Meta projectors emitting structured light or uniform light based on polarization of incident light and electronic apparatuses including the same

A light source apparatus comprising:

• a light source array configured to emit light along an optical path, the light source array including:
• a first light-emitting array including a plurality of first light-emitting elements configured to emit first light having a first polarization state, and
• a second light-emitting array including a plurality of second light-emitting elements configured to emit second light having a second polarization state, the second polarization state different from the first polarization state;
• a meta-structure layer at least partially aligned with the optical path, the meta-structure layer including a plurality of nanostructures having a sub-wavelength shape dimension that is smaller than a wavelength of light emitted from the light source array,
• wherein the meta-structure layer has a particular shape distribution of the plurality of nanostructures, the particular shape distribution being configured to:
• form structured light using the first light having the first polarization state, and
• form uniform light using the second light having the second polarization state;
• and
• a controller configured to perform a control operation to selectively drive one light-emitting array of the first light-emitting array and the second light-emitting array.

An object recognizing apparatus comprising:

• a meta projector configured to emit structured light or uniform light onto an object;
• a sensor configured to receive light reflected from the object;
• a processor configured to:
• control the meta projector to emit structured light or uniform light, and
• process the light received at the sensor to generate information indicating a shape of the object,
• wherein the meta projector includes:
• a light source array configured to emit light, the light source array including
• a first light-emitting array including a plurality of first light-emitting elements configured to emit first light having a first polarization state, and
• a second light-emitting array including a plurality of second light-emitting elements configured to emit second light having a second polarization state, the second polarization state different from the first polarization state;
• and
• a meta-structure layer including a plurality of nanostructures having a sub-wavelength shape dimension that is smaller than a wavelength of light emitted from the light source array,
• wherein the meta-structure layer has a particular shape distribution of the plurality of nanostructures, the particular shape distribution of the plurality of nanostructures being configured to:
• form structured light using the first light having the first polarization state, and
• form uniform light using the second light having the second polarization state.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• a meta projector configured to emit light onto an object to enable user authentication;
• a sensor configured to receive light reflected from the object;
• a processor configured to analyze the received light to determine whether to authenticate a user,
• wherein the meta projector includes:
• a light source array configured to emit light along an optical path, the light source array including
• a first light-emitting array including a plurality of first light-emitting elements configured to emit first light having a first polarization state, and
• a second light-emitting array including a plurality of second light-emitting elements configured to emit a second light having a second polarization state, the second polarization state being different from the first polarization state;
• and
• a meta-structure layer at least partially aligned with the optical path, the meta-structure layer including a plurality of nanostructures having a sub-wavelength shape dimension that is smaller than a wavelength of light emitted from the light source array,
• wherein the meta-structure layer has a particular shape distribution of the plurality of nanostructures, the particular shape distribution of the plurality of nanostructures being configured to:
• form structured light using the first light having the first polarization state, and
• form uniform light using the second light having the second polarization state.

A meta projector comprising:

• a light source array configured to emit light along an optical path, the light source array including:
• a first light-emitting array including a plurality of first light-emitting elements configured to emit first light having a first polarization state, and
• a second light-emitting array including a plurality of second light-emitting elements configured to emit a second light having a second polarization state, the second polarization state different from the first polarization state;
• and
• a meta-structure layer at least partially aligned with the optical path, the meta-structure layer including:
• a first plurality of nanostructures having a first sub-wavelength shape dimension that is smaller than a wavelength of light emitted from the light source array, and
• a second plurality of nanostructures having a second sub-wavelength shape dimension that is smaller than the wavelength of light emitted from the light source array, the second sub-wavelength shape dimension different from the first sub-wavelength shape dimension
• wherein the meta-structure layer has a first shape distribution of the first plurality of nanostructures and a second shape distribution of the second plurality of nanostructures, the first shape distribution of the first plurality of nanostructures and the second shape distribution of the second plurality of nanostructures being configured to:
• form structured light using the first light having the first polarization state, and
• form uniform light using the second light having the second polarization state.

A meta projector comprising:

• a meta-structure layer configured to receive light emitted by light-emitting elements of a light source array, the meta-structure layer including a plurality of nanostructures having a sub-wavelength shape dimension that is smaller than a wavelength of the light received from the light source array, such that the meta-structure layer is configured to differently modulate received light having different polarizations,
• wherein the meta-structure layer has a particular shape distribution of the plurality of nanostructures, the particular shape distribution of the plurality of nanostructures being configured to:
• form structured light using received light having a polarization state, and
• form uniform light using received light having a second polarization state different from the first polarization state.