Aiming device with a diffractive optical element and reflective image combiner

A diffractive optic reflex sight comprising:

• a light source;
• a diffractive optical element (DOE) image generator configured to receive light from the light source, wherein the DOE image generator is substantially optically transmitting with respect to light received from the light source, wherein the DOE image generator includes an embedded modulation pattern, and wherein the embedded modulation pattern is derived from an intended virtual image such that, when light passes through the modulation pattern, a patterned illumination is formed that corresponds to the intended virtual image;
• and
• a reflective image combiner configured to receive the patterned illumination from the DOE image generator and to reflect the patterned illumination such that an image of the intended virtual image is viewable in the distance of a viewer's view when the viewer is looking through the diffractive optic reflex sight,
• wherein the modulation pattern is a phase modulation pattern, wherein the DOE includes an array of switchable optical elements, wherein each pixel in the array has a random access addressability, and wherein the modulation pattern is established by switching each pixel on or off.