the cooling wind blown by the blower mechanism and is arranged on a light-emitting side of the liquid crystal lightbulb.

A projector according to the present technology includes a blower mechanism, a liquid crystal lightbulb, a light-incident-side polarization plate, and a light-emitting-side polarization plate. The blower mechanism generates a cooling wind. The light-incident-side polarization plate includes a plurality of wires formed to extend non-parallel to the cooling wind blown by the blower mechanism and is arranged on a light-incident side of the liquid crystal lightbulb. The light-emitting-side polarization plate includes a plurality of wires formed to extend non-parallel to the cooling wind blown by the blower mechanism and is arranged on a light-emitting side of the liquid crystal lightbulb.

An electro-optic receiver includes a polarization splitter and rotator (PSR) that directs incoming light having a first polarization through a first end of an optical waveguide, and that rotates incoming light from a second polarization to the first polarization to create polarization-rotated light that is directed to a second end of the optical waveguide. The incoming light of the first polarization and the polarization-rotated light travel through the optical waveguide in opposite directions. A plurality of ring resonators is optically coupled the optical waveguide. Each ring resonator is configured to operate at a respective resonant wavelength, such that the incoming light of the first polarization having the respective resonant wavelength optically couples into said ring resonator in a first propagation direction, and such that the polarization-rotated light having the respective resonant wavelength optically couples into said ring resonator in a second propagation direction opposite the first propagation direction.

Optical combiners are provided. The optical combiner may have a see through optically transparent substrate and a patterned region included in the optically transparent substrate and disposed along a wave propagation axis of the substrate. The patterned region may be partially optically reflective and partially optically transparent. The patterned region may comprise a plurality of optically transparent regions of the optically transparent substrate and a plurality of optically reflective regions inclined relative to the optical transparent substrate wave propagation axis. Augmented reality optical apparatus, such a head up display, may include the optical combiner.

The disclosure provides a display unit and a projection device. The display unit includes a first display panel having first light emitting elements configured to provide a first color light, a wavelength conversion element located on a transmission path of the first color light and having a conversion region and a non-conversion region, a second display panel having second light emitting elements configured to provide a second color light, and a light combining element. A quantum dot conversion material is disposed on the conversion region. Part of the first color light is converted into a third color light after passing through the conversion region, and another part of the first color light passes through the non-conversion region. The light combining element is located on transmission paths of the first color light, the second color light and the third color light and is configured to form an image beam.

A virtual image generation system comprises a planar optical waveguide having opposing first and second faces, an in-coupling (IC) element configured for optically coupling a collimated light beam from an image projection assembly into the planar optical waveguide as an in-coupled light beam, a first orthogonal pupil expansion (OPE) element associated with the first face of the planar optical waveguide for splitting the in-coupled light beam into a first set of orthogonal light beamlets, a second orthogonal pupil expansion (OPE) element associated with the second face of the planar optical waveguide for splitting the in-coupled light beam into a second set of orthogonal light beamlets, and an exit pupil expansion (EPE) element associated with the planar optical waveguide for splitting the first and second sets of orthogonal light beamlets into an array of out-coupled light beamlets that exit the planar optical waveguide.

A virtual image generation system comprises a planar optical waveguide having opposing first and second faces, an in-coupling (IC) element configured for optically coupling a collimated light beam from an image projection assembly into the planar optical waveguide as an in-coupled light beam, a first orthogonal pupil expansion (OPE) element associated with the first face of the planar optical waveguide for splitting the in-coupled light beam into a first set of orthogonal light beamlets, a second orthogonal pupil expansion (OPE) element associated with the second face of the planar optical waveguide for splitting the in-coupled light beam into a second set of orthogonal light beamlets, and an exit pupil expansion (EPE) element associated with the planar optical waveguide for splitting the first and second sets of orthogonal light beamlets into an array of out-coupled light beamlets that exit the planar optical waveguide.

An optical source switching apparatus including first optical sources, an optical cross-connect device, second optical sources, and a first coupler. The optical cross-connect device is connected to the first optical sources and the first coupler, and the first coupler is connected to the second optical source; both the first optical source and the second optical source are configured to output continuous optical energy, and the optical cross-connect device is configured to enable optical energy output by at least one of the first optical sources to enter the first coupler when at least one of the second optical sources fails; and the first coupler is configured to implement beam splitting of the optical energy output by the first optical source or the second optical source.

A device for generating a laser line on a work plane includes a first laser light source configured to generate a first raw laser beam, a second laser light source configured to generate a second raw laser beam, and an optical arrangement configured to reshape the first raw laser beam to form a first illumination beam with a first caustic and a first beam profile, and reshape the second raw laser beam to form a second illumination beam with a second caustic and a second beam profile. The first illumination beam and the second illumination beam are directed with overlap on the work plane and define a joint illumination direction. The first beam profile and the second beam profile jointly form the laser line on the work plane. The optical arrangement is configured to position the first caustic and the second caustic offset from one another in the illumination direction.