Gun sight with brightness control

A holographic weapon sight comprising:

• a housing having a viewing end and an opposing target end, a viewing path being defined from the viewing end to the target end;
• a laser diode operable to project a light beam along a path when energized;
• a power source operable to energize the laser diode;
• a power controller in communication with the power source, the power controller operable to control an output of the power source to adjust a brightness of the light beam projected by the laser diode;
• a liquid crystal cell module at least partially disposed in the path of the light beam and operable to selectively attenuate the light beam to further adjust the brightness of the light beam, the liquid crystal cell module comprising:
• a liquid crystal controller, a liquid crystal cell, and a polarizer, the liquid crystal controller communicating with the liquid crystal cell;
• the liquid crystal cell being disposed in the path of the light beam such that the light beam from the laser diode illuminates the liquid crystal cell, the liquid crystal cell being operable to selectively rotate the light beam at an angle as the light beam passes therethrough;
• the polarizer being disposed in the path of the beam of light after the liquid crystal cell such that the polarizer is illuminated by the light beam after it passes through the liquid crystal cell, the polarizer polarizing the light beam;
• and
• a holographic optical element (HOE) illuminated by the polarized light beam after the liquid crystal cell module, the HOE reconstructing the light beam as an image of a reticle;
• wherein the power controller and the liquid crystal controller cooperate to selectively control the brightness of the light beam illuminating the HOE, thereby adjusting a brightness of the image of the reticle viewed by the user.