North Carolina State University

Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Stichting Dutch Polymer Institute

Imagineoptix Corporation

3m Innovative Properties Company

The University of Arizona

Brown University

Boulder Nonlinear Systems, Inc.

Michael James Escuti

Ravi Kumar Komanduri

Chulwoo Oh

Jihwan Kim

Steven John Robbins

Dirk Jan Broer

Michael George Debije

Carlos Guerrero Sanchez

Cornelis W M Bastiaansen

Brandon L Conover

Cees W M Bastiaansen

Dick J Broer

Kristopher F Lawler, Jr

Lu Lu

Richard C Allen

Mengfei Wang

Xiayu Feng

Gregory P Crawford

Hsien-Hui Cheng

Steven A Serati

Michael W Kudenov

Carlos C Sanchez

Zhexin Zhao

Carlos Sanchez

Matthew N Miskiewicz

Erin Clark

D Jason Kekas

Jr Kristopher F Lawler

Jason D Kekas

A diffractive waveguide device includes an optical waveguide and a diffractive element optically coupled to the optical waveguide. The diffractive element is configured to alter a polarization and propagation direction of light of a first polarization, and is configured to transmit light of a second polarization without substantially altering a polarization or propagation direction thereof. A polarizing film assembly is configured to provide the light of the second polarization to the optical waveguide, and/or is configured to block the light of the second polarization from the optical waveguide. The polarizing film assembly includes a polarizer and an optical retarder that is positioned between the polarizer and the optical waveguide. Related devices and methods of operation are also discussed.

Optical elements for reducing visual artifacts in diffractive waveguide displays and systems incorporating the same

A device is provided. The device includes a light guide configured to guide a first light propagating therein. The device also includes an optical film coupled with the light guide, optically anisotropic molecules in the optical film being configured with an in-plane orientation pattern having an in-plane pitch along the predetermined in-plane direction. Within the in-plane pitch of the in-plane orientation pattern, azimuthal angles of the optically anisotropic molecules are configured to vary nonlinearly along the predetermined in-plane direction. The optical film is configured to diffract the first light as a plurality of second lights at a plurality of locations of the optical film, with a plurality of predetermined, different diffraction efficiencies.

Liquid crystal polarization hologram with enhanced angular luminance uniformity and system including the same

A multi-spectral optical imaging device includes a switchable element configured to be switched between first and second states, one of which alters a polarization of light, and a geometric phase element arranged to receive the light from the switchable element. The geometric phase element is configured to diffract a first wavelength band of the light to alter a direction of propagation thereof based on the polarization and without substantially altering a direction of propagation of a second wavelength band of the light, responsive to the first state of the switchable element. Related optical shutters and multi-spectral optical detectors are also discussed.

Optical elements for integrated IR and visible camera for depth sensing and systems incorporating the same

An optical element includes a plurality of stacked birefringent sublayers, such as liquid crystal sublayers, configured to alter a direction of propagation of light passing therethrough according to the Bragg condition. The stacked birefringent sublayers respectively include local optical axes that vary along respective interfaces between adjacent ones of the stacked birefringent sublayers to define respective grating periods. The respective thicknesses of the stacked birefringent sublayers may be less than a wavelength of the light. Related apparatus and methods of operation are also discussed.

Bragg liquid crystal polarization gratings

A polarization conversion system includes a geometric phase element and a retarder element. The geometric phase element has optical anisotropy with local optical axis orientations that vary non-linearly in at least one dimension along a surface thereof. The retarder element is arranged to receive light output from the geometric phase element. Related systems and methods are also discussed.

Polarization conversion systems with geometric phase holograms

A direct-write lithography apparatus includes a polarization selector stage configured to vary a polarization orientation angle of light from a light source, a focusing element configured to focus the light from the light source into a spot at a focal plane thereof, and a scanning stage configured to scan the spot in at least two dimensions along a surface of a polarization-sensitive recording medium that is arranged proximate to the focal plane such that neighboring scans substantially overlap. The polarization selector stage and the scanning stage are configured to be operated independently of one another. Related fabrication methods of and optical elements fabricated thereby are also discussed.

Direct write lithography for the fabrication of geometric phase holograms

Polarization based channeled images are optically demodulated to produce directly viewable images. A channeled image flux is converted to an unpolarized flux by a phosphor or other sensor, and the resulting converted flux is demodulated by modulating at a spatial frequency corresponding to a modulating frequency of the channeled image flux. After modulation, the converted flux is spatially filtered to remove or attenuate portions associated with the modulation frequency and harmonics thereof. The resulting baseband flux is then imaged by direct viewing, projection, or using an image sensor and a display.

