Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC

Facebook Technologies, LLC

Junren Wang

Lu Lu

Yun-Han Lee

Mengfei Wang

Fenglin Peng

Barry David Silverstein

Babak Amirsolaimani

Scott Charles McEldowney

Oleg Yaroshchuk

Yuge Huang

Andrew John Ouderkirk

Jacques Gollier

Yusufu Njoni Bamaxam Sulai

Andrew Maimone

Hao Yu

Ying Geng

Douglas Robert Lanman

Robin Sharma

Wai Sze Tiffany Lam

Afsoon Jamali

Gregory Olegovic Andreev

Yang Zhao

Garam Young

Yingfei Jiang

Stephen Choi

Hyunmin Song

Xinqiao Liu

Chulwoo Oh

Sheng Ye

Shizhe Shen

Tanya Malhotra

Jasmine Soria Sears

Qing Chao

Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici

Tingling Rao

Alexander Koshelev

Arman Boromand

Dong Chen

Lafe Joseph Purvis, Ii

Liliana Ruiz Diaz

Stephen John Holmes

Xiayu Feng

Kyle Justin Curts

Hsien-Hui Cheng

Ryan Li

Nicholas John Diorio

Christopher Andrew Galea

Scott Charles Mceldowney

Yu-Jen Wang

Scott Mceldowney

A display system includes a source of unpolarized image light, and a stack of polarization-selective optical elements operable to switchably convert the unpolarized image light into two orthogonally polarized light beams, each of which being switchable in at least one beam characteristic. An output polarizer selects one of the two orthogonally polarized light beams for providing to a user. A depolarizer may be disposed between an electronic display emitting polarized light and the stack. The depolarizer may be in the form of an LC bilayer with randomized in-plane optic axis.

Polarization-based processing of unpolarized image light

Various embodiments set forth eye tracking systems. In some embodiments, an eye tracking system includes a polarization volume hologram (PVH) combiner having a rolling k-vector design that provides relatively wide coverage of users whose eyeglasses prescriptions can vary. The PVH combiner can further include (1) fiducial regions created by differential patterning that generate dark regions in images captured of an eye, and/or (2) multiple regions that diffract light at angles to produce different perspectives in the captured images. The dark regions and/or different perspectives can be used to calibrate eye tracking. In addition, the PVH combiner can include off-axis lens regions that generate glints for the eye tracking.

Polarization volume hologram combiner enabling wide population coverage, eye tracking accuracy, and glint generation

Imaging systems, cameras, and image sensors of this disclosure include imaging pixels that include subpixels. Diffractive optical elements such as a metasurface lens layers or a liquid crystal polarization hologram (LCPH) are configured to focus image light to the subpixels of the imaging pixels.

Sensing with liquid crystal polarization holograms and metasurface

A device includes a display configured to generate an image light. The device also includes a waveguide optically coupled with the display and configured to guide the image light to an exit pupil of the device. The waveguide includes a grating including a birefringent material, and a birefringence of the grating is configured to increase along a pupil-expanding direction of the device.

Optical combiner with uniform illuminance throughput

An optical device for a head-mounted display device includes a first partial reflector and a second partial reflector positioned relative to the first partial reflector so that the second partial reflector receives first light transmitted through the first partial reflector and reflects at least a portion of the first light toward the first partial reflector as second light. At least a portion of the second light is reflected by the first partial reflector as third light, and at least a portion of the third light is transmitted through the second partial reflector. At least one of the first partial reflector or the second partial reflector includes a reflective holographic element.

Optical assembly with holographic optics for folded optical path

A first layer of anisotropic material extends along a first plane and includes anisotropic components being parallel to a second plane non-parallel and non-perpendicular to the first plane. The anisotropic components are arranged in cycloidal or helical patterns. The cycloidal or helical patterns define one or more Bragg planes that are non-parallel and non-perpendicular to the first plane and either substantially parallel or substantially perpendicular to the second plane.

Patterned anisotropic films and optical elements therewith

A device is provided. The device includes a first polarization hologram element configured to operate as a half-wave plate for a first light having a first wavelength, and as a full-wave plate for a second light having a second wavelength. The device also includes a second polarization hologram element stacked with the first polarization hologram, and configured to operate as the half-wave plate for the second light and as the full-wave plate for the first light. The first polarization hologram element is configured to forwardly diffract or transmit the first light depending on a handedness of the first light. The second polarization hologram element is configured to forwardly diffract or transmit the second light depending on a handedness of the second light.

Apochromatic liquid crystal polarization hologram device

A system includes a diffractive optical element including at least one substrate and a grating structure. The grating structure is configured to diffract a first light having an incidence angle within a predetermined range, and the at least one substrate is configured to reflect a second light. The system also includes a polarization selective mechanism configured to generate images based on the first light and the second light, respectively.

Optical system for multi-view eye-tracking

A system includes a mask configured to forwardly diffract an input beam as a first set of two polarized beams. The system also includes a polarization conversion element configured to convert the first set of two polarized beams into a second set of two polarized beams having opposite handednesses. The two polarized beams having opposite handednesses interfere with one another to generate a polarization interference pattern.

System and method for fabricating polarization holograms

An optical element includes a first layer, a second layer, and a fluid. A first surface of the first layer is configured to change hydrophobicity in response to incoming activation light. Absorbing molecules in the fluid are repelled or attracted to the first surface in response to the hydrophobicity of the first surface.

Photowetting optical element

A system includes a diffractive optical element configured to receive a first beam and a second beam interfering with one another to generate a first interference pattern. The diffractive optical element is also configured to forwardly diffract the first beam and the second beam to output a third beam and a fourth beam. The third beam and the fourth beam interfere with one another to generate a second interference pattern. The system also includes a detector configured to detect the second interference pattern.

System and method for interference fringe stabilization

A device is provided. The device includes a polarization hologram polymer layer having a wavy surface, an optic axis of the polarization hologram polymer layer being configured with a spatially varying orientation in a first predetermined in-plane direction. The device also includes a compensation layer disposed at the wavy surface of the polarization hologram polymer layer and configured to compensate for the wavy surface in shape.

Liquid crystal polarization hologram device comprising an optic axis with a spatially varying orientation and compensated wavy structures

An optical element includes a first birefringent medium layer with orientations of directors of first optically anisotropic molecules spatially varying with a first in-plane pitch and a first vertical pitch. The optical element also includes a second birefringent medium layer with orientations of directors of second optically anisotropic molecules spatially varying with a second in-plane pitch and a second vertical pitch. The second birefringent medium layer is optically coupled with the first birefringent medium layer and configured to reduce a diffraction of a light by the first birefringent medium layer. The first in-plane pitch is substantially the same as the second in-plane pitch, and the second vertical pitch is smaller than the first vertical pitch.

Optical element having multiple layers for reducing diffraction artifacts

A system is provided. The system includes a light source configured to emit an infrared light to illuminate an eye of a user. The system includes a grating disposed facing the eye and including a birefringent material film configured with a uniform birefringence lower than or equal to 0.1. The grating is configured to diffract the infrared light reflected from the eye, and transmit a visible light from a real world environment toward the eye, with a diffraction efficiency less than a predetermined threshold. The system includes an optical sensor configured to receive the diffracted infrared light and generate an image of the eye based on the diffracted infrared light.

Optical device having reduced diffraction artifacts for eye-tracking

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Junren Wang