The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

Dennis M Callahan, Jr

Michael G Moebius

Gregg E Favalora

Steven J Byrnes

Joseph J Register

Ian Ward Frank

Jeffrey A Korn

Anthony Kopa

Valerie J Bloomfield

Hongmei Zhang

Peter H Lewis

A system and method for improving spatial light modulator (SLM) devices such as Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) modulators are disclosed. The SAW modulators can improved angular bandwidth and suppress unwanted diffractive orders. In one example, a coating layer(s) is applied to a proximal face of the SAW modulator to improve coupling of guided modes into leaky modes. Additionally, applying coating layers(s) such as a hybrid anti-reflective/highly reflective coating to an exit face of the SAW modulator can suppress transmission of undesired diffractive order(s).

SAW modulators with phase and angle selective optical coatings

Electro-holographic light field generator devices comprising surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulators are disclosed that employ multiple output couplers. These output couplers might be distributed along waveguides of the SAW modulators, within output coupling regions. Each of these output couplers can be configured for directing an incident leaky mode light at different output angles. In some cases, it may be desirable to employ the output couplers to function as different sub-pixels, to provide light to different viewing directions. The output couplers may be mirrors, volume gratings, chirped gratings, reflection gratings, two dimensional gratings, and/or transmission gratings. The output couplers may be angled so that the coupling output fans for each optical modulator are offset from the waveguide for that optical modulator.

Light field generator devices with series output couplers

Packaging and interconnect systems for edge-emitting light modulators are disclosed. Embodiments address the challenge of integrating many edge-emitting modulators such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) modulators together in a single light field generator system. In one example, a proposed light field generator system includes a stack of projector modules and a mounting block having slots. The projector modules preferably have a printed circuit board (PCB) form factor that enables the slots of the mounting block to receive and hold the modules. Each module includes a module board and one or more SAW substrates carried by the module board, and an array of SAW modulators are formed/fabricated within each substrate. Proposed substrate fabrication techniques provide wiring and routing of RF and optical signals to the SAW modulators within each substrate to achieve a density of light modulators suitable for practical application to light field projection systems.

Packaging and interconnect systems for edge-emitting light modulators based on surface acoustic wave (SAW) modulation

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Wellesley, MA, United States of America

Dennis M Callahan, Jr