# US 10,310,272 B1 · Light source array having plural super luminous or luminescent diode (SLED) arrays

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- Number: US 10,310,272 B1
- Document ID: US10310272B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/201,621
- Filed: 2018-11-27
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-16
- Assignees: Facebook Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Facebook Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Maxwell Parsons
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310272B1

## CPC

- G02B 26/00: Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements (control of light by modification of the optical properties of the media of the elements involved therein G02F1/00)
- G02B 27/0172: {characterised by optical features}
- G02B 26/0833: {the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B)}
- G02B 26/101: {with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners (colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129)}
- G02B 26/103: {having movable or deformable optical fibres, light guides or waveguides as scanning elements (light guides per se G02B6/00)}
- G02B 27/017: {Head mounted}
- G02B 27/0922: {the semiconductor light source comprising an array of light emitters}
- G02B 27/141: {using dichroic mirrors}
- G02B 27/145: {having sequential partially reflecting surfaces}
- G09G 3/001: {using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background (slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP)}
- G09G 3/025: {with scanning or deflecting the beams in two directions or dimensions}
- G09G 3/3413: {Details of control of colour illumination sources}
- G09G 3/346: {based on modulation of the reflection angle, e.g. micromirrors (micromirrors devices per se G02B26/0833)}
- G02B 2027/0114: {comprising dichroic elements}
- G02B 2027/0118: {comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility}
- G02B 2027/0147: {comprising a device modifying the resolution of the displayed image}
- G02B 2027/0178: {Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C)}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)

## Abstract

A source assembly for providing light. The source assembly comprises a source element array, and a scanning mirror assembly. The source element array includes a super luminous diode (SLED) array of SLEDs that are configured to emit light. The SLED array is on a single chip. Each SLED in the SLED array may emit light in the same color channel (e.g., green). There may be multiple SLED arrays that each are on respective chips and each are associated with a different color channel (e.g., one is red, one is blue, and one is green). The scanning mirror assembly is configured to scan light emitted from the SLED array (and/or multiple SLED arrays) to an entrance location of an output waveguide (e.g., of a waveguide display) as scanned image light.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A source element array comprising:
a first superluminous light emitting diode (SLED) array of SLEDs that are arranged on a single chip, the first SLED array configured to emit light in a first optical band; and
a second SLED array of SLEDs that are arranged on a single chip, the second SLED array configured to emit light in a second optical band,
wherein the light emitted from the first SLED array and the light emitted from the second SLED array are combined to form combined light.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The source element array of claim 1, wherein the SLEDs in the first SLED array are arranged in a one-dimensional linear array.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The source element array of claim 2, wherein a pitch between adjacent SLEDs in the first SLED array is at least 30 microns.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The source element array of claim 2, wherein each SLED of the first SLED array includes a respective ridge waveguide structure that confines an optical mode of light emitted by an active region such that the confined optical mode propagates in a first dimension.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The source element array of claim 1, wherein a controller is configured to adjust control signals applied to SLEDs in the first SLED array and control signals applied to the second SLED array to mitigate banding caused by scanning of the combined light.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The source element array of claim 1, wherein the first optical band is different than the second optical band.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The source element array of claim 1, wherein the first SLED array is on the same chip as the second SLED array.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The source element array of claim 1, wherein the first SLED array is on a different chip than the second SLED array.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The source element array of claim 1, wherein the source element array is part of a waveguide display.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The source element array of claim 1, wherein the first optical band is in the infrared.

### Claim 11

A waveguide display comprising:
a first superluminous light emitting diode (SLED) array of SLEDs that are arranged on a single chip, the first SLED array configured to emit light in a first optical band; and
a second SLED array of SLEDs that are arranged on a single chip, the second SLED array configured to emit light in a second optical band, wherein the light emitted from the first SLED array and the light emitted from the second SLED array are combined to form combined light; and
an output waveguide configured to direct image light to an eyebox of the waveguide display, wherein the image light is formed using at least some of the combined light.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The waveguide display of claim 11, wherein the SLEDs in the first SLED array are arranged in one dimension.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The waveguide display of claim 11, wherein each SLED of the first SLED array includes a respective ridge waveguide structure that confines an optical mode of light emitted by an active region such that the confined optical mode propagates in a first dimension.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The waveguide display of claim 11, further comprising:
a controller configured to adjust control signals applied to SLEDs in the first SLED array and control signals applied to the second SLED array to mitigate banding caused by scanning of the combined light.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The waveguide display of claim 11, further comprising:
a combining assembly configured to combine the light in the first optical band and the light in the second optical band to form the combined light.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The waveguide display of claim 11, wherein the first optical band is different than the second optical band.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The waveguide display of claim 16, wherein the first optical band is in the infrared, and light in the first optical band is used for eye tracking and the light in the second optical band is used to generate the image light.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The waveguide display of claim 17, wherein the first SLED array is on the same chip as the second SLED array.