A total internal reflection-based display may be driven by an apparatus and method to move electrophoretically mobile particles into and out of an evanescent wave region to create static and video images. The apparatus may comprise one or more of a host microprocessor/controller, display controller, TIR display panel, frame buffer memory 1, frame buffer memory 2, host interface, temperature/environmental sensor, timing controller, look up table, power management integrated circuit or display panel interface.

A total internal reflection-based display may be driven by an apparatus and method to move electrophoretically mobile particles into and out of an evanescent wave region to create static and video images. The apparatus may comprise one or more of a host microprocessor/controller, display controller, TIR display panel, frame buffer memory 1, frame buffer memory 2, host interface, temperature/environmental sensor, timing controller, look up table, power management integrated circuit or display panel interface.

There is provided a projection display device comprising: a light source, an SBG device comprising a multiplicity of separately SBG elements sandwich between transparent substrate to which transparent electrodes have been applied. The substrates function as a light guide. A least one transparent electrode comprises plurality of independently switchable transparent electrodes elements, each electrode element substantially overlaying a unique SBG element. Each SBG element encodes image information to be projected on an image surface. Light coupled into the light guide, undergoes total internal reflection until diffracted out to the light guide by an activated SBG element. The SBG diffracts light out of the light guide to form an image region on an image surface when subjected to an applied voltage via said transparent electrodes.

There is provided a projection display device comprising: a light source, an SBG device comprising a multiplicity of separately SBG elements sandwich between transparent substrate to which transparent electrodes have been applied. The substrates function as a light guide. A least one transparent electrode comprises plurality of independently switchable transparent electrodes elements, each electrode element substantially overlaying a unique SBG element. Each SBG element encodes image information to be projected on an image surface. Light coupled into the light guide, undergoes total internal reflection until diffracted out to the light guide by an activated SBG element. The SBG diffracts light out of the light guide to form an image region on an image surface when subjected to an applied voltage via said transparent electrodes.

Systems and methods are provided for providing a passively switched light source. An integrated optical component includes a photonic material and a phase change material in direct contact with the photonic material. A light source provides light into the integrated optical component. The light interacts with the phase change material such that an index of refraction of the phase change material depends on the intensity of the light within the integrated optical component as to provide a passive change to a parameter of the integrated optical component.

A household appliance component has a base element with at least one photoluminescent layer and at least one light guide. The light guide is configured to couple in and transmit light containing at least one excitation wavelength of the photoluminescent layer to the photoluminescent layer. An optical switch is assigned to the light guide to route light coupled in the light guide depending on the temperature of the optical switch. Further a household appliance contains the at least one household appliance component.

An optical device comprising first and second optical elements. The first optical element has: a first liquid crystal element; a first transmissive member formed on the first liquid crystal element and having a light incident surface on which external incident light is incident and a first light-outputting surface through which light reflected by the first liquid crystal element is outputted; and a second transmissive member having a second light-outputting surface through which transmitted light having been transmitted through the first liquid crystal element is outputted. The second optical element has: a second liquid crystal element; and a third transmissive member formed on the second liquid crystal element and joined to the first light-outputting surface.

A layered optical element includes a substrate layer, an electrode layer disposed on the substrate layer, a liquid crystal (LC) layer comprising LC molecules, and a nanopatterned alignment layer in physical contact with the LC layer and disposed on a surface of either the substrate layer or the electrode layer. The nanopatterned alignment layer includes an arrangement of nanostructures, e.g., a grouping of nanolines. For a subset of the grouping of nanolines, the nanolines are configured to orient the LC molecules along a varying local orientation direction of each of nanoline in the subset. The varying local orientation direction of each nanoline in the subset can vary along a length of each nanoline.

A layered optical element includes a substrate layer, an electrode layer disposed on the substrate layer, a liquid crystal (LC) layer comprising LC molecules, and a nanopatterned alignment layer in physical contact with the LC layer and disposed on a surface of either the substrate layer or the electrode layer. The nanopatterned alignment layer includes an arrangement of nanostructures, e.g., a grouping of nanolines. For a subset of the grouping of nanolines, the nanolines are configured to orient the LC molecules along a varying local orientation direction of each of nanoline in the subset. The varying local orientation direction of each nanoline in the subset can vary along a length of each nanoline.

A display panel includes a plurality of sub-pixels. At least one sub-pixel of the plurality of sub-pixels includes a first electrode, a light modulation structure disposed on a side of the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed at a side of the light modulation structure away from the first electrode. The light modulation structure includes a refractive index adjustment layer, and a light modulation layer disposed between the refractive index adjustment layer and the first electrode. A refractive index of the refractive index adjustment layer is changed under action of an electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode. The light modulation layer is in contact with the refractive index adjustment layer, and at least a part of a surface of the light modulation layer that is in contact with the refractive index adjustment layer is a curved face.