A depth camera assembly (DCA) for depth sensing of a local area includes a structured light generator, an imaging device, and a controller. The structured light generator illuminates the local area with a structured light pattern. The structured light generator includes a programmable diffractive optical element (PDOE) that generates diffracted scanning beams using optical beams. The PDOE functions as a dynamic diffraction grating that dynamically adjusts diffraction of the optical beams to generate the diffracted scanning beams of different patterns. The diffracted scanning beams are projected as the structured light pattern into the local area, wherein the structured light pattern is dynamically adjustable based on the PDOE. The imaging device captures image(s) of at least a portion of the structured light pattern reflected from object(s) in the local area. The controller determines depth information for the object(s) based on the captured image(s).

A three-dimensional (3D) sensing system for determining a 3D profile of an object and a method are provided. The 3D sensing system includes a liquid crystal lens, a structure light source and a control circuit. The structure light source is configured to emit a structure light pattern with a plurality of dots on the object through the liquid crystal lens. The control circuit is configured to control the liquid crystal lens to separate the plurality of dots under a separating mode, and the control circuit is configured to control the liquid crystal lens to overlap the plurality of dots under an overlapping mode.

An optical integration device includes a first circuit layer comprising a first surface adjacent a first diffractive layer, the first diffractive layer arranged on a side of the first circuit layer along a first direction, and a first connecting pad electrically connected with the first circuit layer through a first conductive member. The optical integration device includes a side surface extending along the first direction. The side surface defines a first concavity extending through the first diffractive layer along the first direction. The first connecting pad includes a first mounting member connected with the side surface, and a first convex member extending from the first mounting member and received in the first concavity. The first conductive member includes a first conductive part arranged between the side surface and the first mounting member, and a second conductive part arranged between the first surface and the first convex member.

Provided is a structured light projector including a light source configured to emit light, and a nanostructure array configured to form a dot pattern based on the light emitted by the light source, the nanostructure array including a plurality of super cells each respectively including a plurality of nanostructures, wherein each of the plurality of super cells includes a first sub cell that includes a plurality of first nanostructures having a first shape distribution and a second sub cell that includes a plurality of second nanostructures having a second shape distribution.

A compact folded projection system is described that includes a laser light source, a folded lens system comprising a lens stack including two or more refractive lenses and a light folding element (e.g., a prism), and a diffractive beam splitter that includes at least one diffractive surface. The light folding element provides a “folded” optical axis for the lens system to reduce the Z-height of the projection system, for example to within a range of 1.7 to 4 millimeters (e.g., 2 millimeters in some implementations). The laser light source emits light that is refracted by the lens stack to the folding element. The folding element redirects the light to the beam splitter which replicates the light into N×M duplications or tiles to thus generate a larger field of view (FOV) than the internal FOV of the lens system.

In a method for producing an optical element for an EUV projection exposure apparatus, a shaping layer (22.sub.1) is applied onto a substrate (20) so as to have a surface roughness of at most 0.5 nm rms directly after the application of the shaping layer onto the substrate.

A time of flight based depth detection system is disclosed that includes a projector configured to sequentially emit multiple complementary illumination patterns. A sensor of the depth detection system is configured to capture the light from the illumination patterns reflecting off objects within the sensor's field of view. The data captured by the sensor can be used to filter out erroneous readings caused by light reflecting off multiple surfaces prior to returning to the sensor.

An example optical assembly includes a display, a light source for illuminating the display, and a diffraction type polarizing beam splitter (DT-PBS) configured to direct light from a light director, wherein the DT-PBS is polarization sensitive and configured to direct, based on polarization, a first portion of light towards the display.

There is provided an optical element which includes a medium including a diffractive optical element (DOE). The medium is to receive a beam of light via a light guide. If the beam is incident upon the medium at an incidence angle within a first range of angles, the DOE is to direct a first portion of the beam out of the light guide along a second direction to form an outcoupled beam, and cause a second portion of the beam to propagate towards a surface of the light guide. Furthermore, if the incidence angle is within a second range of angles, the DOE is to split from the beam a third portion and a fourth portion each propagating towards the surface of the light guide. The third and fourth portions are to propagate along a third and a fourth direction respectively, which third direction is different than the fourth direction.

A beam expander includes first and second optical elements spaced apart from each other, and a light diffuser having an angular aperture that diffuses incident light through the angular aperture, wherein the first optical element in-couples the diffused light such that light exiting the first optical element has a first cross-sectional shape and light having a second cross-sectional shape different from the first cross-sectional shape is incident on the second optical element, and the second optical element out-couples light incident from the first optical element.