Improved illumination optics for various applications. The illumination optics may include an optical beam spreading structure that provides a large spread angle for an incident collimated beam or provides finer detail or resolution compared to convention diffractive optical elements. The optical beam spreading structure may include first and second spatially varying polarizers that are optically aligned with each other. The first and second spatially varying polarizers may be formed of a liquid crystal material, such as a multi-twist retarder (MTR). The first and second spatially varying polarizers may diffract light of orthogonal polarization states, which allows for different diffraction patterns to be used in a single optical structure. The two patterns may provide a combined field of view that is larger than either of the first and second fields of view or may provide finer detail or resolution than the first or second fields of view can provide alone.

Architectures are provided for selectively incoupling one or more streams of light from a multiplexed light stream into a waveguide. The multiplexed light stream can have light with different characteristics (e.g., different wavelengths and/or different polarizations). The waveguide can comprise in-coupling elements that can selectively couple one or more streams of light from the multiplexed light stream into the waveguide while transmitting one or more other streams of light from the multiplexed light stream.

The invention relates to a display device, in particular a head-mounted display or a head-up display, for representing a two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional scene. The display device comprises a spatial light modulator device having pixels, and a beam offset device. The spatial light modulator device is illuminatable with light. The beam offset device is configured to be controllable in such a way that the light modulated by the pixels of the spatial light modulator device is laterally displaceable by less than one pixel extent.

A diffraction grating includes a substrate and a plurality of fringes supported by the substrate. The fringes run parallel to each other in a first direction. A refractive index of a material of the plurality of fringes is anisotropic, whereby a refractive index contrast of the diffraction grating depends on direction of electric field of an impinging light beam, and through that dependence is a function of an azimuthal angle of the impinging light beam. A dependence of the diffraction efficiency on the azimuthal angle is affected by the dependence of the refractive index contrast on the direction of electric field of an impinging light beam. A pupil-replicating waveguide may use such a diffraction grating as a coupler for in- our out-coupling image light.

A waveguide display includes a substrate transparent to at least one of visible or near infrared light, and a grating on the substrate. The grating includes ridges formed using a birefringent material and is configured to selectively couple incident light in a first polarization state into or out of the substrate. The birefringent material in the ridges is characterized by an optic axis parallel to a plane that includes a grating vector of the grating.

Optical structures, including thin film designs and components with topography, are provided that achieve significantly improved laser damage thresholds and/or ultra-low-loss. These advances may be achieved by utilizing a bulk window comprising a material having a band gap that is at least 5.0 eV and a thickness. The bulk window can be configured to increase the laser induced damage threshold of the underlying optical structure.

Provided are an optical element including a first optically-anisotropic layer consisting of a cured layer of a composition including a first liquid crystal compound, in which the first optically-anisotropic layer has 0.24 or more of a refractive index anisotropy Δn.sub.550 which is measured with light having a wavelength of 550 nm, the first optically-anisotropic layer has a first liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the first liquid crystal compound continuously changes rotationally in at least one in-plane direction, and in the first liquid crystal alignment pattern, in a case where a length Λ over which the direction of the optical axis rotates 180° in a plane is defined as a single period, the length Λ of the single period is 1.6 μm or less; a method for forming a photo-alignment pattern; and a method for manufacturing an optical element.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a device including a light projector. An example light projector includes a light source that emits a light, a first diffractive optical element block comprising a first diffractive optical element and a first refractive material, and a second diffractive optical element block comprising a second diffractive optical element and a second refractive material. The first diffractive optical element is configured to project a first distribution of light, and the first refractive material is configured to switch the first diffractive optical element between projecting the first distribution of light and being prevented from projecting the first distribution of light. The second diffractive optical element is configured to project a second distribution of light, and the second refractive material is configured to switch the second diffractive optical element between projecting the second distribution of light and being prevented from projecting the second distribution of light.

In some implementations, an optical master is created by using a nanoimprint alignment layer to pattern a liquid crystal layer. The nanoimprint alignment layer and the liquid crystal layer constitute the optical master. The optical master is positioned above a photo-alignment layer. The optical master is illuminated and light propagating through the nanoimprinted alignment layer and the liquid crystal layer is diffracted and subsequently strikes the photo-alignment layer. The incident diffracted light causes the pattern in the liquid crystal layer to be transferred to the photo-alignment layer. A second liquid crystal layer is deposited onto the patterned photo-alignment layer, which subsequently is used to align the molecules of the second liquid crystal layer. In some implementations, the second liquid crystal layer in the patterned photo-alignment layer may be utilized as a replica optical master or as a diffractive optical element, such as for directing light in optical devices such as display devices, including augmented reality display devices.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for active depth sensing. An example device includes a light projector. The light projector includes a light source to emit light and a diffractive element. The diffractive element is configured to receive the emitted light that is polarized, project a first distribution of light when the received light has a first polarity, and project a second distribution of light when the received light has a second polarity.