Laser based display method and system
View Patent ↗The present invention is directed to display technologies. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide projection display systems where one or more laser diodes are used as light source for illustrating images. In one set of embodiments, the present invention provides projector systems that utilize blue and/or green laser fabricated using gallium nitride containing material. In another set of embodiments, the present invention provides projection systems having digital lighting processing engines illuminated by blue and/or green laser devices. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a 3D display system. There are other embodiments as well.
1. A projection apparatus comprising:
a light engine, the light engine comprising:
a laser source, the laser source comprising an edge emitting blue laser diode, an edge emitting green laser diode, and a red laser diode; wherein,
the green laser diode is configured to emit a wavelength of about 490 nm to 540 nm; and
the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are each fabricated using a gallium and nitrogen containing material;
wherein the laser source is configured to produce a laser beam by combining outputs from the blue laser diode, the green laser diode, and the red laser diode; and
a micro display device configured with the laser source.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein,
the blue laser diode, the green laser diode, and the red laser diode are configured on a common mounting surface; and
the common mounting surface is provided in a single package.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blue laser diode and the green laser diode share a mounting surface.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the blue laser diode and the green laser diode is fabricated from a different gallium and nitrogen containing substrate.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein both the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are fabricated from a same gallium and nitrogen containing substrate.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein,
the blue laser diode is characterized by a polar orientation; and
the green laser diode is characterized by a semipolar orientation.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein,
the blue laser diode is characterized by a polar orientation; and
the green laser diode is characterized by an orientation selected from a nonpolar orientation, a semipolar orientation, and a polar orientation.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein,
the blue laser diode is characterized by a nonpolar orientation or a semipolar orientation; and
the green laser diode is characterized by an orientation selected from a nonpolar orientation, a semipolar orientation, and a polar orientation.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blue laser diode and green laser diodes are characterized by an orientation selected from a nonpolar orientation and a semipolar orientation.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein,
the green laser diode is characterized by a semipolar {20-21} orientation and comprises a laser stripe characterized by a cavity orientation substantially in a projection of a c-direction;
the laser stripe has a first end and a second end;
the laser stripe has a length ranging from 50 microns to 3000 microns; and
the laser stripe comprises multiple quantum well active regions.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the red laser diode comprises GaAlInP material.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a yellow laser diode.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the micro display is selected from a MEMS scanning mirror, a digital light processor, and a liquid crystal based display.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the light engine is configured in an electronic device selected from a pico projector, a 3D display, a cellular telephone, a camera, a personal computer, and a portable computer.
15. A projection apparatus comprising a laser source, the laser source comprising an edge emitting blue laser diode, an edge emitting green laser diode, and an edge emitting red laser diode; wherein,
the green laser diode is configured to emit a wavelength of about 490 nm to 540 nm; and
the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are each fabricated using a gallium and nitrogen containing material;
the blue laser diode, the green laser diode, and the red laser diode share a mounting surface configured in a single package;
the laser source is configured to produce a laser beam by combining outputs from the blue laser diode, the green laser diode, and the red laser diode; and
each of the blue laser diode, the green laser diode, and the red laser diode is configured to be individually modulated.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein,
the blue laser diode is characterized by a polar orientation; and
the green laser diode is characterized by a semipolar orientation.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein,
the blue laser diode is characterized by a polar orientation; and
the green laser diode is characterized by an orientation selected from a nonpolar orientation, a semipolar orientation, and a polar orientation.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein,
the blue laser diode is characterized by a nonpolar or semipolar orientation; and
the green laser diode is characterized by an orientation selected from a nonpolar orientation, a semipolar orientation, and a polar orientation.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the green laser diode is characterized by a semipolar {20-21} orientation and comprises a laser stripe characterized by a cavity orientation substantially in a projection of a c-direction.
20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the red laser diode comprises GaAlInP material.
21. The apparatus of claim 15 , comprising a micro-display, the micro-display comprising a MEMS scanning mirror, a digital light processor, or a liquid crystal based display.
22. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is configured in an electronic device selected from a pico projector, a 3D display, a cellular telephone, a camera, a personal computer, and a portable computer.
23. A projection apparatus comprising a light engine, the light engine comprising:
a laser source, the laser source comprising an edge emitting blue laser diode, an edge emitting green laser diode, and an edge emitting red laser diode; wherein
the green laser diode is configured to emit a wavelength of about 490 nm to 540 nm; and
the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are each fabricated using a gallium and nitrogen containing material;
wherein the blue laser diode, the green laser diode, or both the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are characterized by a nonpolar or semipolar orientation; and
a micro display device configured with the laser source,
wherein the laser source is configured to produce a laser beam by combining outputs from the blue laser diode, the green laser diode, and the red laser diode.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the blue laser diode, the green laser diode, and the red laser diode share a mounting surface.
25. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the red laser diode comprises GaAlInP material.
26. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the micro display device is selected from a MEMS scanning mirror, a digital light processor, and a liquid crystal based display.
27. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the light engine is configured in an electronic device selected from a pico projector, a 3D display, a cellular telephone, a camera, a personal computer, and a portable computer.
28. A projection apparatus comprising:
a light engine, the light engine comprising:
a laser source, the laser source comprising an edge emitting blue laser diode, an edge emitting green laser diode, and an edge emitting red laser diode; wherein,
the green laser diode is configured to emit a wavelength of about 490 nm to 540 nm; and
the blue laser diode and the green laser diode are fabricated using a gallium and nitrogen containing material;
the blue laser diode is characterized by an orientation selected from a nonpolar orientation, a semipolar orientation, and a polar orientation;
the green laser diode is characterized by a semipolar {20-21} orientation and comprises a laser stripe region characterized by a cavity orientation substantially in a projection of a c-direction;
a micro display device configured with the laser source, wherein the micro display is selected from a MEMS scanning mirror, a digital light processor, and a liquid crystal based display, wherein,
the laser source is configured to produce a laser beam by combining outputs from the blue laser diode, the green laser diode, and the red laser diode.