An image light guide for conveying a virtual image has a waveguide that conveys image-bearing light, formed as a flat plate having an in-coupling diffractive optic with a first grating vector diffracting an image-bearing light beam into the waveguide and directing diffracted light. An out-coupling diffractive optic is formed as a plurality of overlapping diffraction gratings including a first grating pattern having first grating vector k1 and a second grating pattern having a second grating vector k2 for expanding and ejecting the expanded image bearing beams from the waveguide into an expanded eyebox within which the virtual image can be seen.

An artifact mitigation system includes a projector assembly and a set of imaging optics optically coupled to the projector assembly. The artifact mitigation system also includes an eyepiece optically coupled to the set of imaging optics. The eyepiece includes a diffractive incoupling interface. The artifact mitigation system further includes an artifact prevention element disposed between the set of imaging optics and the eyepiece. The artifact prevention element includes a linear polarizer, a first quarter waveplate disposed adjacent the linear polarizer, and a color select component disposed adjacent the first quarter waveplate.

An optical device includes a light source assembly configured to generate an image light; and at least one waveguide including an in-coupling element and an out-coupling element configured to transmit, via the at least one waveguide, a plurality of light fields of the image light to an eye-box of the optical device, in a time-multiplexing manner. At least one of the in-coupling element or the out-coupling element includes at least one switchable diffractive optical grating, which includes a surface relief grating (SRG) filled with an optically anisotropic material having a first principal refractive index along a groove direction of the SRG and a second principal refractive index along an in-plane direction perpendicular to the groove direction. One of the first and second refractive principal refractive indices substantially matches a refractive index of the SRG, and the other mismatches.

Three-dimensional (3D) electronic displays provide different 3D views and employ one or both of an array of multibeam diffraction gratings arranged in offset rows and light valves having color filters. The displays include a plate light guide configured to guide light beams at a non-zero propagation angle, a multibeam diffraction grating configured to couple out a portion of the guided light beams as a plurality of light beams having different principal angular directions representing the different 3D views, and light valves configured to modulate the differently directed, coupled-out light beams. The multibeam diffraction grating may be a member of the array arranged in offset rows and the display may further include light valves having color filters. Alternately, the light valves include color filters and the display may further include the array of multibeam diffraction gratings arranged in offset rows.

An optical structure is disclosed for use in an augmented reality display. The structure includes a waveguide (52) and an input diffractive optical structure (54) configured to receive light from a projector and couple the received light into the waveguide (52). An output diffractive optical structure (60) is configured to receive light from the input diffractive optical element (54) in an input direction, wherein the output diffractive optical structure comprises at least a first diffractive optical element (30) and a second diffractive optical element (32) with different respective diffraction efficiencies, wherein the first diffractive optical element has a relatively high diffraction efficiency and the second diffractive optical element has a relatively low diffraction efficiency and the first and second diffractive optical elements are overlaid on one another in or on the waveguide. The output diffractive optical structure (60) comprises a first portion (62) and a second portion (64). In the first portion (62) the first diffractive optical element is configured to couple light from the input direction towards the second portion (64) and the second diffractive optical element is configured to couple light from the input direction away from the second portion. In the second portion (64) the first diffractive optical element is configured to couple light from the input direction towards the first portion (62) and the second diffractive optical element is configured to couple light from the input direction away from the first portion (62).

An optical waveguide comprises at least two TIR surface and contains a grating. Input TIR light with a first angular range along a first propagation direction undergoes at least two diffractions at the grating. Each diffraction directs light into a unique TIR angular range along a second propagation direction.

Three-dimensional (3D) electronic displays provide different 3D views and employ one or both of an array of multibeam diffraction gratings arranged in offset rows and light valves having color filters. The displays include a plate light guide configured to guide light beams at a non-zero propagation angle, a multibeam diffraction grating configured to couple out a portion of the guided light beams as a plurality of light beams having different principal angular directions representing the different 3D views, and light valves configured to modulate the differently directed, coupled-out light beams. The multibeam diffraction grating may be a member of the array arranged in offset rows and the display may further include light valves having color filters. Alternately, the light valves include color filters and the display may further include the array of multibeam diffraction gratings arranged in offset rows.

An optical diffraction component is configured to suppress at least one target wavelength by destructive interference. The optical diffraction component includes at least three diffraction structure levels that are assignable to at least two diffraction structure groups. A first of the diffraction structure groups is configured to suppress a first target wavelength λ.sub.1. A second of the diffraction structure groups is configured to suppress a second target wavelength λ.sub.2, where (λ.sub.1−λ.sub.2).sup.2/(λ.sub.1+λ.sub.2).sup.2<20%. A topography of the diffraction structure levels can be described as a superimposition of two binary diffraction structure groups. Boundary regions between adjacent surface sections of each of the binary diffraction structure groups have a linear course and are superimposed on one another at most along sections of the linear course.

A diffraction light guide plate capable of increasing the area of an output image without increasing the total size thereof and having an advantage that the pupil position of a user is not limited. The diffraction light guide plate comprises first and second diffraction optical elements, wherein the first diffraction optical element is an element capable of receiving light incident onto the first diffraction optical element and outputting the received light toward the second diffraction optical element, and the second diffraction optical element is an element capable of emitting light therefrom out of the incident light from the first diffraction optical element.

A device includes a waveguide. The device also includes a plurality of grating sets coupled with the waveguide and configured to, during a plurality of time periods, couple a plurality of input image lights into the waveguide and couple the input image lights out of the waveguide as a plurality of output image lights. The plurality of input image lights have a substantially same input field of view (“FOV”) with a substantially same symmetry axis. A combined output FOV of the output image lights is larger than the input FOV.