In some embodiments, an augmented reality system includes at least one waveguide that is configured to receive and redirect light toward a user, and is further configured to allow ambient light from an environment of the user to pass therethrough toward the user. The augmented reality system also includes a first adaptive lens assembly positioned between the at least one waveguide and the environment, a second adaptive lens assembly positioned between the at least one waveguide and the user, and at least one processor operatively coupled to the first and second adaptive lens assemblies. Each lens assembly of the augmented reality system is selectively switchable between at least two different states in which the respective lens assembly is configured to impart at least two different optical powers to light passing therethrough, respectively. The at least one processor is configured to cause the first and second adaptive lens assemblies to synchronously switch between different states in a manner such that the first and second adaptive lens assemblies impart a substantially constant net optical power to ambient light from the environment passing therethrough.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) light modulator, an optical sensing system, and an optical sensing method. The optical sensing system includes a transmitter configured to emit an optical signal toward an environment surrounding the optical sensing system, and a receiver configured to receive the optical signal returning from the environment. The receiver further includes the LCOS light modulator and a receiving lens. The LCOS light modulator is configured to spatially modulate a polarization of the optical signal in order to allow only a spatially-selected portion of the optical signal to pass through the LCOS light modulator at one time. The receiving lens is configured to focus the spatially-selected portion of the optical signal received from the LCOS light modulator on a photodetector of the receiver.

An optical waveguide apparatus, a control method for the optical waveguide apparatus, and a storage medium are described in the disclosure. In one example implementation, an optical waveguide apparatus includes a control component and a waveguide structure. The waveguide structure includes m input interfaces and n output interfaces, where both m and n are integers greater than 1. The waveguide structure includes a first waveguide layer and a second waveguide layer, where an optical waveguide exists in the second waveguide layer. The control component is configured to control the first waveguide layer to form an optical waveguide, and the optical waveguide and an optical waveguide in the second waveguide layer form a cross-layer optical signal path.

An optical waveguide apparatus including a first dispersion unit and a separation unit. The first dispersion unit is connected to the separation unit, the first dispersion unit is configured to disperse a frequency component of at least one first optical signal, and the separation unit is configured to separate, into at least one second optical signal based on configuration information, the frequency component that is of the at least one first optical signal and that is dispersed by the first dispersion unit. The separation unit is implemented by a variable optical waveguide, and the variable optical waveguide is an optical waveguide that implements at least one of the following functions based on the configuration information: forming an optical waveguide, eliminating an optical waveguide, and changing a shape of an optical waveguide.

An optical device includes a plurality of optical waveguide units arranged in a first direction. Each of the optical waveguide units includes a first mirror having a first reflecting surface, a second mirror having a second reflecting surface facing the first reflecting surface, and at least one optical waveguide region located between the first mirror and the second mirror. The distance between the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface is different for each of the optical waveguide units.

Improvements to gratings for use in waveguides and methods of producing them are described herein. Deep surface relief gratings (SRGs) may offer many advantages over conventional SRGs and Bragg gratings, an important one being a higher S-diffraction efficiency. In one embodiment, deep SRGs can be implemented as polymer surface relief gratings or evacuated Bragg gratings (EBGs). EBGs can be formed by first recording a holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) grating. Removing the liquid crystal from the cured grating provides a polymer surface relief grating. Polymer surface relief gratings have many applications including for use in waveguide-based displays.

Disclosed herein is a holographic mixture including nanoparticles used to form gratings through holographic exposure. In various embodiments, exposure of the holographic mixture causes the nanoparticles to diffuse to dark fringe regions which creates nanoparticle rich regions and nanoparticle poor regions. Some embodiments include a multi-layer grating which includes a layer formed through the exposed holographic mixture and another layer directly applied above the exposed holographic mixture. The other layer may also be exposed through a holographic recording beam.

Methods of manufacturing a liquid crystal device including depositing a layer of liquid crystal material on a substrate and imprinting a pattern on the layer of liquid crystal material using an imprint template are disclosed. The liquid crystal material can be jet deposited. The imprint template can include surface relief features, Pancharatnam-Berry Phase Effect (PBPE) structures or diffractive structures. The liquid crystal device manufactured by the methods described herein can be used to manipulate light, such as for beam steering, wavefront shaping, separating wavelengths and/or polarizations, and combining different wavelengths and/or polarizations.

In some embodiments, an augmented reality system includes at least one waveguide that is configured to receive and redirect light toward a user, and is further configured to allow ambient light from an environment of the user to pass therethrough toward the user. The augmented reality system also includes a first adaptive lens assembly positioned between the at least one waveguide and the environment, a second adaptive lens assembly positioned between the at least one waveguide and the user, and at least one processor operatively coupled to the first and second adaptive lens assemblies. Each lens assembly of the augmented reality system is selectively switchable between at least two different states in which the respective lens assembly is configured to impart at least two different optical powers to light passing therethrough, respectively. The at least one processor is configured to cause the first and second adaptive lens assemblies to synchronously switch between different states in a manner such that the first and second adaptive lens assemblies impart a substantially constant net optical power to ambient light from the environment passing therethrough.

A light modulation device is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a light modulation device includes a first polymer film substrate, a second polymer film substrate, an active liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second polymer film substrates, wherein the active liquid crystal layer is capable of switching between a first orientation state and a second orientation state when a voltage is applied, and a polarizer, wherein each of the first and second polymer film substrates have in-plane retardation of 4,000 nm or more for light having a wavelength of 550 nm, a ratio of an elongation (E1) in a first direction to an elongation (E2) in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of 3 or more, and wherein an angle formed by the first directions of the first and second polymer film substrates is in a range of 0 degrees to 10 degrees.