An illumination device has a coherent light source, an optical device that diffuses the plurality of coherent light beams and illuminates a predetermined illumination area, and a timing control unit that individually controls incident timing of the plurality of coherent light beams to the optical device or illumination timing of the illumination area, wherein the optical device has a plurality of diffusion regions, the diffusion regions being provided corresponding to the plurality of coherent light beams, the plurality of diffusion regions illuminate the illumination range by diffusion of incident coherent light beams, the plurality of diffusion regions have a plurality of element diffusion regions, the plurality of element diffusion regions illuminate partial regions in the illumination area by diffusion of incident coherent light beams, and at least parts of the partial regions illuminated by the plurality of element diffusion regions are different from one another.

Methods and systems for projecting wave fields use a diffusing medium, a wavefront shaper, an illumination source, and a control system. A system for projecting an object wave field into a projection volume includes a wave scatterer, a wave field projector configured to project a wave field onto the wave scatterer, and a controller coupled to the wave field projector. The controller is configured to cause the wave field projector to project a wave field that, upon interacting with the wave scatterer, is redirected to form an object wave field that forms a predetermined pattern in the projection volume.

A holographic skew mirror has a reflective axis, or skew axis, that can be tilted with respect to its surface normal. Tilting the skew axis in two dimensions with respect to the surface normal expands the holographic skew mirror's possible field of view, e.g., to 60 or more. These additional angles can be accessed using an out-of-plane writing geometry with matched total internal grazing extension rotation (TIGER) prisms.

Systems and methods for fabricating optical elements in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are illustrated. One embodiment includes a method for fabricating an optical element, the method including providing a first optical substrate, depositing a first layer of a first optical recording material onto the first optical substrate, applying an optical exposure process to the first layer to form a first optical structure, temporarily erasing the first optical structure, depositing a second layer of a second optical recording material, and applying an optical exposure process to the second layer to form a second optical structure, wherein the optical exposure process includes using at least one light beam traversing the first layer.

Holographic volume gratings in waveguide cells can be recorded using many different methods and systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. One embodiment includes a holographic recording system including at least one laser source configured to emit recording beams and a movable platform configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein when the movable platform is in the first position, the at least one laser source is configured to emit a first set of one or more recording beams toward a first set of one or more stations and when the movable platform is in the second position, the at least one laser source is configured to emit a second set of one or more recording beams toward a second set of one or more stations.

Systems, devices, and methods for side lobe control in holograms are described. The magnitude of the side lobes of a hologram depends on the distribution of refractive index modulation (n), therefore control of side lobe magnitude may be achieved by controlling the distribution of n. The distribution of n may be controlled by replicating a hologram from a master with two reference beams, where the wavelength and angle of each reference beam, the playback angle of the master hologram, and the thickness of the master hologram, the copy holographic recording medium (HRM), and the recording substrate are carefully chosen to achieve a pattern of meta-interference within the HRM that matches the desired distribution of n.

Systems, devices, and methods for side lobe control in holograms are described. The magnitude of the side lobes of a hologram depends on the distribution of refractive index modulation (n), therefore control of side lobe magnitude may be achieved by controlling the distribution of n. The distribution of n may be controlled by replicating a hologram from a master with two reference beams, where the wavelength and angle of each reference beam, the playback angle of the master hologram, and the thickness of the master hologram, the copy holographic recording medium (HRM), and the recording substrate are carefully chosen to achieve a pattern of meta-interference within the HRM that matches the desired distribution of n.

Systems, devices, and methods for side lobe control in holograms are described. The magnitude of the side lobes of a hologram depends on the distribution of refractive index modulation (n), therefore control of side lobe magnitude may be achieved by controlling the distribution of n. The distribution of n may be controlled by replicating a hologram from a master with two reference beams, where the wavelength and angle of each reference beam, the playback angle of the master hologram, and the thickness of the master hologram, the copy holographic recording medium (HRM), and the recording substrate are carefully chosen to achieve a pattern of meta-interference within the HRM that matches the desired distribution of n.

An optical element for a lidar system, having: an expanding optical system and a projection lens, the expanding optical system and/or the projection lens being formed by a holographic optical element.

There is provided a volumetric holographic data storage device for recording data in a volumetric holographic medium and/or reading data from a volumetric holographic medium, the volumetric holographic data storage device including at least one volumetric holographic optical element. There is also provided a volumetric holographic data storage device for recording data in a volumetric holographic medium and/or reading data from a volumetric holographic medium, the volumetric holographic data storage device including at least one optical fibre for carrying a signal beam and/or a reference beam. There is also provided use of a Holographic Optical Element in data storage.