Augmented reality display having improved FOV, and waveguide device and diffractive optical structures thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12044848-B2
Application number	US-202017434690-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2020
Priority date	Feb 28, 2019
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

Various embodiments may provide an augmented reality display having an improved FOV, and a waveguide device and diffractive optical structures thereof. The augmented reality display may comprise: a light source configured to generate light related to an image; and the waveguide device for outputting at least a part of the light. The waveguide device may comprise: a waveguide for guiding light therein; and the diffractive optical structures arranged on a first surface and a second surface of the waveguide. The diffractive optical structures may comprise: a first polarization structure arranged on the first surface of the waveguide to transmit, to the outside of the waveguide, first polarized light selected from external light and reflect, to the inside of the waveguide, second polarized light selected from light guided inside the waveguide device; and a second polarization structure arranged on the second surface of the waveguide to output at least a part of the second polarized light to the outside of the waveguide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A diffractive optical structure of an augmented reality display, comprising:
a first polarization structure disposed on a first face of a waveguide, transmitting a first polarized light of external light to an outside of the waveguide, and reflecting, to an inside of the waveguide, a second polarized light guided within the waveguide; and
a second polarization structure disposed on a second face of the waveguide and outputting at least some of the second polarized light to the outside of the waveguide.

2. The diffractive optical structure of claim 1 , wherein:
the second polarization structure is divided into a first area in Which the second polarized light is reflected to the inside of the waveguide, and a second area in which at least some of the second polarized light is outputted to the outside of the waveguide, and
the first area and the second area are disposed on a plane; parallel to the second face.

3. The diffractive optical structure of claim 2 , wherein the second polarization structure comprises:
a polarizer disposed over the first area and the second area; and
an output grating disposed to overlap the polarizer in the second area in an axis perpendicular to the second face.

4. The diffractive optical structure of claim 3 , wherein the polarizer transmits some of the second polarized light in opposite to the output grating in the second area.

5. The diffractive optical structure of claim 3 , wherein the polarizer is formed in a first thickness in accordance with the first area and is formed in a second thickness smaller than the first thickness in accordance with the second area.

6. The diffractive optical structure of claim 1 , wherein a light source generates light within the waveguide.

7. The diffractive optical structure of claim 1 , further comprising an input grating inputting light to the inside of the waveguide.

8. The diffractive optical structure of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first polarization structure or the second polarization structure comprises at least one opening in which the input grating is disposed and which transmits the light to the inside of the waveguide.

9. A waveguide device of an augmented reality display, comprising:
a waveguide guiding light therein;
a first polarization structure disposed on a first face of the waveguide and transmitting a first polarized light of external light to an outside of the waveguide and reflecting a second polarized light of the light to an inside of the waveguide; and
a second polarization structure disposed on a second face of the waveguide, transmitting the first polarized light of the external light to the outside of the waveguide, and outputting at least some of the second polarized light to the outside of the waveguide.

10. The waveguide device of claim 9 , wherein:
the second polarization structure is divided into a first area in which the second polarized light is reflected to the inside of the waveguide; and a second area in which at least some of the second polarized light is outputted to the outside of the waveguide, and
the first area and the second area are disposed on a plane parallel to the second face.

11. The waveguide device of claim 10 , wherein the second polarization structure comprises:
a polarizer disposed over the first area and the second area; and
an output grating disposed to overlap the polarizer in the second area in an axis perpendicular to the second face.

12. The waveguide device of claim 11 , wherein the polarizer transmits at least some of the second polarized light in opposite to the output grating in the second area.

13. The waveguide device of claim 11 , wherein the polarizer is formed in a first thickness in accordance with the first area and is formed in a second thickness smaller than the first thickness in accordance with the second area.

14. The waveguide device of claim 9 , further comprising a light source generating light within the waveguide.

15. The waveguide device of claim 9 , further comprising an input grating inputting light to the inside of the waveguide.

16. The waveguide device of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first polarization structure or the second polarization structure comprises at least one opening in which the input grating is disposed and which transmits the light to the inside of the waveguide.

17. An augmented reality display comprising:
a light source configured to generate light related to an image; and
a waveguide device outputting at least some of the light,
wherein the waveguide device comprises:
a waveguide guiding the light therein;
a first polarization structure disposed on a first face of the waveguide, transmitting a first polarized light of the light to an outside of the waveguide, and reflecting a second polarized light of the light to an inside of the waveguide; and
a second polarization structure disposed on a second face of the waveguide and outputting at least some of the second polarized light to the outside of the waveguide.

18. The augmented reality display of claim 17 , wherein:
the second polarization structure is divided into a first area in which the second polarized light is reflected to the inside of the waveguide; and a second area in which at least some of the second polarized light is outputted to the outside of the waveguide, and
the first area and the second area are disposed on a plane parallel to the second face.

19. The augmented reality display of claim 18 , wherein the second polarization structure comprises:
a polarizer disposed over the first area and the second area; and
an output grating disposed to overlap the polarizer in the second area in an axis perpendicular to the second face.

20. The augmented reality display of claim 18 , wherein:
the polarizer is formed in a first thickness in accordance with the first area and is formed in a second thickness smaller than the first thickness in accordance with the second area, and
some of the second polarized light is transmitted in opposite to an output grating in the second area.

Assignees

• Univ Korea Res & Business Foundation Sejong Campus

Inventors

• Kim Hwi

Classifications

• G02B6/005

  provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide · CPC title

• G02B6/0023

  provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source · CPC title

• G02B5/3025

  Polarisers, i.e. arrangements capable of producing a definite output polarisation state from an unpolarised input state (G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B5/1814

  structurally combined with one or more further optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms or other diffraction gratings (G02B5/189 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B5/3058

  comprising electrically conductive elements, e.g. wire grids, conductive particles · CPC title