Compact display with extended pixel resolution

A method comprising:

• providing a first light having a first angle relative to a surface of a spatial light modulator;
• providing a second light having a second angle relative to the surface of the spatial light modulator;
• modulating the first light to provide first modulated light and modulating the second light to provide a second modulated light using the spatial light modulator;
• modifying the first modulated light using a first diffractive optical element to produce first modified modulated light having a first characteristic;
• modifying the second modulated light using a second diffractive optical element to produce second modified modulated light having a second characteristic;
• and
• displaying, using display optics including a waveguide, an output image that is based on the first modified modulated light and the second modified modulated light, wherein the first diffractive optical element and the second diffractive optical element are disposed on a same surface of the waveguide.

A near-eye display comprising:

• a first light source array configured to output first and second light of a first color, the first and second light being output at different angles;
• a second light source array configured to output third light and fourth light of a second color and a third color, the third and fourth light being output at different angles;
• optical components configured to combine the first light and the third light and output first combined light, and to combine the second light and the fourth light and output second combined light, the first combined light and the second combined light being output at different angles;
• a spatial light modulator configured to receive the first combined light and the second combined light and produce first modulated light and second modulated light exiting the spatial modulator at different angles;
• a first diffractive optical element on a first surface of a waveguide and configured to receive the first modulated light into the waveguide and generate a first image, the first diffractive optical element having a first diffraction characteristic;
• a second diffractive optical element on the first surface of the waveguide and configured to receive the second modulated light into the waveguide and generate a second image, the second diffractive optical element having a second diffraction characteristic that is different from the first diffraction characteristic;
• the waveguide configured to combine first and second images;
• and
• a third diffractive optical element on a second surface of the waveguide different from the first surface and configured to combine the first and second images to generate an output image.