Projection display using a wire grid polarization beamsplitter with compensator

A display apparatus comprising:

• (a) a light source for forming a beam of light;
• (b) a pre-polarizer for polarizing said beam of light to provide a polarized beam of light;
• (c) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said polarized beam of light, for transmitting said polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for reflecting said polarized beam of light having a second polarization;
• (d) a reflective liquid crystal device for selectively modulating said polarized beam of light having a first polarization to encode image data thereon in order to form a modulated beam, and for reflecting said modulated beam back to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (e) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter reflects said modulated beam, and where said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is rotated in plane to a nominal fixed position so as to introduce retardance and provide polarization compensation for said modulated beam;
• (f) a polarization analyzer which removes residual light of the opposite polarization state from said modulated beam;
• and
• (g) image-forming optics for forming an image from said modulated beam.

A modulation optical system for providing high contrast modulation of an incident light beam, comprising:

• (a) a pre-polarizer for pre-polarizing said beam of light to provide a polarized beam of light;
• (b) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said polarized beam of light, for transmitting said polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for reflecting said polarized beam of light having a second polarization;
• (c) a reflective spatial light modulator for selectively modulating said polarized beam of light having a first polarization to encode image data thereon in order to form a modulated beam, and for reflecting said modulated beam back to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (d) a compensator, located between said wire grid polarization beamsplitter and said reflective spatial light modulator, for conditioning the polarization states of oblique and skew rays of said modulated beam;
• (e) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter reflects said compensated modulated beam, and wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is rotated in plane to a nominal fixed position as a further means to compensate said compensated modulated beam;
• and
• (f) a polarization analyzer which removes residual light of the opposite polarization state from said compensated modulated beam.

A modulation optical system for providing high contrast modulation of an incident light beam, comprising:

• (a) a pre-polarizer for pre-polarizing said beam of light to provide a polarized beam of light;
• (b) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said polarized beam of light, for transmitting said polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for reflecting said polarized beam of light having a second polarization;
• (c) a reflective spatial light modulator for selectively modulating said polarized beam of light having a first polarization to encode image data thereon in order to form a modulated beam, and for reflecting said modulated beam back to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter,
• (d) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter reflects said modulated beam, and where said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is rotated in plane to a nominal fixed position so as to introduce retardance and provide polarization compensation for said modulated beam;
• and
• (e) a polarization analyzer which removes residual light of the opposite polarization state from said modulated beam.

A modulation optical system for providing high contrast modulation of an incident light beam, comprising:

• (a) a pre-polarizer for pre-polarizing said beam of light to provide a polarized beam of light;
• (b) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said polarized beam of light, for reflecting said polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for transmitting said polarized beam of light having a second polarization;
• (c) a reflective spatial light modulator for selectively modulating said polarized beam of light having a first polarization to encode image data thereon in order to form a modulated beam, and for reflecting said modulated beam back to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (d) a compensator, located between said wire grid polarization beamsplitter and said reflective spatial light modulator, for conditioning the polarization states of oblique and skew rays of said modulated beam;
• (e) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter transmits said compensated modulated beam, and where said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is rotated in plane to a nominal fixed position as a further means to compensate said compensated modulated beam;
• and
• (f) a polarization analyzer which removes residual light of the opposite polarization state from said compensated modulated beam.

A modulation optical system for providing high contrast modulation of an incident light beam, comprising:

• (a) a pre-polarizer for pre-polarizing said beam of light to provide a polarized beam of light;
• (b) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said polarized beam of light, for reflecting said polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for transmitting said polarized beam of light having a second polarization;
• (c) a reflective spatial light modulator for selectively modulating said polarized beam of light having a first polarization to encode image data thereon in order to form a modulated beam, and for reflecting said modulated beam back to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (d) a compensator, located between said wire grid polarization beamsplitter and said reflective spatial light modulator, for conditioning the polarization states of oblique and skew rays of said modulated beam;
• and
• (e) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter transmits said compensated modulated beam, and where said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is rotated in plane to a nominal fixed position as a further means to compensate said compensated modulated beam.

A modulation optical system for providing high contrast modulation of an incident light beam, comprising:

• (a) a pre-polarizer for pre-polarizing said beam of light to provide a polarized beam of light;
• (b) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said polarized beam of light, for reflecting said polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for transmitting said polarized beam of light having a second polarization;
• (c) a reflective spatial light modulator for selectively modulating said polarized beam of light having a first polarization to encode image data thereon in order to form a modulated beam, and for reflecting said modulated beam back to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (d) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter transmits said modulated beam, and where said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is rotated in plane to a nominal fixed position so as to introduce retardance and provide polarization compensation for said modulated beam;
• and
• (e) a polarization analyzer which removes residual light of the opposite polarization state from said modulated beam.

