System and method for a three-dimensional optical switch display device

A method of generating a three dimensional image comprising:

• providing a medium comprising an optical molecular switch molecule, wherein the optical molecular switch molecule has a non-fluorescent state and a fluorescent state, wherein at one wavelength of optical excitation the molecule is photochemically converted from a first state to a second state and at a second state the molecule can be optically excited at a second wavelength of excitation and then emit light through a fluorescent process;
• and
• directing at least a first laser and a second laser into the medium, wherein the first laser has a short pass filter and the second laser uses a long pass filter before a camera, and wherein light emitted by the at least first and second lasers are directed to contact the optical molecular switch molecule in the medium;
• wherein the optical molecular switch molecule in an “off-state” is chemically converted by irradiation with a first wavelength of light from the first light source into a fluorescent “on state”, and when the second light source irradiates the chemically converted optical molecular switch molecule at a second wavelength of light the chemically converted optical molecular switch molecule in the “on state” emits light.

A system displaying images in three dimensions comprising:

• an imaging system comprising:
• a medium comprising an optical molecular switch molecule, wherein the optical molecular switch molecule has a non-fluorescent state and a fluorescent state, wherein at one wavelength of optical excitation the molecule has a first state and at a second state the molecule fluoresces a second wavelength of excitation;
• at least a first light source and a second light source in optical communication with the medium, wherein the first light source is a UV projector and the second light source uses a long pass filter before a camera, and wherein light emitted by the at least first and second light sources are directed to contact the optical molecular switch molecule at a specific location in the medium;
• a memory, configured to store a representation of the three dimensional image;
• and
• a processor, operably coupled to the memory and the first light source and the second light source, wherein the processor is configured to direct the first and the second light source into the medium to chemically convert the optical molecular switch molecule into a fluorescent “on state” by irradiation from the first light source at a first wavelength of light, and when the second light source irradiates with a second wavelength of light the chemically converted optical molecular switch molecule in the “on state” the chemically converted optical molecular switch molecule emits light at the specific location in the medium.

A non-transitory computer program product, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

• obtain from a memory a position in a first and a second dimension an image stored in the memory;
• and
• direct a first and a second light source into a medium based on the first and the second dimensions of the image stored in the memory, wherein the medium comprises an optical molecular switch molecule, wherein the optical molecular switch molecule has a non-fluorescent state and a fluorescent state, wherein at a first wavelength the optical molecular switch molecule chemically converts from an “off-state” into an “on-state” and upon excitation with a second wavelength of light the chemically converted optical molecular switch molecule in the “on-state” emits light, and
• wherein the first and the second light source are directed into the medium,
• wherein irradiation with the first and second wavelengths of light chemically converts the optical molecular switch molecule from the off-state into that “on-state” and to emit light at a specific location in the medium.