An integrated optically functional multilayer structure includes a flexible, substrate film arranged with a circuit design including at least a number of electrical conductors on the substrate film; and a plurality of top-emitting, bottom-installed light sources provided upon a first side of the substrate film to internally illuminate at least portion of the structure for external perception via associated outcoupling areas, wherein for each light source of the plurality of light sources there is optically transmissive plastic layer, produced upon the first side of the substrate film, said plastic layer at least laterally surrounding the light source; the substrate film at least having a similar or lower refractive index therewith; and reflector design including at least one material layer, provided at least upon the light source and configured to reflect the light emitted by the light source and incident upon the reflective layer towards the plastic layer.

The present disclosure provides a display film. The display film includes a substrate and a film stack provided on the substrate, wherein the film stack sequentially includes: a first high-refractive-index layer, a transflective coating layer and a second high-refractive-index layer; and the transflective coating layer is made of at least one metal and an oxide of the metal, or at least one metal and a nitride of the metal, or at least one metal and a nitride and an oxide of the metal. The present disclosure further provides a display assembly using the display film. The display assembly of the present disclosure can display projected information.

Techniques are described for time-of-fly sensors with hybrid refractive gradient-index optics. Some embodiments are for integration into portable electronic devices with cameras, such as smart phones. For example, a time-of-fly (TOF) imaging subsystem can receive optical information along an optical path at an imaging plane. A hybrid lens can be coupled with the TOF imaging subsystem and disposed in the optical path so that the imaging plane is substantially at a focal plane of the hybrid lens. The hybrid lens can include a less-than-quarter-pitch gradient index (GRIN) lens portion, and a refractive lens portion with a convex optical interface. The portions of the hybrid lens, together, produce a combined focal length that defines the focal plane. The hybrid lens is designed so that the combined focal length is less than a quarter-pitch focal length of the GRIN lens portion and has less spherical aberration than either lens portion.

Durable and scratch resistant articles including an optical coating with a gradient. An article comprises: a substrate; and an optical coating having a thickness and a first gradient portion. A refractive index of the optical coating varies along a thickness of the optical coating. The difference between the maximum refractive index of the first gradient portion and the minimum refractive index of the first gradient portion is 0.1 or greater. The absolute value of the slope of the refractive index of the first gradient portion is 0.1/nm or less everywhere along the thickness of the first gradient portion. The article exhibits an average single-surface reflectance of 15% to 98% over the wavelength range 400 nm-700 nm. The article also exhibits a maximum hardness in the range from about 10 GPa to about 30 GPa.

An integrated optically functional multilayer structure includes a flexible, substrate film arranged with a circuit design including at least a number of electrical conductors on the substrate film; and a plurality of top-emitting, bottom-installed light sources provided upon a first side of the substrate film to internally illuminate at least portion of the structure for external perception via associated outcoupling areas, wherein for each light source of the plurality of light sources there is optically transmissive plastic layer, produced upon the first side of the substrate film, said plastic layer at least laterally surrounding the light source, the substrate film at least having a similar or lower refractive index therewith; and reflector design including at least one material layer, provided at least upon the light source and configured to reflect the light emitted by the light source and incident upon the reflective layer towards the plastic layer.

A reflecting mirror includes a first film and a second film on the first film, and has a reflection band where a center wavelength is λ. The first film includes a layer having a first average refractive index and another layer having a second average refractive index higher than the first average refractive index. The second film includes a layer having a third average refractive index and another layer having a fourth average refractive index higher than the third average refractive index. A sum of optical film thicknesses of the two layers of the first film is λ/2. A sum of optical film thicknesses of the two layers of the second film is greater than or equal to (n+1)λ/2 (n is an integer greater than or equal to 1).

An exposed lens retroreflective article (100), transfer articles comprising same, and methods of making same. The retroreflective article can include a binder layer (114); a layer of transparent microspheres (108) partially embedded in the binder layer; and reflective layer (110) disposed between the binder layer and the microspheres. The reflective layer (110) can include a dielectric mirror, which can include a first stack (115) and a second stack (111) positioned in planar contact with the first stack, wherein each of the first stack and the second stack comprises at least one bilayer (119), wherein each bilayer comprises a first material with a first bonding group and a second material with a complementary second bonding group. The transfer article can include the retroreflective article and a carrier web. The method can include partially embedding transparent microspheres in a carrier web; applying the reflective layer to the microspheres, and applying a binder layer composition to the reflective layer.

A laser diode includes a semiconductor structure of a lower Bragg reflector layer, an active region, and an upper Bragg reflector layer. The upper Bragg reflector layer includes a lasing aperture having an optical axis oriented perpendicular to a surface of the active region. The active region includes a first material, and the lower Bragg reflector layer includes a second material, where respective lattice structures of the first and second materials are independent of one another. Related laser arrays and methods of fabrication are also discussed.

A method for manufacturing hybrid optical coatings and hybrid mirror assemblies, including: a) providing a first optical coating having layers of alternating high and low refractive indices of crystalline materials on a first host substrate via an epitaxial growth technique; b) providing a second optical coating having layers of alternating high and low refractive indices of dielectric materials on a second host substrate via a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique; c) directly bonding the first optical coating to the second optical coating; and d) removing the first host substrate.

An optical-thin-film structure comprises a low-index optical thin film consisting essentially of co-deposited Barium Fluoride and a secondary fluoride compound, and a high-index optical thin film.