Switchable polarization retarder array for active zonal illumination of display

1. An optical device for illuminating one or more portions of a spatial light modulator, the optical device comprising:

a waveguide;

an array of tunable retarders positioned relative to the waveguide so that a respective tunable retarder:

is optically coupled to receive light from the waveguide,

has a first state, which causes the respective tunable retarder to direct light having a first polarization in a first direction, and

has a second state distinct from the first state, which causes the respective tunable retarder to direct light having a second polarization that is distinct from the first polarization in the first direction; and

a polarization selective optical element located adjacent to the array of tunable retarders so that the light having the first polarization propagates from the polarization selective optical element in a second direction and the light having the second polarization propagates from the polarization selective optical element in a third direction distinct from the second direction.

2. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide has a first surface and an opposing second surface, and the light propagating in the second direction from the polarization selective optical element exits the waveguide through the first surface.

3. The optical device of claim 2 , wherein the light propagating in the third direction from the polarization selective optical element undergoes a total internal reflection thereby continuing to propagate inside the waveguide.

4. The optical device of claim 3 , wherein the array of tunable retarders is located adjacent to the second surface of the waveguide.

5. The optical device of claim 3 , wherein the polarization selective optical element and the array of tunable retarders are embedded inside the waveguide.

6. The optical device of claim 2 , further including a substrate, wherein:

the polarization selective optical element is disposed between the substrate and the array of tunable retarders;

the array of tunable retarders is positioned adjacent to the second surface of the waveguide; and

the light propagating in the third direction from the polarization selective optical element is received by the substrate such that the light undergoes a total internal reflection at a surface of the substrate.

7. The optical device of claim 2 , wherein the light exiting the waveguide through the first surface is received by a respective portion of the one or more portions of the spatial light modulator.

8. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein:

the array of tunable retarders includes a first tunable retarder and a second tunable retarder distinct and mutually exclusive from the first tunable retarder;

the first tunable retarder is tunable independent of the state the second tunable retarder is in; and

the second tunable retarder is tunable independent of the state the first tunable retarder is in.

9. The optical device of claim 8 , wherein:

the first tunable retarder is configured to:

receive, while the first tunable retarder is in the first state, the light having a third polarization and provide first light having the first polarization; and

receive, while the first tunable retarder is in the second state, the light having the third polarization and provide second light having the second polarization; and

the second tunable retarder is configured to:

receive, while the second tunable retarder is in the first state, the light having the third polarization and provide the first light having the first polarization; and

receive, while the second tunable retarder is in the second state, the light having the third polarization and provide the second light having the second polarization.

10. The optical device of claim 9 , wherein:

the array of tunable retarders includes a third tunable retarder distinct and mutually exclusive from the first tunable retarder and the second tunable retarder;

the second light from the second tunable retarder, propagating inside the waveguide, is received by the third tunable retarder, the second light received by the third tunable retarder having the second polarization; and

the third tunable retarder is configured to:

while the third tunable retarder is in the first state, provide the first light having the first polarization; and

while the third tunable retarder is in the second state, provide the second light having the second polarization.

11. The optical device of claim 10 , wherein:

the first light propagating from the first tunable retarder is received by a first portion of the spatial light modulator; and

the second light propagating from the third tunable retarder is received by a second portion distinct from the first portion of the spatial light modulator.

12. The optical device of claim 11 , wherein the first light propagating from the first tunable retarder received by the first portion of the spatial light modulator has a first intensity and the second light propagating from the third tunable retarder received by the second portion of the spatial light modulator has a second intensity distinct from the first intensity.

13. The optical device of claim 1 , wherein:

the respective tunable retarder is configured to change states between multiple distinct states, including the first state and the second state.

14. A display device, comprising:

a spatial light modulator;

an optical device configured to illuminate the spatial light modulator, the optical device including:

a waveguide;

an array of tunable retarders positioned relative to the waveguide so that a respective tunable retarder:

is optically coupled to receive light from the waveguide,

has a first state, which causes the respective tunable retarder to direct light having a first polarization in a first direction, and

has a second state distinct from the first state, which causes the respective tunable retarder to direct light having a second polarization that is distinct from the first polarization in the first direction; and

a polarization selective optical element located adjacent to the array of tunable retarders so that the light having the first polarization propagates from the polarization selective optical element in a second direction toward the spatial light modulator and the light having the second polarization propagates from the polarization selective optical element in a third direction distinct from the second direction.

15. The display device of claim 14 , wherein:

the spatial light modulator is configured to:

receive the light propagating in the second direction from the polarization selective optical element; and

output image light in a fourth direction.

16. A method for illuminating one or more portions of a spatial light modulator, the method comprising:

at an optical device including a waveguide, an array of tunable retarders and a polarization selective optical element located adjacent to the array of tunable retarders:

receiving, by a respective tunable retarder, light from the waveguide;

providing, by the respective tunable retarder, while in a first state, light having a first polarization;

providing, by the respective tunable retarder, while in a second state, light having a second polarization;

directing, with the polarization selective optical element, the light having the first polarization in a first direction toward a respective portion of the one or more portions of the spatial light modulator; and

directing, with the polarization selective optical element, the light having the second polarization in a second direction distinct from the first direction.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the array of tunable retarders includes a first tunable retarder and a second tunable retarder distinct and mutually exclusive from the first tunable retarder;

the first tunable retarder is tunable independent of the state the second tunable retarder is in; and

the second tunable retarder is tunable independent of the state the first tunable retarder is in.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

receiving, with the first tunable retarder while the first tunable retarder is in the first state, the light having a third polarization and providing first light having the first polarization;

receiving, with the first tunable retarder while the first tunable retarder is in the second state, the light having the third polarization and providing second light having the second polarization;

receiving, with the second tunable retarder while the second tunable retarder is in the first state, the light having the third polarization and providing the first light having the first polarization; and

receiving, with the second tunable retarder while the second tunable retarder is in the second state, the light having the third polarization and providing the second light having the second polarization.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the array of tunable retarders includes a third tunable retarder distinct and mutually exclusive from the first tunable retarder and the second tunable retarder, and the method further comprises:

receiving, by the third tunable retarder, the second light from the second tunable retarder, propagating inside the waveguide, the second light received by the third tunable retarder having the second polarization;

while the third tunable retarder is in the first state, providing the first light having the first polarization; and

while the third tunable retarder is in the second state, providing the second light having the second polarization.

20. The method claim 19 , further comprising:

receiving, by a first portion of the spatial light modulator, the first light propagating from the first tunable retarder; and

receiving, by a second portion distinct from the first portion of the spatial light modulator, the second light propagating from the third tunable retarder.