A modulation optical system for providing high contrast modulation of an incident light beam, comprising:

• (a) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said incident beam of light, for transmitting a polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for reflecting a polarized beam of light having a second polarization;
• (b) a reflective spatial light modulator for selectively modulating said polarized beam of light having a first polarization to encode image data thereon in order to form a modulated beam, and for reflecting said modulated beam back to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (c) a compensator, located between said wire grid polarization beamsplitter and said reflective spatial light modulator, for conditioning the polarization states of oblique and skew rays of said modulated beam;
• (d) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter reflects said compensated modulated beam, and where said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is rotated in plane to a nominal fixed position as a further means to compensate said compensated modulated beam;
• and
• (e) a polarization analyzer which removes residual light of the opposite polarization state from said compensated modulated beam.

A method for projecting an image generated from image data, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a polarized light beam;
• (b) directing said polarized light beam to a wire grid polarization beamsplitter, said beamsplitter transmitting incident light having a first polarization as a transmitted beam, and reflecting incident light having a second polarization as a reflected beam towards a polarization analyzer;
• (c) rotating said wire grid polarization beamsplitter so as to introduce retardance as a means to provide polarization compensation;
• (d) modulating said transmitted beam from said wire grid polarization beamsplitter to encode image data at a reflective liquid crystal device and to provide a modulated beam comprising light of said second polarization;
• (e) disposing a compensator in the path of said modulated beam, between said wire grid polarization beamsplitter and said reflective liquid crystal device, for conditioning the local polarization states of oblique and skew rays the light so as to help with removing leakage light from said modulated beam;
• and
• (f) projecting said modulated beam to form said image.

A method for projecting an image generated from image data, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a polarized light beam;
• (b) directing said polarized light beam to a wire grid polarization beamsplitter, said beamsplitter transmitting incident light having a first polarization as a transmitted beam, and reflecting incident light having a second polarization as a reflected beam towards a polarization analyzer;
• (c) rotating said wire grid polarization beamsplitter so as to introduce retardance as a means to provide polarization compensation;
• (d) modulating said transmitted beam from said wire grid polarization beamsplitter to encode image data at a reflective liquid crystal device and to provide a modulated beam comprising light of said second polarization;
• and
• (e) projecting said modulated beam to form said image.

A method for optimizing a projected image comprising:

• (a) providing a polarized light beam;
• (b) splitting said polarized light beam into a first polarization and second polarization;
• (c) modulating said first polarization state with image data;
• (d) compensating said modulated beam;
• (e) projecting said modulated beam to form an image;
• and
• (f) rotating a polarization beamsplitter which possesses an anisotropic form birefringent sub-wavelength structure, such that rotation introduces retardance and provides a means of polarization compensation for said modulated beam.

A method for optimizing a projected image comprising:

• (a) providing a polarized light beam;
• (b) splitting said polarized light beam into a first polarization and second polarization;
• (c) modulating said first polarization state with image data;
• (d) projecting said modulated beam to form an image;
• and
• (e) rotating a polarization beamsplitter which possesses an anisotropic form birefringent sub-wavelength structure, such that rotation introduces retardance and provides a means of polarization compensation for said modulated beam.

A modulation optical system for providing modulation of an incident light beam comprising:

• (a) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving incident light beam, for transmitting said a polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for reflecting a polarized beam of light having a second polarization orthogonal to said first polarization, wherein subwavelength wires on said wire grid polarization beamsplitter face a reflective spatial light modulator;
• (b) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator receives said polarized beam of light, having either a first polarization or a second polarization, and selectively modulates said polarized beam of light to encode data thereon, providing both modulated light and unmodulated light which differ in polarization;
• (c) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator reflects back both said modulated light and said unmodulated light to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (d) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter separates said modulated light from said unmodulated light;
• (e) wherein said modulation optical system is further equipped with one or more wire grid polarizers, which are utilized as a polarization analyzer or a pre-polarizer or both;
• and
• (f) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is used individually or in combination with said other wire grid polarizers to provide polarization compensation by conditioning the polarization states of the oblique and skew light rays.

