Maximizing brightness in conventional total internal reflection image displays may lead to more applications where they may be used. A refractive index perturbation array may be used to enhance the brightness. Control of the size, spacing and refractive index in an index perturbation array layer may lead controlled diffraction of light and lead to enhanced brightness in total internal reflection image displays.

An optical waveguide display device includes a substrate and a cover plate formed into a cell assembly, and a first filler layer and a second filler layer between the substrate and the cover plate, the first filler layer is closer to the cover plate than the second filler layer, the first filler layer includes liquid crystals and a high molecular polymer, and the second filler layer are liquid crystals.

Systems, devices, and methods for optical waveguides that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. An optical device comprises an optical waveguide including a volume of optically transparent material, an in-coupler, an out-coupler, a volume of liquid crystal carried by the volume of optically transparent material, and a controller to modulate a refractive index of the volume of liquid crystal. Light is in-coupled into the waveguide and is propagated along a length of the waveguide by total internal. As the light crosses a thickness of the waveguide the light passes through or within the volume of liquid crystal and is refracted according to the modulated refractive index of the volume of liquid crystal. In this way, light signals can be steered to create an image and/or to move an exit pupil of an image. WHUDs that employ such optical waveguides are also described.

Systems, devices, and methods for optical waveguides that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. An optical device comprises an optical waveguide including a volume of optically transparent material, an in-coupler, an out-coupler, a volume of liquid crystal carried by the volume of optically transparent material, and a controller to modulate a refractive index of the volume of liquid crystal. Light is in-coupled into the waveguide and is propagated along a length of the waveguide by total internal. As the light crosses a thickness of the waveguide the light passes through or within the volume of liquid crystal and is refracted according to the modulated refractive index of the volume of liquid crystal. In this way, light signals can be steered to create an image and/or to move an exit pupil of an image. WHUDs that employ such optical waveguides are also described.

Systems, devices, and methods for optical waveguides that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. An optical device comprises an optical waveguide including a volume of optically transparent material, an in-coupler, an out-coupler, a volume of liquid crystal carried by the volume of optically transparent material, and a controller to modulate a refractive index of the volume of liquid crystal. Light is in-coupled into the waveguide and is propagated along a length of the waveguide by total internal. As the light crosses a thickness of the waveguide the light passes through or within the volume of liquid crystal and is refracted according to the modulated refractive index of the volume of liquid crystal. In this way, light signals can be steered to create an image and/or to move an exit pupil of an image. WHUDs that employ such optical waveguides are also described.

Systems, devices, and methods for optical waveguides that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. An optical device comprises an optical waveguide including a volume of optically transparent material, an in-coupler, an out-coupler, a volume of liquid crystal carried by the volume of optically transparent material, and a controller to modulate a refractive index of the volume of liquid crystal. Light is in-coupled into the waveguide and is propagated along a length of the waveguide by total internal. As the light crosses a thickness of the waveguide the light passes through or within the volume of liquid crystal and is refracted according to the modulated refractive index of the volume of liquid crystal. In this way, light signals can be steered to create an image and/or to move an exit pupil of an image. WHUDs that employ such optical waveguides are also described.

Systems, devices, and methods for optical waveguides that are well-suited for use in wearable heads-up displays (WHUDs) are described. An optical device comprises an optical waveguide including a volume of optically transparent material, an in-coupler, an out-coupler, a volume of liquid crystal carried by the volume of optically transparent material, and a controller to modulate a refractive index of the volume of liquid crystal. Light is in-coupled into the waveguide and is propagated along a length of the waveguide by total internal. As the light crosses a thickness of the waveguide the light passes through or within the volume of liquid crystal and is refracted according to the modulated refractive index of the volume of liquid crystal. In this way, light signals can be steered to create an image and/or to move an exit pupil of an image. WHUDs that employ such optical waveguides are also described.

Reflective image displays use minimal power but have limited use in low ambient conditions. Emissive image displays are intrinsically reflective and must use significantly more power in high ambient light conditions to optimize the image quality which greatly limits the battery life. To date no single display technology has been able to provide excellent image quality in all ambient lighting conditions. The embodiments described herein involves the efficient hybridization of controlled reflection with controlled efficient emission to improve both the practicality and the overall performance of the display.

A light control device disposed between an outdoor area and an indoor area includes: a light-transmissive first electrode; a light-transmissive second electrode; a refractive-index control layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode, and having a controllable refractive index; and a light-transmissive recessed and protruding layer located between the first electrode and the refractive-index control layer, and including repeating protrusions, wherein the light control device is disposed such that the first electrode is on an outdoor area side, the repeating protrusions each have an inclined surface inclined at a predetermined angle of inclination, relative to a thickness direction of the light control device, and the angles of inclination of one of the repeating protrusions and another of the repeating protrusions are different in a recurrent direction of the repeating protrusions.

A light modulator (e.g., for terahertz radiation) may be constructed using a prism in which light undergoes total internal reflection (TIR) at one surface. A tunable conductive layer is disposed on the TIR surface. The tunable conductive layer can have a conductivity that is dynamically controllable, e.g., by applying a voltage across the tunable conductive layer or by optically pumping the tunable conductive layer. The tunable conductive layer can absorb a portion of the reflected light beam, attenuating the beam, with the attenuation being a function of the electrical conductivity of the tunable conductive layer. The phase of the reflected light beam can also be altered as a function of electrical conductivity of the tunable conductive layer.