Color-selective waveguides for augmented reality/mixed reality applications
Color-selective waveguides, methods for fabricating color-selective waveguides, and augmented reality (AR)/mixed reality (MR) applications including color-selective waveguides are described. The color-selective waveguides can advantageously reduce or block stray light entering a waveguide (e.g., red, green, or blue waveguide), thereby reducing or eliminating back-reflection or back-scattering into the eyepiece.
1 . A display device comprising:
a polymer waveguide comprising:
one or more patterned regions comprising an incoupling grating configured to incouple light of one or more colors; and
one or more unpatterned regions,
wherein the polymer waveguide comprises a light-absorbing chromatic component and is configured to: absorb at least 90% of light of one or more wavelength ranges traveling through the polymer waveguide and that the incoupling grating is not configured to incouple.
2 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the incoupling grating is configured to incouple one or more of red light, green light, and blue light.
3 . The display device of claim 2 , wherein the light of one or more wavelength ranges comprises one or more of red light, green light, and blue light that the incoupling grating is not configured to incouple.
4 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the chromatic component is configured to absorb at least 90% of infrared light.
5 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the chromatic component varies across the waveguide.
6 . The display device of claim 5 , wherein the concentration of the chromatic component decreases from a region on a side of the waveguide proximate the incoupling grating to an other region on a side of the waveguide opposite the incoupling grating.
7 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the chromatic component defines an area at least partially surrounding the incoupling grating.
8 . The display device of claim 7 , wherein the area forms a ring that completely encircles the incoupling grating.
9 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein polymer waveguide comprises an other chromatic component configured to absorb light of a different wavelength range than the chromatic component.
10 . The display device of claim 9 , wherein the other chromatic component defines an area at least partially encircling the incoupling grating.
11 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein a total internal reflection path length of the polymer waveguide is in a range of about 2 cm to about 15 cm.
12 . A method of forming a polymer waveguide, the method comprising:
contacting a polymerizable material with a mold, wherein:
the mold forms a pattern in the polymerizable material, the pattern defining an incoupling grating configured to incouple light of one or more colors; and
wherein the polymerizable material comprises a light-absorbing chromatic component;
polymerizing the polymerizable material to form a patterned polymer attached to the mold; and
separating the patterned polymer from the mold,
wherein the polymerizable material is configured to absorb at least 90% of light of one or more wavelength ranges traveling through the polymer and that the ICG is not configured to incouple.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymerizable material comprises a resin and the chromatic component comprises a dye.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein contacting the polymerizable material with the mold comprises dispensing the polymerizable material on the mold.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein contacting the polymerizable material with the mold comprises dispensing polymerizable material with different concentrations of the chromatic component at different locations on the mold.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein dispensing polymerizable material with different concentrations of the chromatic component at different locations on the mold comprises dispensing polymerizable material without the chromatic component at at least one of the different locations.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the pattern in the polymerizable material formed by the mold further defines an outcoupling optical element.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the polymerizable material with the chromatic component is disposed in an area of the mold corresponding to the incoupling grating, and wherein the polymerizable material without the chromatic component is disposed in an area of the mold corresponding to the outcoupling grating.
19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein polymerizing the polymerizable material comprises irradiating the polymerizable material with ultraviolet radiation.
20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the incoupling grating is configured to incouple one or more of red light, green light, and blue light, and wherein the light of one or more wavelength ranges comprises one or more of red light, green light, and blue light that the incoupling grating is not configured to incouple.