A modulation optical system for providing modulation of an incident light beam comprising:

• (a) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said incident light beam, for transmitting a polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for reflecting a polarized beam of light having a second polarization orthogonal to said first polarization, wherein subwavelength wires on said wire grid polarization beamsplitter face a reflective spatial light modulator;
• (b) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator receives said polarized beam of light having either a first polarization or a second polarization, and selectively modulates said polarized beam of light to encode data thereon, providing both modulated light and unmodulated light which differ in polarization;
• (c) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator reflects back both said modulated light and said unmodulated light to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (d) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter separates said modulated light from said unmodulated light;
• (e) wherein said modulation optical system is further equipped with one or more wire grid polarizers, which are utilized as a polarization analyzer or a pre-polarizer or both;
• (f) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is used individually or in combination with said other wire grid polarizers to provide polarization compensation by conditioning the polarization states of the oblique and skew light rays;
• and
• wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter and said other wire grid polarizers are rotated respectively in plane to a nominal fixed position as a means to polarization compensate said oblique and skew light rays.

A modulation optical system for providing modulation of an incident light beam comprising:

• (a) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said incident light beam, for transmitting a polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for reflecting a polarized beam of light having a second polarization orthogonal to said first polarization, wherein subwavelength wires on said wire grid polarization beamsplitter face a reflective spatial light modulator;
• (b) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator receives said polarized beam of light, having either a first polarization or a second polarization, and selectively modulates said polarized beam of light to encode data thereon, providing both modulated light and unmodulated light which differ in polarization;
• (c) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator reflects back both said modulated light and said unmodulated light to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (d) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter separates said modulated light from said unmodulated light;
• and
• (e) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is rotated in plane to a nominal fixed position as a polarization compensation means to condition the polarization states of said oblique and skew light rays.

A modulation optical system for providing modulation of an incident light beam comprising:

• (a) a polarization beamsplitter, having a form birefringent optical structure for receiving said incident light beam, for transmitting a polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for reflecting a polarized beam of light having a second polarization orthogonal to said first polarization;
• (b) wherein a reflective spatial light modulator receives said polarized beam of light, having either a first polarization or a second polarization, and selectively modulates said polarized beam of light to encode data thereon, providing both modulated light and unmodulated light which differ in polarization;
• (c) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator reflects back both said modulated light and said unmodulated light to said polarization beamsplitter;
• (d) wherein said polarization beamsplitter separates said modulated light from said unmodulated light;
• (e) wherein said modulation optical system is further equipped with one or more polarizers, which have a form birefringent optical structure, and which are utilized as a polarization analyzer or a pre-polarizer or both;
• (f) wherein said polarization beamsplitter is used individually or in combination with said other form birefringent polarizers to provide polarization compensation by conditioning the polarization states of the oblique and skew light rays;
• and
• wherein said polarization beamsplitter and said other form birefringent polarizers are rotated respectively in plane to a nominal fixed position as a means to polarization compensate said oblique and skew light rays.

A modulation optical system for providing modulation of an incident light beam comprising:

• (a) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said incident light beam, for transmitting a polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for reflecting a polarized beam of light having a second polarization orthogonal to said first polarization, wherein subwavelength wires on said wire grid polarization beamsplitter face a reflective spatial light modulator;
• (b) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator receives said polarized beam of light, having either a first polarization or a second polarization, and selectively modulates said polarized beam of light to encode data thereon, providing both modulated light and unmodulated light which differ in polarization;
• (c) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator reflects back both said modulated light and said unmodulated light to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (d) a compensator, located between said wire grid polarization beamsplitter and said reflective spatial light modulator, for conditioning the polarization states of oblique and skew rays of said modulated light;
• (e) wherein said modulation optical system is further equipped with one or more wire grid polarizers, which are utilized as a polarization analyzer or a pre-polarizer or both;
• (f) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter separates said modulated light from said unmodulated light;
• and
• (g) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is rotated in plane to a nominal fixed position in order to optimize the polarization contrast of the modulated light.

A modulation optical system for providing modulation of an incident light beam comprising:

• (a) a pre-polarizer for pre-polarizing said beam of light to provide a polarized beam of light;
• (b) a wire grid polarization beamsplitter for receiving said polarized beam of light, for transmitting said polarized beam of light having a first polarization, and for reflecting said polarized beam of light having a second polarization orthogonal to said first polarization, wherein subwavelength wires on said wire grid polarization beamsplitter face a reflective spatial light modulator;
• (c) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator receives said polarized beam of light, having either a first polarization or a second polarization, and selectively modulates said polarized beam of light to encode data thereon, providing both modulated light and unmodulated light which differ in polarization;
• (d) wherein said reflective spatial light modulator reflects back both said modulated light and said unmodulated light to said wire grid polarization beamsplitter;
• (e) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter separates said modulated light from said unmodulated light;
• and
• (f) wherein said wire grid polarization beamsplitter is rotated in plane to a nominal fixed position in order to optimize the polarization contrast of the modulated light.