Light guide illumination assembly for providing increased contrast

A device, comprising:

• a light source configured to output a first beam;
• a light guide coupled with an in-coupling element and an out-coupling element, the in-coupling element and the out-coupling element disposed on a first outer surface of the light guide;
• a retardation film disposed on a second outer surface of the light guide at a location that is longitudinally between the in-coupling element and the out-coupling element, the second outer surface being opposite the first outer surface;
• and
• a display panel and a lens assembly disposed at opposite sides of the light guide, wherein the in-coupling element is configured to couple the first beam into the light guide as a second beam,
• wherein the out-coupling element is configured to couple a first portion of the second beam out of the light guide as a third beam propagating toward the display panel to illuminate the display panel, and couple a second portion of the second beam out of the light guide as a fourth beam propagating toward the lens assembly, and
• wherein a normal of a surface of the light guide where the out-coupling element is disposed is tilted by a predetermined angle with respect to an axis of the display panel.