An example optical device includes a first waveguide (WG1) having a first diffractive in-coupler and a second waveguide (WG2) having a second diffractive in-coupler. The first diffractive in-coupler is configured to couple into the first waveguide (WG1) a first angular range ([−Theta.sup.C.sub.WG1, −Theta.sup.G.sub.WG1]) and a non-overlapping second angular range ([Theta.sup.G.sub.WG1, Theta.sup.C.sub.WG1]) of incident light. At least a portion of the incident light that is not coupled into the first waveguide (WG1) is transmitted to the second diffractive in-coupler. The second diffractive in-coupler is configured to couple a third angular range ([−Theta.sup.G.sub.WG1−Theta.sup.C.sub.WG1]) of the incident light, where the third angular range includes angles between the first angular range and the second angular range. Embodiments of the optical device may include an image generator for use in a display device.

The invention relates to image display technology, in particular to a device for rendering an augmented reality image and a system for realizing augmented reality display comprising the device. The device according to one aspect of the invention comprises: an optical waveguide lens; and a first two-dimensional grating array located on a surface of the optical waveguide lens; a second two-dimensional grating array located on the surface of the optical waveguide lens, wherein, positions of the first two-dimensional grating array and the second two-dimensional grating array on the surface of the optical waveguide lens are set so that larger edges of the two are opposite, wherein, the first two-dimensional grating array is configured such that rays incident on the first two-dimensional grating array expands to the entire first two-dimensional grating array on the one hand, and propagates to the second two-dimensional grating array on the other hand, wherein, the second two-dimensional grating array is configured such that rays propagating to the second two-dimensional grating array expands to the entire second two-dimensional grating array on the one hand, and emits from the optical waveguide lens on the other hand, wherein, the first two-dimensional grating array and the second two-dimensional grating array have the same period.

A waveguide is disclosed for use in an augmented reality or virtual reality display. The waveguide includes a plurality of optical structures exhibiting differences in refractive index from a surrounding waveguide medium. The optical structures are arranged in an array to provide at least two diffractive optical elements overlaid on one another in the waveguide. Each of the two diffractive optical elements is configured to receive light from an input direction and couple it towards the other diffractive optical element which can then act as an output diffractive optical element, providing outcoupled orders towards a viewer. The optical structures have a shape, when viewed in the plane of the waveguide, comprising a plurality of substantially straight sides having respective normal vectors at different angles and this can effectively reduce the amount of light that is coupled out of the waveguide on first interaction with the optical structures.

A device includes an array of light sources configured to emit light beams, and a metasurface including a plurality of nanostructures and configured to receive and deflect the light beams emitted by the array of light sources. The metasurface includes a plurality of regions. Nanostructures in different regions of the plurality of regions are configured to deflect center light rays (with peak intensity) of the light beams into different directions towards a target, such as display optics of a near-eye display. In some embodiments, nanostructures in each region of the plurality of regions are configured to deflect center light rays of light beams of two or more different colors into a same direction or similar directions towards the target.

A vehicle headlight (1), which is one aspect of a vehicle illumination lamp, includes: light sources (52R, 52G, 52B), and diffraction gratings (54R, 54G, 54B) for diffracting light incident from the light sources (52R, 52G, 52B). The light diffracted by the diffraction gratings (54R, 54G, 54B) is irradiated in a predetermined light distribution pattern. A projection area (AR) to which are projected components (LC.sub.R, LC.sub.G, LC.sub.B) advancing and passing through the diffraction gratings (54R, 54G, 54B) among the light incident on the diffraction gratings (54R, 54G, 54B) is positioned below the light distribution pattern and within a range (RNG) in which a field of view of a driver of a vehicle is obstructed by the vehicle.

A waveguide is disclosed for use in an augmented reality or virtual reality display. The waveguide includes a plurality of optical structures (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80) exhibiting differences in refractive index from a surrounding waveguide medium. The optical structures are arranged in an array to provide at least two diffractive optical elements (H1, H2) overlaid on one another in the waveguide. Each of the two diffractive optical elements is configured to receive light from an input direction and couple it towards the other diffractive optical element which can then act as an output diffractive optical element, providing outcoupled orders towards a viewer. The optical structures have a shape, when viewed in the plane of the waveguide, comprising a plurality of substantially straight sides having respective normal vectors at different angles and this can effectively reduce the amount of light that is coupled out of the waveguide on first interaction with the optical structures.

A diffractive optical element (10) comprises a microstructure plane provided thereon with at least one microstructural pattern unit. The diffractive optical element (10) can receive a light beam emitted from a partitioned light source array (20) and project a light field on a target surface (OB), wherein the partitioned light source array (20) comprises a plurality of light source arrays (20-1, 20-2, ..., 20-n) spaced along a first direction, and the microstructural pattern unit is configured to be capable of diverging and light homogenization-modulating a light beam emitted from a light source in the plurality of light source arrays (20-1, 20-2, ..., 20-n) along the first direction such that light field regions projected by adjacent light source arrays (20-1, 20-2, ..., 20-n) on the target surface are adjoined or overlapped with each other in the first direction. In the embodiments of the invention, there are gaps between adjacent partitions. The light source partitions are lightened in turn. When each light source partition is lightened, only a region in the target light field corresponding to the partition is illuminated uniformly. Moreover, when all partitions are lightened together, the whole target light field is illuminated uniformly. There is no dark space caused by gaps between partitions, thereby realizing uniform illumination of partitions in the target light field.

Provided are an optical anti-counterfeiting element and an anti-counterfeiting product. The optical anti-counterfeiting element comprises: a substrate, which comprises a first surface and second surface that are opposite one another; and a surface micro-structure layer that is formed on at least part of the first surface of the substrate. At least part of the surface micro-structure layer comprises a first set of at least a micro-prism, and the micro-prism is simultaneously provided with a refractive and a reflective function. Each pixel of a first pattern corresponds to one or more micro-prism refractive illumination spots in the first set of micro-prisms. The described optical anti-counterfeiting element can provide various anti-counterfeiting effects and improve the anti-counterfeiting performance of the anti-counterfeiting element.

A grating structure for a diffractive optic includes grating lines, each of which is approximated by successive segments. Longitudinal axes of the segments each have an angle relative to a first coordinate axis of a reference coordinate system. A first section of a first one of the grating lines is approximated by a first group of the segments, and a second section adjacent to the first section of the first grating line is approximated by a second group of segments. The longitudinal axes of a major portion of the segments of the first group have a first predetermined angle relative to the first coordinate axis of the reference coordinate system, and the longitudinal axes of a major portion of the segments of the second group have a second predetermined angle different from the first predetermined angle relative to the first coordinate axis of the reference coordinate system.

The optical element is an optical element including a first optically anisotropic layer which is a cured layer of a liquid crystal composition containing a rod-like liquid crystal compound and a second optically anisotropic layer which is laminated on the first optically anisotropic layer and is a cured layer of a liquid crystal composition containing a disk-like liquid crystal compound, wherein each of the first optically anisotropic layer and the second optically anisotropic layer, has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which an optical axis of the rod-like liquid crystal compound and an optical axis of the disk-like liquid crystal compound are respectively parallel to a surface of the optically anisotropic layer and oriented along at least one in-plane direction, orientation of the optical axis changes continuously and rotationally, and the orientation of the optical axis rotates by 180° with a period of 0.5 μm to 5 μm.