Waveguide geometry for improved display performance

A waveguide comprising:

• a. an optically transparent substrate having top and bottom surfaces;
• and
• b. a plurality of optical elements optically coupled with the substrate, the plurality of optical elements comprising:
• i. a first incoupling optical element configured to incouple a first light beam into the substrate such that the first light beam propagates through the substrate along a first primary beam path;
• ii. a second incoupling optical element configured to incouple a second light beam into the substrate such that the second light beam propagates through the substrate along a second primary beam path;
• iii. a third incoupling optical element configured to incouple a third light beam into the substrate such that the third light beam propagates through the substrate along a third primary beam path, wherein the first, second, and third incoupling optical elements are non-overlapping;
• iv. a first outcoupling optical element configured to outcouple the first light beam from the substrate;
• v. a second outcoupling optical element configured to outcouple the second light beam from the substrate;
• wherein the first and second outcoupling optical elements are overlapping and form a first stack of optical elements, the first stack having a first side and a second side that is adjacent to the first side, the first stack configured to receive, at a first incidence angle, the first light beam at the first side and to receive, at a second incidence angle, the second light beam at the second side, the first incidence angle and the second incidence angle having a same value, and wherein the first primary beam path is different from the second primary beam path, and
• wherein the first and second incoupling optical elements are non-overlapping;
• vi. a second stack of redirection optical elements configured to redirect the first light beam and the third light beam such that the first light beam propagates through the substrate toward the first stack along a first secondary beam path and such that the third light beam propagates through the substrate toward the first stack along a third secondary beam path parallel to the first secondary beam path;
• and
• vii. a redirection optical element that is separate from the second stack and that is configured to redirect the second light beam such that the second light beam propagates through the substrate toward the second outcoupling optical element along a second secondary beam path,
• wherein the first secondary beam path intersects with the first side, and the second secondary beam path intersects with the second side.

A waveguide comprising:

• a. an optically transparent substrate having top and bottom surfaces;
• and
• b. a plurality of optical elements optically coupled with the substrate, the plurality of optical elements comprising:
• i. a first incoupling optical element configured to incouple a first light beam into the substrate such that the first light beam propagates through the substrate along a first primary beam path;
• ii. a second incoupling optical element configured to incouple a second light beam into the substrate such that the second light beam propagates through the substrate along a second primary beam path;
• iii. a third incoupling optical element configured to incouple a third light beam into the substrate such that the third light beam propagates through the substrate along a third primary beam path, wherein the first, second, and third incoupling optical elements are non-overlapping;
• iv. a first outcoupling optical element configured to outcouple the first light beam from the substrate;
• v. a second outcoupling optical element configured to outcouple the second light beam from the substrate;
• wherein the first and second outcoupling optical elements are overlapping and form a first stack of optical elements, the first stack having a first side and a second side that is adjacent to the first side, the first stack configured to receive the first light beam at the first side and to receive the second light beam at the second side, and wherein the first primary beam path is different from the second primary beam path, and
• wherein the first and second incoupling optical elements are non-overlapping;
• vi. a second stack of redirection optical elements configured to redirect the first light beam and the third light beam such that the first light beam propagates through the substrate toward the first stack along a first secondary beam path and such that the third light beam propagates through the substrate toward the first stack along a third secondary beam path parallel to the first secondary beam path;
• and
• vii. a redirection optical element that is separate from the second stack and that is configured to redirect the second light beam such that the second light beam propagates through the substrate toward the second outcoupling optical element along a second secondary beam path.