US 12,669,776 B1Granted

Balancing and improving holographic waveguide efficiency

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsErfan Fard, Pierre-Alexandre Blanche, Benjamin David Chrysler

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Abstract

Techniques for improving holographic waveguide efficiency are described. In an example, a waveguide includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The waveguide includes a holographic layer configured to inject, into the substrate as first light, light received at the first surface, diffract a first portion of the first light such that the first portion propagates in a first propagation direction, and diffract a second portion of the first light such that the second portion propagates in a second propagation direction. The waveguide includes a reflective component configured to reflect a remaining portion of the first light as second light from the second surface toward the first surface. The holographic layer is further configured to diffract a first portion of the second light such that the first portion of the second light propagates within the substrate in the first propagation direction.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A bi-ocular system comprising:

a display light engine configured to emit first light that represents an image;
and
a bio-ocular waveguide comprising:
a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first light is received at the first surface;
an injection holographic layer disposed between the first surface and the second surface and comprising:
a first volume holographic optical element (VHOE) configured to diffract a first portion of the first light such that the first portion propagates within the substrate in a first propagation direction;
a second VHOE configured to diffract a second portion of the first light such that the second portion propagates within the substrate in a second propagation direction, wherein the second propagation direction is parallel to and opposite of the first propagation direction;
and
a reflective material coupled to the second surface and configured to reflect a remaining portion of the first light as second light reflected toward the second surface,
wherein the second VHOE is further configured to diffract a first portion of the second light such that the first portion of the second light propagates within the substrate in the first propagation direction, and
wherein the injection holographic layer and the display light engine are aligned such that an offset exists between a reference point of the injection holographic layer and a reference point of the display light engine, wherein the offset is along the second propagation direction;
a first redirection holographic layer configured to redirect the first portion of the first light and the first portion of the second light as a third portion propagating in a third propagation direction;
a second redirection holographic layer configured to redirect the second portion as a fourth portion propagating in a fourth propagation direction;
a first extraction holographic layer configured to extract the third portion as a fifth portion propagating in a fifth propagation direction, wherein the fifth portion represents the image;
and
a second extraction holographic layer configured to extract the fourth portion as a sixth portion propagating in a sixth propagation direction, wherein the sixth portion represents the image.

13 more elements

A waveguide comprising:

a substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
a holographic layer coupled to the substrate and configured to:
diffract a first portion of first light incident upon the first surface such that the first portion of the first light propagates within the substrate in a first propagation direction;
diffract a second portion of the first light such that the second portion of the first light propagates within the substrate in a second propagation direction, wherein an angle between the second propagation direction and the first propagation direction is larger than or equal to one-hundred twenty degrees;
and
a reflective component configured to reflect a remaining portion of the first light as second light incident upon the second surface,
wherein the holographic layer is further configured to diffract a first portion of the second light such that the first portion of the second light propagates within the substrate in the first propagation direction.

4 more elements

A device comprising:

a light source configured to emit first light;
and
a waveguide comprising:
a substrate having a first surface and a second surface;
and
a holographic layer coupled to the substrate and configured to:
diffract a first portion of the first light such that the first portion propagates within the substrate in a first propagation direction, the first light being incident upon the first surface, and
diffract a second portion of the first light such that the second portion propagates within the substrate in a second propagation direction, wherein an angle between the second propagation direction and the first propagation direction is larger than or equal to one-hundred twenty degrees,
wherein the holographic layer and the light source are aligned such that an offset along the second propagation direction exists between a reference point of the holographic layer and a reference point of the light source.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.