Infrared light suppression in eye-tracking imaging

A near-eye optical element, comprising:

• an illumination layer including a plurality of infrared light sources configured to direct narrow-band infrared illumination light to an eyeward side of the near-eye optical element for eye tracking;
• an optical combiner layer disposed between the illumination layer and a backside of the near-eye optical element, the optical combiner layer configured to receive reflected infrared light of the narrow-band infrared illumination light that reflects off an eye of a user and to direct the reflected infrared light to a camera to generate an eye-tracking image;
• and
• an infrared absorber layer disposed between the optical combiner layer and the backside of the near-eye optical element, wherein the infrared absorber layer is configured to absorb infrared interference light of the narrow-band.

A head-mounted device, comprising:

• a camera configured to generate eye-tracking images in response to reflected infrared light that is reflected off an eye of a user of the head-mounted device;
• a near-eye optical element that includes:
• an illumination layer including a plurality of in-field infrared light sources configured to generate narrow-band infrared illumination light to illuminate the eye of the user;
• an optical combiner layer disposed between the illumination layer and a backside of the near-eye optical element, wherein the optical combiner layer is configured to receive the reflected infrared light of the narrow-band infrared illumination light reflected off the eye of the user and to direct the reflected infrared light to the camera;
• and
• an infrared absorber layer disposed between the optical combiner layer and the backside of the near-eye optical element, wherein the infrared absorber layer is configured to absorb infrared interference light of the narrow-band.