Display panel with electrically-controlled waveguide-routing

An optical beam routing structure comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• a distribution waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material;
• at least one pixel waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material and each abutting said distribution waveguide segment at an intersection region;
• at least one passive optical energy router being disposed at said intersection region, said passive optical energy router to reflect a portion of said optical energy from said distribution waveguide segment into said pixel waveguide segment;
• and
• an optical modulator for each said at least one pixel waveguide segment for individually modulating said portion of said optical energy.

A display device comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• at least one pixel waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material;
• a plurality of output waveguide segments traversing said solid material along said plane, said output waveguide segments abutting said at least one pixel waveguide segment at a plurality of intersections and coupled to receive optical energy from said at least one pixel waveguide segment;
• optical reflector means disposed at selected locations on said plane in line with said output waveguide segments.

A display device comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• at least a first electrically-conductive material forming a first electrode, said first electrode confronting said solid material;
• at least one pixel waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material;
• a plurality of output waveguide segments traversing said solid material along said plane, said output waveguide segments abutting said pixel waveguide segment at a plurality of intersections;
• a plurality of electrically-controlled optical redirectors, each optical redirector being disposed transverse of one of said intersections, said optical redirectors being capable of reflecting optical energy from said pixel waveguide segment into said output waveguide segments;
• and
• phosphor target means disposed at selected pixel locations on said plane in line with said output waveguide segments for reradiating optical energy out of said plane in response to optical energy excitation.

A display device including:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• at least a first electrically-conductive material forming a first electrode, said first electrode confronting said solid material;
• an optical frequency source means including an optical exciter of a first frequency and a frequency doubler means coupled to be excited by said optical exciter;
• at least one pixel waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid dielectric material;
• a plurality of output waveguide segments traversing said solid material along said plane, said output waveguide segments abutting said pixel waveguide segment at a plurality of intersections;
• and
• a plurality of electrically-controlled optical redirectors, each optical redirector being disposed transverse of one of said intersections, said optical redirectors to reflect optical energy from said pixel waveguide segment into said output waveguide segments.

A device for distributing optical energy within a volume comprising:

• optical energy path means for transporting optical energy;
• a plurality of optical coupling regions for said optical energy path means arranged in a pattern in said volume;
• and
• energy field controllable optical coupling elements coupled to said optical energy path means at said optical coupling regions for controllably distributing said optical energy in said volume.

An optical beam directing element comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• at least a first electrically-conductive material forming a first electrode, said first electrode confronting said solid material;
• a pixel waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material;
• a plurality of output optical axes traversing said solid material along said plane, at least one of said output optical axes being transverse to said pixel waveguide segment in a first intersection region;
• an active optical energy redirector being disposed adjacent said first intersection region, said active optical energy redirector to reflect optical energy from said pixel waveguide segment into said output optical axes upon selective application of an electrical field from said first electrode;
• and
• optical reflector means disposed at selected locations on said plane in line with said output optical axes for projecting optical energy out of said plane.

A display device comprising:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• at least a first electrically-conductive material forming a first electrode, said first electrode confronting said solid material;
• at least one pixel waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid material;
• a plurality of output optical axes traversing said solid material along said plane, said output optical axes abutting said pixel waveguide segment at a plurality of intersections;
• a plurality of electrically-controlled optical redirectors, each optical redirector being disposed transverse of one of said intersections, said optical redirectors being capable of reflecting optical energy from said pixel waveguide segment into said output optical axes;
• and
• phosphor target means disposed at selected pixel locations on said plane in line with said output optical axes for reradiating optical energy out of said plane in response to optical energy excitation.

A display device including:

• a solid material for conveying optical energy;
• at least a first electrically-conductive material forming a first electrode, said first electrode confronting said solid material;
• an optical frequency source means including an optical exciter of a first frequency and a frequency doubler means coupled to be excited by said optical exciter;
• at least one pixel waveguide segment traversing said solid material along a plane of said solid dielectric material;
• a plurality of output optical axes traversing said solid material along said plane, said output optical axes abutting said pixel waveguide segment at a plurality of intersections;
• and
• a plurality of electrically-controlled optical redirectors, each optical redirector being disposed transverse of one of said intersections, said optical redirectors to reflect optical energy from said pixel waveguide segment into said output optical axes.