A head-mounted device (HMD) contains a display, an optics block, a redirection structure, and an eye tracking system. The display is configured to emit image light and provide it to an eye of a user. The optics block is configured to direct the emitted light in order to allow it to reach the eye. The eye tracking system contains a camera, an illumination source, and a controller. The camera is configured to capture image data using infrared light reflected from the eye. The controller is configured to use this image data to determine eye tracking information. The illumination source is configured to illuminate the eye with infrared light for the purpose of taking eye tracking measurements. The redirection structure is configured to direct infrared light reflected from the eye to the eye tracking system. In multiple embodiments, redirection structures may comprise prism arrays, lenses, liquid crystal layers, or grating structures.

Display devices include waveguides with metasurfaces as in-coupling and/or out-coupling optical elements. The metasurfaces may be formed on a surface of the waveguide and may include a plurality or an array of sub-wavelength-scale (e.g., nanometer-scale) protrusions. Individual protrusions may include horizontal and/or vertical layers of different materials which may have different refractive indices, allowing for enhanced manipulation of light redirecting properties of the metasurface. Some configurations and combinations of materials may advantageously allow for broadband metasurfaces. Manufacturing methods described herein provide for vertical and/or horizontal layers of different materials in a desired configuration or profile.

Wide-area solid-state illumination system, including one or more linear arrays of compact solid-state light sources, such as LEDs, an optical waveguide, and a light distributing grid panel. The optical waveguide comprises a thin sheet of an optically transmissive material which is optically coupled to the plurality of compact solid-state light sources and configured to distribute light from a first broad-area surface and an opposing second broad-area surface. A light extraction pattern is formed in the first broad-area surface and defines a plurality of light extraction areas alternating with separation areas. The light distributing grid panel comprises a plurality of transverse walls defining a plurality of openings configured for transmitting light and is positioned parallel to the thin sheet of an optically transmissive material such that at least one of the plurality of light extraction areas is disposed in registration with one of the plurality of openings and at least one of the separation areas is disposed in registration with one of the plurality of transverse walls.

Systems and methods for IR readable transmissive and reflective displays are disclosed that do not suffer from a mirror-like appearance or undesirable dimming of the display due to sequential stacks of polarizers. The disclosed systems and methods use available IR LEDs in addition to, or in place of, visible light LEDs. An illuminator or integrator, which is a lightguide, is designed to maintain the polarization state of the light. The display can use a regular visible light, front polarizer and hence does not suffer from brightness reduction caused by an IR capable polarizer.

An optical device includes a light source configured to provide illumination light and a waveguide. The waveguide has an input surface, an output surface distinct from and non-parallel to the input surface, and an output coupler. The waveguide is configured to receive, at the input surface, the illumination light provided by the light source and propagate the illumination light via total internal reflection. The waveguide is also configured to redirect, by the output coupler, the illumination light so that the illumination light is output from the output surface for illuminating a spatial light modulator.

Provided is an optical element that can display a clear image having no blurriness in AR glasses or the like. The optical element includes: a substrate; and a laminate that is provided on the substrate and where a plurality of liquid crystal layers obtained by aligning a liquid crystal compound are laminated, in which the liquid crystal layers have a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction, and in at least one of the liquid crystal layers, an arithmetic mean value of differences between maximum film thicknesses and minimum film thicknesses obtained by observing 10 cross-sections with a scanning electron microscope is 0.1 μm or less.

Optical stacks are described. In particular, optical stacks including reflecting-absorbing polarizers and quarter-wave plates are disclosed. The optical core of the optical stack—which includes a reflecting-absorbing polarizer with at least one skin layer including polarizing dye—may be co-extruded or co-stretched.

Example display devices include a waveguide configured to propagate visible light under total internal reflection in a direction parallel to a major surface of the waveguide. The waveguide has formed thereon an outcoupling element configured to outcouple a portion of the visible light in a direction normal to the major surface of the waveguide. The example display devices additionally include a polarization-selective notch reflector disposed on a first side of the waveguide and configured to reflect visible light having a first polarization while transmitting the portion of the visible light having a second polarization. The example display devices further include a polarization-independent notch reflector disposed on a second side of the waveguide and configured to reflect visible light having the first polarization and the second polarization, where the polarization-independent notch reflector is configured to convert a polarization of visible light reflecting therefrom.

An optical combiner including a waveguide prism configured to convey display light, from a display panel, from a proximal end of the waveguide prism to a distal end of the waveguide prism via total internal reflection. The optical combiner also includes an outcoupling interface positioned at the distal end of the waveguide prism on a surface of the waveguide prism that faces a user's eye. The outcoupling interface includes a plurality of polarization-dependent layers including a refractive beam-splitting convex lens to fold the light path of the display light and reduce the dimensions of a near-eye optical system implementing the optical combiner.

According to one embodiment, a display device includes a first display panel, and a polarizer opposed to the first display panel and having a transmission axis for transmitting linearly polarized light. The first display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposed to the first substrate, and a first liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate and including streak-like polymers and liquid crystal molecules. An extension direction of the polymers is substantially orthogonal to the transmission axis.