A method of computing a hologram by determining the wavefronts at the approximate observer eye position that would be generated by a real version of an object to be reconstructed. In normal computer generated holograms, one determines the wavefronts needed to reconstruct an object; this is not done directly in the present invention. Instead, one determines the wavefronts at an observer window that would be generated by a real object located at the same position of the reconstructed object. One can then back-transforms these wavefronts to the hologram to determine how the hologram needs to be encoded to generate these wavefronts. A suitably encoded hologram can then generate a reconstruction of the three-dimensional scene that can be observed by placing one's eyes at the plane of the observer window and looking through the observer window.

A liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulator comprising an array of light-modulating pixels and a controller are disclosed. Each light-modulating pixel of the array comprises liquid crystal and is associated with a respective flip-flop. The controller receives a hologram of an image comprising a plurality of hologram pixels. Each hologram pixel comprises a respective n-bit hologram pixel value. The controller drives each light-modulating pixel in accordance with a respective hologram pixel value of the hologram. There is a one-to-n pixel correlation between the hologram and the light-modulating pixels. The flip-flops of each contiguous group of n light-modulating pixels are connected in series to form a shift register. During operation of the shift register, the n-bit hologram pixel value associated with each contiguous group of n light-modulating pixels is provided to each light-modulating pixel one bit at a time over the course of at least n clock cycles.

A method forms an image with a reconfigurable array of mirrors. The method includes configuring the array by translating some of the mirrors such that distances of the mirrors of the array from a reference plane have a non-uniform spatial distribution. The method includes illuminating the configured array with a coherent light beam such that part of the light beam is reflected off the array and is projected on a planar viewing screen.

A display system and a method of adjusting a display system are disclosed. A first plurality of pixels is arranged to display a first hologram, receive light of a first wavelength, and output spatially-modulated light according to the first hologram, along a first optical path. A first Fourier transform lens on the first optical path forms a first holographic reconstruction at a replay plane. A second plurality of pixels is arranged to display a second hologram, receive light of a second wavelength, and output spatially modulated light according to the second hologram, along a second optical path. A second Fourier transform lens on the second optical path forms a second holographic reconstruction at the replay plane. A first optical element on the first optical path is arranged to receive the output light from a first part of the first optical path and direct it along a second part of the first optical path to the replay plane. A second optical element on the second optical path is arranged to receive the output light of the second wavelength from a first part of the second optical path and direct it along a second part of the second optical path to the replay plane. The length of the first part of the first optical path is not equal to the length of the first part of the second optical path. The first part of the first optical path may he substantially collinear with the first part of the second optical path.

A method of computing a hologram by determining the wavefronts at the approximate observer eye position that would be generated by a real version of an object to be reconstructed. In normal computer generated holograms, one determines the wavefronts needed to reconstruct an object; this is not done directly in the present invention. Instead, one determines the wavefronts at an observer window that would be generated by a real object located at the same position of the reconstructed object. One can then back-transforms these wavefronts to the hologram to determine how the hologram needs to be encoded to generate these wavefronts. A suitably encoded hologram can then generate a reconstruction of the three-dimensional scene that can be observed by placing one's eyes at the plane of the observer window and looking through the observer window.

A holographic display apparatus for providing an expanded viewing window includes a spatial filter configured to separate a plurality of holographic images generated by the hologram pattern displayed on the spatial light modulator from a plurality of lattice spots generated by a physical structure of the spatial light modulator. The spatial filter includes a plurality of color filters or a plurality of dichroic mirrors separating a first color image, a second color image, and a third color image from a first color lattice spot, a second color lattice spot, and a third color lattice spot.

A method of generating a hologram includes receiving three-dimensional (3D) image data, dividing 3D image data into data groups which are independent from one another, by a first processor; calculating, from at least one of the data groups, hologram values to be displayed at respective positions on a hologram plane, by the first processor; calculating, from at least another one of the data groups, hologram values to be displayed at the respective positions on the hologram plane by a second processor, and summing the calculated hologram values for each of the respective positions on the hologram plane, by the first processor or the second processor, or by the first processor and the second processor in parallel.

Provided is a holographic display apparatus including a light source configured to emit light, a spatial light modulator configured to form a hologram pattern to modulate the light incident thereon and reproduce a hologram image, the spatial light modulator including a plurality of display pixels that are arranged two-dimensionally, and an optical element provided opposite a light incidence surface of the spatial light modulator or a light exit surface of the spatial light modulator, the optical element including an array of a plurality of light transmission patterns that are arranged irregularly.

There is provided a method of projection using an optical element (502,602) having spatially variant optical power. The method comprises combining Fourier domain data representative of a 2D image with Fourier domain data having a first lensing effect (604a) to produce first holographic data. Light is spatially modulated (504,603a) with the first holographic data to form a first spatially modulated light beam. The first spatially modulated light beam is redirected using the optical element (502,602) by illuminating a first region (607) of the optical element (602) with the first spatially modulated beam. The first lensing effect (604a) compensates for the optical power of the optical element in the first region (607). Advantageous embodiments relate to a head-up display for a vehicle using the vehicle windscreen (502,602) as an optical element to redirect light to the viewer (505,609).

A method of generating a color image of a sample includes obtaining a plurality of low resolution holographic images of the sample using a color image sensor, the sample illuminated simultaneously by light from three or more distinct colors, wherein the illuminated sample casts sample holograms on the image sensor and wherein the plurality of low resolution holographic images are obtained by relative x, y, and z directional shifts between sample holograms and the image sensor. Pixel super-resolved holograms of the sample are generated at each of the three or more distinct colors. De-multiplexed holograms are generated from the pixel super-resolved holograms. Phase information is retrieved from the de-multiplexed holograms using a phase retrieval algorithm to obtain complex holograms. The complex hologram for the three or more distinct colors is digitally combined and back-propagated to a sample plane to generate the color image.