A pupil-replicating lightguide includes a slab of transparent material, a switchable out-coupling grating for out-coupling portions of image light to propagate towards an eyebox, and a switchable tracking grating for redirecting tracking light carrying an eye image towards an eye tracking camera. One of the two gratings may be turned ON while the other is turned OFF, in a time-sequential manner, allowing the combined use of the pupil-replicating lightguide for carrying image light and eye tracking light.

A pupil-replicating lightguide includes a slab of transparent material, a switchable out-coupling grating for out-coupling portions of image light to propagate towards an eyebox, and a switchable tracking grating for redirecting tracking light carrying an eye image towards an eye tracking camera. One of the two gratings may be turned ON while the other is turned OFF, in a time-sequential manner, allowing the combined use of the pupil-replicating lightguide for carrying image light and eye tracking light.

A light field generation system includes a two dimensional emitter array for projecting light and a directionally-sensitive optical element in front of the emitter array but before a directional diffuser. Certain classes of emitters are intended to project information principally along one axis (e.g. amplitude modulated in the horizontal plane, i.e. so that each eye sees a potentially different image) and are the basis of horizontal-parallax-only (HPO) displays. Examples include surface acoustic wave (SAW) modulators, such as edge-emitting or surface-emitting modulators. They often project undesired or stray light along directions along a different axis (e.g. vertically) and the diffuser will also spread the visibility of the stray light field components. Thus, the directionally-sensitive optical element will improve contrast in this scenario.

A light field generation system includes a two dimensional emitter array for projecting light and a directionally-sensitive optical element in front of the emitter array but before a directional diffuser. Certain classes of emitters are intended to project information principally along one axis (e.g. amplitude modulated in the horizontal plane, i.e. so that each eye sees a potentially different image) and are the basis of horizontal-parallax-only (HPO) displays. Examples include surface acoustic wave (SAW) modulators, such as edge-emitting or surface-emitting modulators. They often project undesired or stray light along directions along a different axis (e.g. vertically) and the diffuser will also spread the visibility of the stray light field components. Thus, the directionally-sensitive optical element will improve contrast in this scenario.

A display assembly used for a display device includes a substrate, a protective member, and a first polarizing plate. The protective member is configured to protect the substrate. The first polarizing plate is disposed between the substrate and the protective member and configured to add a polarizing effect. The first polarizing plate has a first through hole through which light passes toward a back side of the display assembly. At least one of the substrate and the protective member includes a protruding portion having light transmissivity and protruding toward the first through hole.

A holographic display is comprised of space-multiplexed elemental modulators, each of which consists of a surface acoustic wave transducer atop an anisotropic waveguide. Each line of the overall display consists of a single anisotropic waveguide across the display's length with multiple surface acoustic wave transducers spaced along the waveguide length, although for larger displays, the waveguide may be divided into segments, each provided with separate illumination. Light that is undiffracted by a specific transducer is available for diffraction by subsequent transducers. Per transducer, guided-mode light is mode-converted to leaky-mode light, which propagates into the substrate away from the viewer before encountering a volume reflection grating and being reflected and steered towards the viewer. The display is transparent and all reflection volume gratings operate in the Bragg regime, thereby creating no dispersion of ambient light.

A holographic display is comprised of space-multiplexed elemental modulators, each of which consists of a surface acoustic wave transducer atop an anisotropic waveguide. Each line of the overall display consists of a single anisotropic waveguide across the display's length with multiple surface acoustic wave transducers spaced along the waveguide length, although for larger displays, the waveguide may be divided into segments, each provided with separate illumination. Light that is undiffracted by a specific transducer is available for diffraction by subsequent transducers. Per transducer, guided-mode light is mode-converted to leaky-mode light, which propagates into the substrate away from the viewer before encountering a volume reflection grating and being reflected and steered towards the viewer. The display is transparent and all reflection volume gratings operate in the Bragg regime, thereby creating no dispersion of ambient light.

A light steeling system and method for diffractive steering of electromagnetic radiation such as visible light is disclosed. Embodiments of the light steering system include leaky-mode SAW modulators as light modulator devices. The SAW modulators preferably include reflective diffractive gratings. The gratings are mounted to/patterned upon an exit face that opposes an exit surface of the SAW modulator, in one example. Steering of light signals emitted from the SAW modulators in these systems can be accomplished by varying wavelength of light signals introduced to the SAW modulators, and/or by varying frequency of RF drive signals applied to the SAW modulators. In addition, light field generators that incorporate SAW modulators of the proposed light steering system within displays of the light field generators are also disclosed.

A light steeling system and method for diffractive steering of electromagnetic radiation such as visible light is disclosed. Embodiments of the light steering system include leaky-mode SAW modulators as light modulator devices. The SAW modulators preferably include reflective diffractive gratings. The gratings are mounted to/patterned upon an exit face that opposes an exit surface of the SAW modulator, in one example. Steering of light signals emitted from the SAW modulators in these systems can be accomplished by varying wavelength of light signals introduced to the SAW modulators, and/or by varying frequency of RF drive signals applied to the SAW modulators. In addition, light field generators that incorporate SAW modulators of the proposed light steering system within displays of the light field generators are also disclosed.

An electro-holographic light field generator device is disclosed. The light field generator device has an optical substrate with a waveguide face and an exit face. One or more surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulator devices are included within each light field generator device. The SAW devices each include a light input, a waveguide, and a SAW transducer, all configured for guided mode confinement of input light within the waveguide. A leaky mode deflection of a portion of the waveguided light, or diffractive light, impinges upon the exit face. Multiple output optics at the exit face are configured for developing from each of the output optics a radiated exit light from the diffracted light for at least one of the waveguides. An RF controller is configured to control the SAW devices to develop the radiated exit light as a three-dimensional output light field with horizontal parallax and compatible with observer vertical motion.