An apparatus and method for fabricating high quality one- or two-dimensional diffractive waveplates and arrays that exhibit high diffraction efficiency and capable of inexpensive large volume production. A generally non-holographic and aperiodic polarization converter for converting the polarization of a coherent input light beam of a visible wavelength into a pattern of continuous spatial modulation at the output of the polarization converter. A photoresponsive material characterized by an anisotropy axis according to polarization of the light beam is exposed to a polarization modulation pattern and coated subsequently with an anisotropic material overlayer with ability of producing an optical axis orientation according to and under the influence of the anisotropy axis of the photoresponsive material layer. The diffractive waveplates are obtained when exposure time of photoresponsive material layer exceeds an order of magnitude the time period that is known to produce spatially homogeneous orientation of the anisotropic overlayer.

A volume phase holographic grating includes two cover shields and a holographic optical member. The holographic optical member is created by taking gel and having two lasers interfere with each other on the gel such that a pattern is created on the gel. The optical member placed between the two cover shields such that the optical member is protected.

A backlight device, a holographic display that includes the backlight device, and a method of manufacturing a holographic optical element are provided. The backlight device includes a light guide plate configured to guide light emitted by a light source, a first holographic optical element configured to expand light that has propagated through the light guide plate and that has a multi-layered structure, and a second holographic optical element configured to concentrate light reflected by the first holographic optical element.

A system and method of performing incoherent light treatment is disclosed. The method may include securing a recording medium to a securing structure within an internal cavity and delivering light at least partially toward a baffle disposed within the internal cavity. The method may also include securing one or more diffusers to one or more surfaces of the recording medium.

An apparatus for manufacturing a hologram includes a holographic optical element on which a first interference pattern of a first signal beam and a first reference beam is recorded and a second interference pattern of a second signal beam modulated by a Fourier lens and a second reference beam is recorded. Also, an apparatus for reconstructing a hologram by using the holographic optical element is provided.

Described is a holographic film (100) whose transmission and/or reflection properties vary periodically along at least one of its directions of principal extent, said film being designed for at least partial transmission (22, 28) of light (20, 26) of at least one first wavelength range that is irradiated from a multiplicity of periodically disposed illuminants (200) and that impinges on the holographic film (100). Also described are a lighting means (300), a backlighting means and a method for producing a holographic film (100).

Systems, articles, and methods that integrate photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses are described. One or more hologram(s) may be recorded into/onto the photopolymer film to enable the lens to be used as a transparent holographic combiner in a wearable heads-up display employing an image source, such as a microdisplay or a scanning laser projector. The methods of integrating photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses include: positioning photopolymer film in a lens mold and casting the lens around the photopolymer film; sandwiching photopolymer film in between two portions of a lens; applying photopolymer film to a concave surface of a lens; and/or affixing a planar carrier (with photopolymer film thereon) to two points across a length of a concave surface of a lens. Respective lenses manufactured/adapted by each of these processes are also described.

An optical reflective device referred to as a skew mirror, having a reflective axis that need not be constrained to surface normal, is described. Examples of skew mirrors are configured to reflect light about substantially constant reflective axes across a relatively wide range of wavelengths. In some examples, a skew mirror has substantially constant reflective axes across a relatively wide range of angles of incidence. Exemplary methods for making and using skew mirrors are also disclosed. Skew mirrors include a grating structure, which in some examples comprises a hologram.

Systems, articles, and methods that integrate photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses are described. One or more hologram(s) may be recorded into/onto the photopolymer film to enable the lens to be used as a transparent holographic combiner in a wearable heads-up display employing an image source, such as a microdisplay or a scanning laser projector. The methods of integrating photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses include: positioning photopolymer film in a lens mold and casting the lens around the photopolymer film; sandwiching photopolymer film in between two portions of a lens; applying photopolymer film to a concave surface of a lens; and/or affixing a planar carrier (with photopolymer film thereon) to two points across a length of a concave surface of a lens. Respective lenses manufactured/adapted by each of these processes are also described.

Systems, articles, and methods that integrate photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses are described. One or more hologram(s) may be recorded into/onto the photopolymer film to enable the lens to be used as a transparent holographic combiner in a wearable heads-up display employing an image source, such as a microdisplay or a scanning laser projector. The methods of integrating photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses include: positioning photopolymer film in a lens mold and casting the lens around the photopolymer film; sandwiching photopolymer film in between two portions of a lens; applying photopolymer film to a concave surface of a lens; and/or affixing a planar carrier (with photopolymer film thereon) to two points across a length of a concave surface of a lens. Respective lenses manufactured/adapted by each of these processes are also described.