A total inner reflection (TIR) prism comprises two essentially triangular prisms separated by an optical coating or by a thin layer of air, wherein one of said two triangular prisms is shaped as an isosceles triangle.

Beam compressors include separated surfaces having positive and negative optical powers. A surface spacing is selected so that a collimated beam input to the beam compressor is output as a collimated beam. In some examples, beam compressors are situated to compress a laser beam stack that includes beams associated with a plurality of laser diodes. Beam compression ratios are typically selected so that a compressed beam stack focused into an optical waveguide has a numerical aperture corresponding to the numerical aperture of the optical waveguide.

Systems, devices, and methods for optical engines and laser projectors that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. Generally, the optical engines of the present disclosure integrate a plurality of laser diodes (e.g., 3 laser diodes, 4 laser diodes) within a single, hermetically sealed, encapsulated package. Such optical engines may have various advantages over existing designs including, for example, smaller volumes, better manufacturability, faster modulation speed, etc. WHUDs that employ such optical engines and laser projectors are also described.

An optical assembly includes a volume grating configured to influence a beam direction of at least one light beam, and a switching device arranged in a beam path upstream of the volume grating. The switching device is configured to switch the beam direction and/or beam position of the at least one light beam from a first beam direction and/or beam position, in which the at least one light beam does not impinge on the volume grating at an acceptance angle of the volume grating, to a second beam direction and/or beam position, in which the at least one light beam impinges on the volume grating at the acceptance angle, and/or vice versa.

A head-mounted display including a transparent display, a liquid crystal lens and a first Fresnel lens is provided. The transparent display is configured to emit an image light beam. The liquid crystal lens is disposed near the transparent display. The transparent display is disposed between the liquid crystal lens and the first Fresnel lens. The first Fresnel lens is configured to receive an ambient light beam. The head-mounted display allows at least a part of the image light beam emitted from the transparent display passing through a pupil by phase modulating of at least a part of the liquid crystal lens.

A multiplexer includes: an output section outputting a beam bundle made of a plurality of laser beams whose F-axis directions are aligned; and an F-axis converging lens causing the beam bundle outputted from the output section to be converged in the F-axis direction. Optical axes of the plurality of laser beams constituting the beam bundle outputted from the output section intersect with each other at a single point without relying on the F-axis converging lens.

A multiplexer includes: an output section outputting a beam bundle made of a plurality of laser beams whose F-axis directions are aligned; and an F-axis converging lens causing the beam bundle outputted from the output section to be converged in the F-axis direction. Optical axes of the plurality of laser beams constituting the beam bundle outputted from the output section intersect with each other at a single point without relying on the F-axis converging lens.

A light fixture includes a circuit board having a plurality of light-emitting elements, and a plurality of collimators positioned adjacent the circuit board. Each of the collimators includes a first end positioned adjacent one of the light-emitting elements, a second end, and an interior wall extending between the first end and the second end. The wall is curved to internally reflect the light output of the associated light-emitting element and focus the light through the second end and provide a light distribution. The light fixture further includes a beam controlling optic positioned adjacent the second end of the plurality of collimators to modify the light output from the plurality of collimators to provide a modified light distribution.

A projector includes: a light source that emits light of a first color and a second color; a first image formation element that forms a first image light of the first color; a second image formation element that forms a second image light of the second color; a projection lens that projects the first image light and the second image light to the outside; a first optical system that guides light of the first color that is emitted from the light source to the first image formation element, and guides light of the first color from the first image formation element to the projection lens; and a second optical system that guides light of the second color that is emitted from the light source to the second image formation element, and guides light of the second color from the second image formation element to the projection lens; wherein the first optical system has a convex lens between the first image formation element and the projection lens, wherein f-number of the first optical system is greater than f-number of the second optical system.

A semiconductor laser module (10) comprises a tapered laser diode (12) and/or a tapered amplifier diode equipped with beam shaping optics (14). The tapered laser diode and/or the tapered amplifier diode includes an emission facet (16) for emitting a laser beam (18) along a beam axis (24). The beam-shaping optics comprise a plano-convex cylindrical lens oriented so as to change divergence of the beam in the fast axis direction, the plano-convex spherical cylindrical lens having a planar surface (26) arranged facing the facet and a circular cylindrical surface (22) facing away from the facet.