Exit pupil expander

A diffractive display element for displaying an image, comprising:

• a planar waveguide element,
• an in-coupling region for diffractively coupling an image into the planar waveguide element,
• an out-coupling region for diffractively coupling the image out of the planar waveguide element, and
• an exit pupil expander (EPE) region in the planar waveguide element between the in-coupling region and out-coupling region for expanding the exit pupil of the image on the out-coupling region,
• wherein:
• the EPE region includes a plurality of diffractive zones arranged on a surface of the planar waveguide element and a plurality of non-diffractive zones between the diffractive zones, and
• the EPE region includes at least ten different diffractive zones and at least ten different non-diffractive zones positioned such that at least one first non-diffractive zone is positioned between two diffractive zones in a first direction and at least one second non-diffractive zone is positioned between two diffractive zones in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.