Optical systems having polarization recycling structures

A display system comprising:

• illumination optics that produce linear polarized illumination light, wherein the illumination optics comprise:
• a light emitter configured to emit unpolarized light, wherein the light emitter comprises a light emitting diode (LED) chip and wherein the LED chip comprises an LED die on a reflector and contact layer,
• polarization recycling structures configured to receive the unpolarized light and configured to output the linear polarized illumination light based on the unpolarized light, wherein the polarization recycling structures comprise a reflective polarizer film,
• a patterned silicon substrate on the LED die, wherein the reflective polarizer film is separated from the patterned silicon substrate by an air gap,
• a glass layer overlapping the LED die, wherein the reflective polarizer film is coupled to the glass layer using adhesive,
• a ceramic substrate, wherein the LED chip is mounted to the ceramic substrate, and
• a spacer that couples the ceramic substrate to the glass layer;
• a ferroelectric liquid crystal on silicon (fLCOS) panel configured to produce image light by modulating the linear polarized illumination light using image data;
• and
• a waveguide configured to propagate the image light.