A self-lit display panel includes a photonic integrated circuit payer including an array of waveguides and an array of out-couplers for out-coupling portions of the illuminating light through pixels of the panel. The self-lit display panel may include a transparent electronic circuitry layer backlit by the photonic integrated circuit layer; the two layers may be on a same substrate or on opposed substrates defining a cell filled with an electro-active material. The configuration allows for chief ray engineering, zonal illuminating, and separate illumination with red, green, and blue illuminating light.

The present invention relates to a coherent detection array and methods of multiplexing for signal readout of the coherent detection array. The coherent detection array may be implemented on a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). It may comprise a plurality of coherent detection units coupling with connecting waveguides and electrical conducting paths, wherein the electrical conducting paths may manifest as readout channels for multiplexing electrical signals. The detection units may be configured to include free-space-to-waveguide couplers, optical couplers, and photodetectors. The coherent detection array enables multiplexing methods that may leverage extra degrees of freedom of the coherent detection array. These methods may include those enabled by the local oscillator and those related to the properties and responses of the components of the PIC-based detection array.

Embodiments described herein include a waveguide combiner having an edge coated with an optically absorbent composition and a method of coating the edge of the waveguide combiner with the optically absorbent composition. The optically absorbent composition includes one or more types of nanoparticles or microparticles, at least one of one or more dyes or one or more pigments, and a polymer matrix of one or more binders. The method includes producing an optically absorbent formulation. The optically absorbent formulation includes one or more types of particles, at least one of one or more dyes or one or more pigments, one or more binders, and one or more solvents. The optically absorbent formulation is applied on an edge of a waveguide combiner using an edge blackening tool. The formulation is cured with radiation to form the optically absorbent composition.

Structures including a grating coupler and methods of forming a structure that includes a grating coupler. The grating coupler includes segments that are positioned with a spaced relationship on a slab layer. The segments contain an active material configured to have a first state with a first refractive index and a second state with a second refractive index in response to an applied stimulus. The first and second states may be produced by applying different sets of bias voltages to the segments as the applied stimulus.

An apparatus includes a cladding layer and a plurality of waveguides. The cladding layer includes a central axis. The plurality of waveguides are disposed within the cladding layer and receive a light from a light source. The plurality of waveguides have refractive indices that are adjustable to change a mode of the light such that the mode of the light is steered towards the central axis.

An optical scanning device includes: a first waveguide that propagates light by total reflection; and a second waveguide. The second waveguide includes: a first multilayer reflective film; a second multilayer reflective film that faces the first multilayer reflective film; and a first optical waveguide layer directly connected to the first waveguide and located between the first and second multilayer reflective films. The first optical waveguide layer has a variable thickness and/or a variable refractive index and propagates the light transmitted through the first waveguide. The first multilayer reflective film has a higher light transmittance than the second multilayer reflective film and allows part of the light propagating through the first optical waveguide layer to be emitted to the outside. By changing the thickness of the first optical waveguide layer and/or its refractive index, the direction of the part of the light emitted from the second waveguide is changed.

An eye tracker comprises a light source; a detector; and first and second waveguides. The first waveguide comprises an input coupler for coupling source light into a waveguide path and a first grating for coupling light out of the waveguide path onto an eye. The second waveguide comprises a second grating for coupling light reflected from the eye into a waveguide path and an output coupler for coupling light out of the waveguide path onto the detector. The second grating is optically configured for imaging the eye onto the detector.

An electro-optic device may include a photonic chip having an optical grating coupler at a surface. The optical grating coupler may include a first semiconductor layer having a first base and first fingers extending outwardly from the first base. The optical grating coupler may include a second semiconductor layer having a second base and second fingers extending outwardly from the second base and being interdigitated with the first fingers to define semiconductor junction areas, with the first and second fingers having a non-uniform width. The electro-optic device may include a circuit coupled to the optical grating coupler and configured to bias the semiconductor junction areas and change one or more optical characteristics of the optical grating coupler.

An optical modulator includes a dielectric layer and a waveguide. The waveguide is disposed on the dielectric layer. The waveguide includes an electrical coupling portion, a slab portion, and an optical coupling portion. The slab portion is sandwiched between the electrical coupling portion and the optical coupling portion. The slab portion has at least two sub-portions having different heights. A maximum height of the slab portion is smaller than a height of the electrical coupling portion.

A display panel and a display device are provided. The display panel includes: a lower substrate and an upper substrate cell-assembled together; a light-emitting control layer disposed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate; and a plurality of pixel units defined by a plurality of data lines and gate lines intersected with each other. Each pixel unit includes a plurality of subpixel areas. One or more side surfaces of the lower substrate are configured to receive incidence of the collimated light. The light-emitting control layer is configured to control the light-emitting directions and the light-emitting colors of the subpixel areas, to allow the light-emitting directions of the subpixel areas toward the central portion of the display panel. The light-emitting control layer is also configured to control the display grayscale of the subpixel areas.