Facebook Technologies, LLC

Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC

Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici

Matthew E Colburn

Giuseppe Calafiore

Nihar Ranjan Mohanty

Hee Yoon Lee

Brian M Wheelwright

Douglas Robert Lanman

Robert Dale Cavin

Alexander Jobe Fix

Andrew Maimone

Ganghun Kim

Austin Lane

Maxwell Parsons

Pasi Saarikko

John Goward

Wanli Chi

Jasmine Soria Sears

Yu Shi

Erik Shipton

Nathan Seigo Matsuda

Guohua Wei

Christophe Antoine Hurni

Kavous Jorabchi

Andrew John Ouderkirk

Robin Sharma

Chulwoo Oh

Qi Zhang

Karol Constantine Hatzilias

Yun-Han Lee

Junren Wang

Selso Luanava

Hyunmin Song

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

A manufacturing system performs a deposition of an etch-compatible film over a substrate. The etch-compatible film includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The manufacturing system performs a partial removal of the etch-compatible film to create a surface profile on the first surface with a plurality of depths relative to the substrate. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a second material over the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a planarization of the second material to obtain a plurality of etch heights of the second material in accordance with the plurality of depths in the profile created in the etch-compatible film. The manufacturing system performs a lithographic patterning of a photoresist deposited over the planarized second material to obtain the plurality of etch heights and one or more duty cycles in the second material.

Gratings with variable depths formed using planarization for waveguide displays

Disclosed herein are techniques for eye illumination for eye position tracking. An illuminator for eye tracking includes a substrate configured to be placed in front of an eye of a user and a light source positioned on a surface of the substrate. The light source is configured to be positioned within a field of view of the eye of the user. A maximum dimension of the light source in a plane parallel to an emission surface of the light source is less than 500 &#x3bc;m.

In-field illumination for eye tracking

A lithographic patterning of a resist is performed to create a mandrel over a substrate. A deposition of one or more functional materials on the mandrel is performed. And each functional material has a respective refractive index. A selective removal of the mandrel is performed to create a plurality of grating elements formed from the one or more functional materials. The plurality of grating elements are self-aligned and form a diffraction grating. Each grating element may have a heterogenous refractive index (e.g., substantial normal to and/or parallel to a surface of the substrate). The diffraction grating may be used in a near-eye display.

Fabrication of self-aligned grating elements with high refractive index for waveguide displays

A device includes an optical assembly and a digital projector. The optical assembly is configured to receive visible scene light at a backside of the optical assembly and to direct the visible scene light on an optical path toward an eyeward side. The optical assembly includes a dimming layer disposed on the optical path. The dimming layer includes a photochromic material that is configured to darken in response to exposure to a range of light wavelengths. The digital projector is disposed on the eyeward side of the optical assembly and is configured to selectively emit an activation light within the range of light wavelengths to activate a darkening of a region of the dimming layer to dim the visible scene light within the region.

Digital projector for local dimming in a device

A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium and one or more diffractive optical elements configured to receive the second portion of the light and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.

Holographic in-field illuminator

Holographic pattern generation for head-mounted display (HMD) eye tracking using a diffractive optical element

An optical waveguide is provided. The optical waveguide includes a base structure and a plurality of grating structures disposed at the base structure. The grating structures include a plurality of in-coupling grating structures configured to couple a plurality of lights into the optical waveguide. At least one of a grating period or a slant angle of a first in-coupling grating structure is different from at least one of a corresponding grating period or a corresponding slant angle of a second in-coupling grating structure. The grating structures also include a plurality of out-coupling grating structures configured to couple the lights out of the optical waveguide.

Near-eye display system having optical combiner

Techniques disclosed herein relate to modifying refractive index modulation in a holographic optical element, such as a holographic grating. According to certain embodiments, a holographic optical element or apodized grating includes a polymer layer comprising a first region characterized by a first refractive index and a second region characterized by a second refractive index. The holographic optical element or apodized grating includes a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed in the polymer layer. The nanoparticles have a higher concentration in either the first region or the second region. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles may be configured to increase the refractive index modulation. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles may be configured to apodize the grating by decreasing the refractive index modulation proximate to sides of the grating. The refractive index may be modulated by applying a monomer reservoir buffer layer to the polymer layer, either before or after hologram fabrication.

Refractive index modulation modification in a holographic grating

A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium and a plurality of optical fibers configured to receive the second portion of the light and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.

Holographic pattern generation for head-mounted display (HMD) eye tracking using a fiber exposure

A manufacturing system for creating waveguides that include optical gratings having high coupling efficiencies is described herein. The waveguides are used to guide image light from a source assembly to an eye of a user. The optical gratings are used to couple light into an optical waveguide element and/or decouple light from the optical waveguide element. The manufacturing system creates optical gratings by patterning and adjusts refractive indexes of the optical gratings by infusion and post-processing. A refractive index of an optical grating can be uniform or non-uniform. In-coupling efficiencies of light into a waveguide via the optical gratings and/or out-coupling efficiencies of light out of a waveguide via the optical gratings can be increased. The manufacturing system includes a patterning system, an infusion system, and a post-processing system.

Waveguides with high refractive index gratings manufactured by post-patterning infusion

A system for making a holographic medium for use in generating light patterns for eye tracking includes a light source configured to provide light and a beam splitter configured to separate the light into a first portion of the light and a second portion of the light that is spatially separated from the first portion of the light. The system also includes a first set of optical elements configured to transmit the first portion of the light for providing a first wide-field beam onto an optically recordable medium, a second set of optical elements configured to transmit the second portion of the light for providing a second wide-field beam, and a plurality of parabolic reflectors optically coupled with the second set of optical elements and configured to receive the second wide-field beam and project a plurality of separate light patterns onto the optically recordable medium for forming the holographic medium.

Holographic pattern generation for head-mounted display (HMD) eye tracking using an array of parabolic mirrors

A surface-relief grating includes a base surface-relief grating comprising a plurality of ridges that include a first material, and a second material on only a top surface or a single sidewall of each ridge of the plurality of ridges, where the second material is different from the first material. A method of fabricating the surface-relief grating includes etching or molding a base surface-relief grating that includes a plurality of ridges, depositing a material layer on the plurality of ridges, and selectively etching the material layer to increase a height or a slant angle of an edge of a ridge in the plurality of ridges to make the surface-relief grating that includes the base surface-relief grating.

Duty cycle, depth, and surface energy control in nano fabrication

A manufacturing system for fabricating self-aligned grating elements with a variable refractive index includes a patterning system, a deposition system, and an etching system. The manufacturing system performs a lithographic patterning of one or more photoresists to create a stack over a substrate. The manufacturing system performs a conformal deposition of a protective coating on the stack. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a first photoresist of a first refractive index on the protective coating. The manufacturing system performs a removal of the first photoresist to achieve a threshold value of first thickness. The manufacturing system performs a deposition of a second photoresist of a second refractive index on the first photoresist. The second refractive index is greater than the first refractive index. The manufacturing system performs a removal of the second photoresist to achieve a threshold value of second thickness to form a portion of an optical grating.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici