This patent document provides optical processing and switching of optical channels based on mode-division multiplexing (MDM) and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). In one implementation, a method is provided for processing different optical signal channels to include receiving different input optical signal channels in different optical waveguide modes and in different wavelengths; converting input optical signal channels in multimodes into single-mode optical signal channels, respectively; subsequent to the conversion, processing single-mode optical signal channels obtained from the different input optical signal channels to re-group single-mode optical signal channels into different groups of processed single-mode optical signal channels; and converting different groups of the processed single-mode optical signal channels into different groups of output optical signal channels containing one or more optical signal channels in multimodes multimode signals to direct the groups as different optical outputs.

An optical device according to the embodiment of the inventive concept includes a waveguide path including a light generation region, a wavelength variable region, and a light modulation region, a first light waveguide layer provided in the light generation region to generate light, a second light waveguide layer provided in the wavelength variable region and connected to the first light waveguide layer, a ring-shaped third light waveguide layer provided in the light modulation region and connected to the second light waveguide layer, and first and second light modulation electrodes spaced apart from each other with the light modulation region therebetween. Here, the first light modulation electrode, the third light waveguide layer, and the second light modulation electrode vertically overlap each other.

An apparatus comprising a polarization beam splitter optically coupled to a first light path and a second light path and configured to receive a CW light having a plurality of wavelengths, forward a first light beam of the CW light along the first light path, and forward a second light beam of the CW light along the second light path. A first multiplexer coupled to the first light path and configured to de-multiplex the first light beam into a first plurality of channels each corresponding to one of the plurality of wavelengths. A second multiplexer coupled to the second light path and configured to de-multiplex the second light beam into a second plurality of channels each corresponding to one of the plurality of wavelengths. A modulator coupled to the first multiplexer and the second multiplexer and configured to modulate the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels.

Aspects of the disclosed apparatuses, methods and systems provide a wearable, augmented or virtual reality display system including two or more sets of backlight illumination arrangements. Each different set of backlight illumination is directed to a corresponding optical imaging system. The corresponding optical imaging system is designed to focus each set of illumination at a different distance. The selection of a particular optical focal distance is controlled by selecting the set of backlight illumination corresponding to the imaging system to provide the desired focal distance. As a result, selection of the backlight illumination determines at which distance an image is perceived by a user. When multiple backlight illumination sets are multiplexed with 2-D images, a single, 3-D image is perceived by the wearer of the display system.

An electric response infrared reflection device and a preparation method thereof. The device comprises three light-transmitting conductive substrates which are oppositely arranged. Two adjacent light-transmitting conductive substrates of the three light-transmitting conductive substrates are respectively packaged to form a first adjusting area and a second adjusting area. Both the first adjusting area and the second adjusting area are filled with liquid crystal layers. Each of the liquid crystal layers comprises a mixed liquid crystal material. The mixed liquid crystal material comprises a chiral nematic phase liquid crystal, a monomer, a photoinitiator, and a chiral dopant. The spiral direction of the chiral nematic phase liquid crystal in the first adjusting area is opposite to the spiral direction of the chiral nematic phase liquid crystal in the second adjusting area, so that the total reflection of an infrared band can be implemented.

An optical device may include an optical filter array comprising an array of bandpass filters, and a liquid-crystal (LC) panel comprising an array of LC regions. An aspect ratio of the LC panel may match an aspect ratio of the optical filter array such that each LC region, of the array of LC regions, is associated with a respective bandpass filter of the array of bandpass filters A LC region, of the array of LC regions, may selectively transmit light that is incident on the LC region.

An imaging system is provided that includes an imager, an optical lens stack, and an electro-optic element positioned between the imager and the lens stack. The electro-optic element includes a first substantially transparent substrate defining first and second surfaces. The second surface includes a first electrically conductive layer. A second substantially transparent substrate defines third and fourth surfaces. The third surface has a second electrically conductive layer. A primary seal is disposed between the first and second substrates. The seal and the first and second substrates define a cavity therebetween. An electro-optic medium is disposed within the cavity. The electro-optic medium is operable between substantially clear and substantially opaque states.

Electro-holographic light field generator devices comprising surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulators are disclosed that employ multiple output couplers. These output couplers might be distributed along waveguides of the SAW modulators, within output coupling regions. Each of these output couplers can be configured for directing an incident leaky mode light at different output angles. In some cases, it may be desirable to employ the output couplers to function as different sub-pixels, to provide light to different viewing directions. The output couplers may be mirrors, volume gratings, chirped gratings, reflection gratings, two dimensional gratings, and/or transmission gratings. The output couplers may be angled so that the coupling output fans for each optical modulator are offset from the waveguide for that optical modulator.

A method for generating a control signal for an acousto-optical element includes generating a raw signal using at least one correction term by an IQ modulation from a target I component and a target Q component, and amplifying the raw signal to become the control signal. The target I component and/or the target Q component are corrected using the at least one correction term. The at least one correction term is obtained from an analysis of the control signal.

A beam steering apparatus includes a transformation layer, of which a refraction index is changed by light irradiation, a pattern layer arranged on the transformation layer and comprises a plurality of patterns, and a light irradiation unit arranged under the transformation layer. The pattern layer has patterns of a metasurface shape to reflect an external laser. The light irradiation unit may emit light having different characteristics.