Snapshot spatial heterodyne imaging polarimetry

A polarization conversion system includes a lens element, a polarization grating comprising a diffractive element having a spatially-varying local optical axis, and a retarder element. The polarization grating is arranged to receive light that is output from the lens element, and the retarder element arranged to receive polarized light of different polarization states that is output from the polarization grating and change the different polarization states to a same polarization state. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed.

Polarization conversion systems with polarization gratings and related fabrication methods

An optical element includes at least two stacked birefringent layers having respective local optical axes that are rotated by respective twist angles over respective thicknesses of the at least two layers, and are aligned along respective interfaces between the at least two layers. The respective twist angles and/or the respective thicknesses are different. The at least two stacked birefringent layers may be liquid crystal polymer optical retarder layers. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed.

Multi-twist retarders for broadband polarization transformation and related fabrication methods

A liquid crystal device includes a first polarization grating, a second polarization grating, and a liquid crystal layer. The first polarization grating is configured to polarize and diffract incident light into first and second beams having different polarizations and different directions of propagation relative to that of the incident light. The liquid crystal layer is configured to receive the first and second beams from the first polarization grating. The liquid crystal layer is configured to be switched between a first state that does not substantially affect respective polarizations of the first and second beams traveling therethrough, and a second state that alters the respective polarizations of the first and second beams traveling therethrough. The second polarization grating is configured to analyze and diffract the first and second beams from the liquid crystal layer to alter the different directions of propagation thereof in response to the state of the liquid crystal layer. Related devices are also discussed.

Polarization-independent liquid crystal display devices including multiple polarizing grating arrangements and related devices

A beam steering apparatus includes a first beam steering stage and at least a second beam steering stage arranged in-line with the first beam steering stage. The first beam steering stage includes a first polarization grating comprising a uniaxial birefringent material having a first periodic director pattern, and the second beam steering stage includes a second polarization grating comprising a uniaxial birefringent material having a second periodic director pattern. In nonmechanical embodiments, a polarization selector may be arranged to provide a circularly polarized input beam incident on the first polarization grating. In mechanical embodiments, at least one of the first polarization grating and the second polarization grating may be operable to be independently rotated about an azimuth thereof. Related methods of operation are also discussed.

Beam steering devices including stacked liquid crystal polarization gratings and related methods of operation

In a method of fabricating an optical element, an alignment surface is photolithographically patterned using a birefringent mask having a holographic pattern therein to create an alignment condition in the alignment surface based on the holographic pattern. A layer is formed on the alignment surface such that local optical axes of the layer are oriented according to the alignment condition in the alignment surface. For example, the layer may be a liquid crystal layer having respective molecular axes aligned according to the alignment condition. Related fabrication methods and polarization gratings are also discussed.

Methods of fabricating optical elements on substrates and related devices

A liquid crystal device includes a first polarization grating (), a second polarization grating (), and a liquid crystal layer (). The first polarization grating () is configured to polarize and diffract incident light () into first and second beams () having different polarizations and different directions of propagation relative to that of the incident light (). The liquid crystal layer () is configured to receive the first and second beams () from the first polarization grating (). The liquid crystal layer () is configured to be switched between a first state that does not substantially affect respective polarizations of the first and second beams () traveling therethrough, and a second state that alters the respective polarizations of the first and second beams () traveling therethrough. The second polarization grating () is configured to analyze and diffract the first and second beams () from the liquid crystal layer () to alter the different directions of propagation thereof in response to the state of the liquid crystal layer (). Related devices are also discussed.

Polarization-independent liquid crystal display devices including multiple polarization grating arrangements and related devices

A first aspect of the invention relates to a luminescent object comprising: a. a luminescent layer or core containing a photoluminescent material; and b. a wavelength-selective mirror; wherein the luminescent layer or luminescent core is optically coupled to the wavelength-selective mirror, said wavelength-selective mirror being at least 50% transparent to light absorbed by the photoluminescent material and at least 50% reflective to radiation that is emitted by the photoluminescent material. The luminescent object according to the present invention may advantageously be employed in luminescent solar concentrator systems as it enables highly efficient transportation of radiation emitted by the photoluminescent material following exposure to incident solar light. Another aspect of the invention concerns a photovoltaic device comprising an electromagnetic radiation collection medium containing the aforementioned luminescent object and a photovoltaic cell capable of converting optical radiation to electrical energy which is optically coupled to the luminescent object. Further aspects of the invention include a fluorescent light activated display and a room lighting system comprising the aforementioned luminescent object.

Luminescent object and utilization thereof

An optical element includes a first and second stacked birefringent layers. The first birefringent layer includes local anisotropy patterns having respective relative orientations that vary over a first thickness between opposing faces of the first birefringent layer to define a first twist angle. The second birefringent layer includes local anisotropy patterns having respective relative orientations that vary over a second thickness between opposing faces of the second birefringent layer to define a second twist angle different than the first twist angle. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed.

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Cary, NC, United States of America

Michael James Escuti