An augmented reality display system includes a pair of variable focus lens elements that sandwich a waveguide stack. One of the lens elements is positioned between the waveguide stack and a user's eye to correct for refractive errors in the focusing of light projected from the waveguide stack to that eye. The lens elements may also be configured to provide appropriate optical power to place displayed virtual content on a desired depth plane. The other lens element is between the ambient environment and the waveguide stack, and is configured to provide optical power to compensate for aberrations in the transmission of ambient light through the waveguide stack and the lens element closest to the eye. In addition, an eye-tracking system monitors the vergence of the user's eyes and automatically and continuously adjusts the optical powers of the pair of lens elements based on the determined vergence of those eyes.

A display system (500) for displaying an image to an eye of a user includes a light-guide optical element (LOE) (506) and an image projector (512) projecting image illumination of a collimated image into the LOE. The image projector includes an electrically-controllable variable lens (10, 13, 71, 77, 58A, 58B, 59, 58C, 58D, 58E, 58F1, 58F2, 58G1, 58G2, 58H, 1223). A controller (18) determines a current region of interest of the image, either from tracking of the user's eye or by analysis of the image content, and controls the variable lens so as to reduce aberrations in the current region of interest at the expense of increased aberration in at least one area of the image outside the current region of interest.

An electro-active lens provides simultaneous focusing at two different optical powers. It does this with a stack of electro-active lens elements aligned along the same optical axis that each focus light in different polarization states (e.g., horizontal and vertical polarization states). If a first and second electro-active lens elements have different optical powers, light in a first polarization state can be focused to one optical power and light in a second polarization state can be focused to a different optical power simultaneously. The electro-active lens can be switched between different single and multiple optical powers. People with presbyopia may use the electro-active lens mounted in eyewear in place of conventional bifocal glasses. The electro-active lens may also be used in a scope to improve target aiming.

A volumetric display capable of high-speed image presentation includes a resonance-type liquid lens having a focal length that is periodically adjusted using resonance of a liquid. An image projector projects an image toward a viewpoint position of a user via the resonance-type liquid lens. Further, the image projector projects an image toward the viewpoint position within a shorter time period than one-tenth of a variation cycle of the focal length. The image projector includes an LED and a DMD, for example.

A conventional liquid crystal lens switches on and off so slowly that a person can perceive the lens's gradual transition from high to low optical power. This makes a conventional liquid crystal lens unsuitable for focusing virtual images quickly in an augmented, mixed, or virtual reality system. Conversely, an inventive fast-switching electroactive lens system can switch so fast (e.g., in 35 milliseconds or less) that a person perceives its optical power to change instantaneously. The system accomplishes this fast switching with using an electroactive wave plate in series with slower liquid-crystal lenses. The wave place can be switched quickly between emitting vertically or horizontally polarized light. Each lens focuses either vertically or horizontally polarized light and transmits orthogonally polarized light. By switching between polarization states, the wave plate effectively turns one lens on and the other lens off much faster than either lens could be switched by itself.

An optical article that includes an ophthalmic lens that includes a substrate, a first layer comprising liquid crystals being disposed on at least part of the substrate, and a first and a second electrode made of a conductive material, and a voltage source electrically connected to the first and second electrodes and configured to control an orientation of the liquid crystals depending on the voltage applied. The ophthalmic lens further includes a second layer made of photoconductive material placed between the electrodes, and the optical article further includes a light projector configured to project a light pattern on the second layer of the ophthalmic lens, the second layer being locally conductive when illuminated by the light pattern, the light pattern corresponding to a pattern of refractive index modification to be induced by the liquid crystals of the first layer.

An electronic device includes a solar cell, a first light modulating layer, a transmittance-adjustable lens and a control circuit. At least a portion of the first light modulating layer is disposed on the solar cell. The control circuit is electrically connected to the solar cell and the transmittance-adjustable lens.

An optical element is switchable between a first state having a first focal length and a second state having a second focal length. The optical element includes a first electrode layer, an insulation layer, a resistance layer, a liquid crystal layer, and a second electrode layer, which are arranged in order. An electric resistance ratio of the resistance layer increases from a central part to a peripheral part.

In various embodiments, a beam-parameter adjustment system and focusing system alters a spatial power distribution of a radiation beam, via thermo-optic effects, before the beam is coupled into an optical fiber or delivered to a workpiece.

An optical device (1), comprising: —a first optical transparent thermoplastic layer (2); —a second optical transparent thermoplastic layer (3), and; in between both thermoplastic layers (2, 3); • a diffractive optical element (4) adjacent to the first thermoplastic layer (2), • a spacer (5) in between the diffractive optical element (4) and the second thermoplastic layer (3), and; • a border (6) enclosing the diffractive optical element (4) thereby forming a sealed cavity (7); wherein at least an upper part of the border (6), adjacent to the cavity (7) is formed from an adhesive (15).