Light Turning Element
AssigneeEnvisics Ltd
InventorsJamieson Christmas, Neil Collings, Celedonia Krawczyk, Tim Smeeton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A light turning element and a method fabricating such a light turning element are described. The light turning element comprises a layer of liquid crystal material. The layer of liquid crystal material defining a plane. The layer of liquid crystal material is configured such that an angle (θ) between a director (n) of the liquid crystal material and a first dimension (x) is an oscillating function of position in the first dimension x. The first dimension x is a dimension within the plane.
Claims25
A light turning element comprising a layer of liquid crystal material, wherein the layer of liquid crystal material defines a plane, wherein the layer of liquid crystal material is configured such that an angle between a director of the liquid crystal material and a first dimension changes as a function of position in the first dimension, and wherein the first dimension is a dimension within the plane.
A light guide assembly for a display system, the light guide assembly comprising:
- a waveguide;
- and
- a light turning element comprising a layer of liquid crystal material, wherein the layer of liquid crystal material defines a plane, wherein the layer of liquid crystal material is configured such that an angle between a director of the liquid crystal material and a first dimension changes as a function of position in the first dimension, wherein the first dimension is a dimension within the plane, wherein the light turning element is coupled to a major surface of the waveguide, and wherein the light turning element is configured to change a propagation direction of a light field received from the waveguide.
A display system comprising:
- a light source;
- and
- a light guide assembly arranged to receive light from the light source, wherein the light guide assembly comprises a waveguide and a light turning element, wherein the light turning element comprises a layer of liquid crystal material, wherein the layer of liquid crystal material defines a plane, wherein the layer of liquid crystal material is configured such that an angle between a director of the liquid crystal material and a first dimension changes as a function of position in the first dimension, wherein the first dimension is a dimension within the plane, wherein the light turning element is coupled to a major surface of the waveguide, and wherein the light turning element is configured to change a propagation direction of a light field received from the waveguide.
A method of fabricating a light turning element, the method comprising:
- providing a first substrate;
- depositing a photoalignment material on a surface of the first substrate;
- irradiating the photoalignment material with electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- depositing a layer of liquid crystal material on the irradiated photoalignment material, wherein the layer of liquid crystal material defines a plane, and wherein the irradiated photoalignment material configures the layer of liquid crystal material deposited thereon such that an angle between a director of the liquid crystal material and a first dimension changes as a function of position in the first dimension, wherein the first dimension is a dimension within the plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.