Example display devices include a waveguide configured to propagate visible light under total internal reflection in a direction parallel to a major surface of the waveguide. The waveguide has formed thereon an outcoupling element configured to outcouple a portion of the visible light in a direction normal to the major surface of the waveguide. The example display devices additionally include a polarization-selective notch reflector disposed on a first side of the waveguide and configured to reflect visible light having a first polarization while transmitting the portion of the visible light having a second polarization. The example display devices further include a polarization-independent notch reflector disposed on a second side of the waveguide and configured to reflect visible light having the first polarization and the second polarization, where the polarization-independent notch reflector is configured to convert a polarization of visible light reflecting therefrom.

A display module and a display device are provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure. The display module includes a display panel, the display panel includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, at least one of the first surface and the second surface is a display surface, and the display module further includes an optical modulation structure arranged on at least one of the first surface and the second surface of the display panel. The optical modulation structure includes: a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate arranged opposite to each other, a charged particle arranged between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate, and a first transparent electrode structure arranged between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and configured to form an electric field for driving the charged particle to move.

An optical system including a lighting component and a switchable diffuser in optical communication with the lighting component. The optical system may further include a low absorbing optical component. At least one outer surface of the switchable diffuser and/or the low absorbing optical component includes light redirecting structures. When the switchable diffuser is in a first state and the optical system produces a light output, the light redirecting structures are configured to increase the full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the light output of the optical system in at least one direction by at least 5 degrees relative to that of an otherwise equivalent optical system that does not include the light redirecting structures.

A method for electrically controlling at least one functional element having electrically controllable optical properties, wherein the optical properties are controlled by a control unit, wherein the control unit is connected to at least two transparent flat electrodes of the functional element, and an electrical voltage is applied between the flat electrodes by the control unit, wherein the electrical voltage has a periodic signal profile with a first, variably adjustable frequency and the glazing unit is surrounded by light beams of a second frequency, and wherein the light beams are sensed by a sensor unit and the first frequency is changed as a function of the second frequency, wherein the first frequency is synchronized with the second frequency.

Liquid crystal (LC) beam control devices using a dispersion shaped (DS) half wave plate (HWP), with specific physical characteristics, allows the broadened beam to maintain significantly better the color cohesion. Beneficial aspects of using a HWP with an appropriate thickness and birefringence index which makes it inefficient in the blue wavelength spectrum, therefore reducing the blue photon depletion in the center of the broadened beam is described herein. Combinations of an homeotropic LC cell and DS HWP structures for reduced color separation, faster relaxation time and reduced ground state scattering is further described herein.

Liquid crystal (LC) beam modulation devices are applied to lighting control or to optical wireless communications to improve performance of lighting or communications. A flexible optical network using LC beam modulation and common control of beam intensity and solid angle of beams are also described.

A 3D liquid crystal display panel includes: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a first grating layer including grating openings arranged in an array for realizing 3D display; and a CF layer including a plurality of filter units arranged in an array, a black matrix disposed between adjacent filter units, and at least one light shielding strip disposed inside each of the filter units and dividing each of the filter units into a plurality of light transmitting regions. The 3D liquid crystal display panel is configured to apply voltages to the electrode layer to form a liquid crystal grating in the liquid crystal layer, and a collimated light incident to the liquid crystal layer passes through the liquid crystal grating and pass through the filter unit to form a monochromatic light, and then, is emitted out from the grating openings.

A cholesteric liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a solar cell, a shielding layer, a first electrode layer, a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, a second electrode layer and a second substrate stacked sequentially from bottom to top. The solar cell includes a metal wiring pattern layer. The shielding layer corresponds to the upper side of the metal wiring pattern layer, and is used to reduce the reflection of light from the metal circuit pattern layer. In this way, the cholesteric liquid crystal display device replaces the traditional black absorbing layer with the black material of the solar cell, which can not only absorb light, but also display the image with self-sustaining power. The cholesteric liquid crystal display device shields the arrangement of the metal wiring pattern layer through the shielding layer, which can ensure the image quality of the display panel.

A system for and method of projecting augmentation imagery in a head-mounted display is disclosed. A system for projecting light onto an eye includes a display to project light, a beam combiner, first and second optical systems between the display and the beam combiner along respective first and second optical paths. The first and second optical paths differ. The system also includes a switchable reflector that, in a reflective state, reflects light incident upon the reflector, and, in a non-reflective state, transmits light incident upon the reflector. The reflector is between the display and the first and second optical systems along the first and second optical paths and directs light along the first path, in the reflective state, or along the second path, in the non-reflective state, to reflect light from the beam combiner to the eye from different directions when in the different states.

A system for and method of projecting augmentation imagery in a head-mounted display is disclosed. A system for projecting light onto an eye includes a display to project light, a beam combiner, first and second optical systems between the display and the beam combiner along respective first and second optical paths. The first and second optical paths differ. The system also includes a switchable reflector that, in a reflective state, reflects light incident upon the reflector, and, in a non-reflective state, transmits light incident upon the reflector. The reflector is between the display and the first and second optical systems along the first and second optical paths and directs light along the first path, in the reflective state, or along the second path, in the non-reflective state, to reflect light from the beam combiner to the eye from different directions when in the different states.