A form birefringent optical element includes a structured layer and a dielectric environment disposed over the structured layer. At least one of the structured layer and the dielectric environment includes a nanovoided polymer, the nanovoided polymer having a first refractive index in an unactuated state and a second refractive index different than the first refractive index in an actuated state. Actuation of the nanovoided polymer can be used to reversibly control the form birefringence of the optical element. Various other apparatuses, systems, materials, and methods are also disclosed.

A spectacle lens, which is manufactured by additive manufacturing, includes interspersing first volume elements and second volume elements. The first and second volume elements are arranged on the grid points of a geometric grid to form a first sub-grid and a second sub-grid, respectively. The first sub-grid forms the first part of the spectacle lens having a dioptric effect for vision for a first object distance and the second sub-grid forms the second part of the spectacle lens having a dioptric effect for vision for a second object distance, which differs from the first object distance.

Three or more base optical materials are selectively combined into a trans-gradient index (GRIN) optical element (e.g., a lens). A wavelength-dependent index of refraction for light propagating perpendicular to the three or more optical materials equals: a volume fraction of a first optical material multiplied by a refractive index of the first optical material, plus a volume fraction of a second optical material multiplied by a refractive index of the second optical material, plus one minus the volume fraction of the first optical material and the volume of the second optical material all multiplied by the refractive index of a third optical material. The wavelength-dependent index of refraction distribution and a refractive index dispersion through the GRIN optical element may be independently specified from one another. A local refractive index at any point in the optical element is a fixed function of a refractive index of each individual optical material.

Disclosed is an improved diffraction structure for 3D display systems. The improved diffraction structure includes an intermediate layer that resides between a waveguide substrate and a top grating surface. The top grating surface comprises a first material that corresponds to a first refractive index value, the underlayer comprises a second material that corresponds to a second refractive index value, and the substrate comprises a third material that corresponds to a third refractive index value. According to additional embodiments, improved approaches are provided to implement deposition of imprint materials onto a substrate, which allow for very precise distribution and deposition of different imprint patterns onto any number of substrate surfaces.

A GRIN optic having an optical axis (z-direction) and a GRIN profile varying in the x and y-directions, the profile having one or more discontinuities extending in the x-y direction. The discontinuities may form a non-closed shape or have a non-smooth rectilinear shape. The GRIN optic may have plane-parallel surfaces. A method of designing a GRIN optic which includes mapping discretized elements in the light output specification to array elements of a linear GRIN array elements, identifying for each array element, a base refractive index n.sub.0, a gradient magnitude α, and a gradient direction θ.sub.G capable of directing a beamlet from the light source to a corresponding location in the light output specification, and constructing a piecewise-continuous freeform GRIN profile of the GRIN optic by integrating the discrete linear GRIN array elements into a continuous refractive index profile.

Functional and/or functional precursor products, formulations for making the products, methods of making the products (e.g. functional coatings, concentrated gradients, and/or composites), and uses thereof are provided. In an aspect, the method comprises a) combining at least one first polymerizable component and at least one second polymerizable component to form a composition; and b) polymerizing the at least one first polymerizable component to form at least one first polymer structure, wherein at least two phases are formed from the at least one first polymer structure and the at least one second polymerizable component, and wherein the product is a functional product, a functional precursor product, or a combination of a functional and functional precursor product.

An antenna and a formulation and method for making the antenna are disclosed. The antenna comprises: a first phase comprising at least one polymer; a second phase comprising at least one first component; and, optionally; and an interface between the first and second phases, wherein the interface has a concentration gradient of the at least one first component, whereby the concentration of the at least one first component decreases with distance away from the second phase towards the first phase, wherein the at least one first component comprises at least one functional component, at least one functional precursor component, or combinations thereof, and the at least one first component, in combination with the at least one polymer, has a high dielectric constant and/or a low dielectric loss tangent, wherein the antenna is a functional antenna, a functional precursor antenna, or a combination of a functional and functional precursor antenna.

An inkjet method for producing a spectacle lens and fluids that can be used in an inkjet method for producing a spectacle lens are disclosed. The inkjet method includes the following steps: a) providing a substrate to be printed on, b) applying to the substrate to be printed on from step a) at least two volume elements applied adjacently and/or adjoining one another, c) transferring the at least two volume elements applied adjacently and/or adjoining one another from step b) into at least one volume composite, d) transferring the at least one volume composite from step c) into at least one homogeneous volume composite, e) transferring the at least one homogeneous volume composite from step d) into at least one final volume composite.

An optic configured for variable wavefront shaping of electromagnetic radiation comprises first and second optical elements each including a solidified heterogeneous coalescence of nanocomposite material providing respective first and second complex dielectric-function gradients. The first and second optical elements are arranged in tandem along an optical axis and together provide wavefront shaping that varies in dependence on a displacement of the first optical element relative to the second optical element.

A graded-index optical element may include a nanovoided material including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The nanovoided material may be transparent between the first surface and the second surface. Additionally, the nanovoided material may have a predefined change in effective refractive index in at least one axis due to a change in at least one of nanovoid size or nanovoid distribution along the at least one axis. Various other elements, devices, systems, materials, and methods are also disclosed.