Systems and methods for transverse energy localization in energy relays using ordered structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11181749-B2
Application number	US-201916634061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2019
Priority date	Jan 14, 2018
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for manufacturing energy relays for energy directing systems inducing Ordered Energy Localization effects. Ordered Energy Localization relay material distribution criteria are disclosed. Transverse planar as well as multi-dimensional ordered material configurations are discussed. Methods and systems are disclosed for forming non-random patterns of energy relay materials with energy localization properties.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An energy relay, the energy relay comprising:
a plurality of first and second component engineered structures, each comprising a cross-sectional shape of a set of one or more shapes along a transverse plane of the energy relay;
wherein the plurality of first and second component engineered structures are arranged in a tiling across the transverse plane of the energy relay;
wherein the energy relay has higher energy transport efficiency along a longitudinal plane than along the transverse plane.

2. The energy relay of claim 1 , wherein at least one shape of the set of one or more shapes comprises a polygonal shape.

3. The energy relay of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first and second component engineered structures are configured to cooperate to transport energy along the longitudinal plane of the energy relay.

4. The energy relay of claim 3 , wherein both the first and second component engineered structures are configured to transport at least 10% of the energy transported along the longitudinal plane.

5. The energy relay of claim 3 , wherein both the first and second component engineered structures are configured to transport energy through means other than internal reflection.

6. The energy relay of claim 3 , wherein the energy relay includes a first surface and a second surface, and wherein energy propagating between the first surface and the second surface travels along a path that is parallel to the longitudinal plane.

7. The energy relay of claim 1 , wherein the energy relay comprises a transverse distortion of the tiling.

8. An energy relay comprising:
a plurality of volumetric structures configured to tessellate volumetrically, each comprising one or more component engineered structures;
wherein the plurality of volumetric structures are located in an assembly according to a three-dimensional tessellation of the volumetric structures, the assembly being configured to transport energy in a longitudinal direction therethrough and having higher transport efficiency in the longitudinal direction than in a transverse direction, normal to the longitudinal direction;
wherein the three-dimensional tessellation of the volumetric structures is configured such that there is at least one substantially linear path through the volumetric tessellation, the substantially linear path coinciding with only similar component engineered structures, and oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction.

9. The energy relay of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of volumetric structure comprises a plurality of substructures, each substructure comprising one of a first, second, or third component engineered structure.

10. The energy relay of claim 9 , wherein each of the first, second, or third component engineered structures comprises at least one of the following: any atomic or subatomic particles, glass, carbon, optical fiber, optical film, polymer or mixtures thereof.

11. The energy relay of claim 9 , wherein each substructure of the plurality of substructures comprises a square pyramidal shape, and is configured to assemble into the rhombic dodecahedral shape.

12. The energy relay of claim 8 , wherein the linear path coincides with only one of the first, second, or third component engineered structures.

13. The energy relay of claim 8 , wherein the energy relay includes a first surface and a second surface, and wherein energy propagating between the first surface and the second surface travels along a path that is parallel to the longitudinal direction.

Assignees

• Light Field Lab Inc

Inventors

• Karafin Jonathan Sean
• Bevensee Brendan Elwood

Classifications

• G02B5/32

  Holograms used as optical elements · CPC title

• G02B3/0056

  arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085) · CPC title

• G02B30/00

  Optical systems or apparatus for producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images (in microscopes G02B21/22) · CPC title

• G02B6/04 Primary

  formed by bundles of fibres (G02B6/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29D11/00721

  involving preforms for the manufacture of light guides · CPC title