PROJECTOR ARCHITECTURE INCORPORATING ARTIFACT MITIGATION
An eyepiece for projecting an image to a viewer includes a substrate positioned in a substrate lateral plane and a set of color filters disposed on the substrate. The set of color filters comprise a first color filter disposed at a first lateral position and operable to pass a first wavelength range, a second color filter disposed at a second lateral position and operable to pass a second wavelength range, and a third color filter disposed at a third lateral position and operable to pass a third wavelength range. The eyepiece further includes a first planar waveguide positioned in a first lateral plane adjacent the substrate lateral plane, a second planar waveguide positioned in a second lateral plane adjacent to the first lateral plane, and a third planar waveguide positioned in a third lateral plane adjacent to the second lateral plane.
1 . An eyepiece for projecting an image to an eye of a viewer, the eyepiece comprising:
a substrate positioned in a substrate lateral plane;
a set of color filters disposed on the substrate, wherein the set of color filters comprise:
a first color filter disposed at a first lateral position and operable to pass a first wavelength range;
a second color filter disposed at a second lateral position and operable to pass a second wavelength range; and
a third color filter disposed at a third lateral position and operable to pass a third wavelength range;
a first planar waveguide positioned in a first lateral plane adjacent the substrate lateral plane, wherein the first planar waveguide comprises a first diffractive optical element (DOE) disposed at the first lateral position;
a second planar waveguide positioned in a second lateral plane adjacent to the first lateral plane, wherein the second planar waveguide comprises a second DOE disposed at the second lateral position; and
a third planar waveguide positioned in a third lateral plane adjacent to the second lateral plane, wherein the third planar waveguide comprises a third DOE disposed at the third lateral position.
2 . The eyepiece of claim 1 wherein the first color filter comprises a first photoresist operable to transmit the first wavelength range and attenuate the second wavelength range and the third wavelength range.
3 . The eyepiece of claim 1 wherein the second color filter comprises a second photoresist operable to transmit the second wavelength range and attenuate the first wavelength range and the third wavelength range.
4 . The eyepiece of claim 1 wherein the third color filter comprises a third photoresist operable to transmit the third wavelength range and attenuate the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range.
5 . The eyepiece of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first color filter, the second color filter, or the third color filter comprises ultraviolet ink.
6 . The eyepiece of claim 1 wherein, in a plan view the first color filter is positioned opposite the third color filter about an optical axis.
7 . The eyepiece of claim 1 wherein:
the substrate has a first side and a second side;
the set of color filters are disposed on the first side of the substrate or the second side of the substrate; and
the second side of the substrate faces the first planar waveguide.
8 . The eyepiece of claim 1 further comprising:
a fourth color filter disposed on the substrate at a fourth lateral position and operable to pass the second wavelength range; and
a fifth color filter disposed at a fifth lateral position and operable to pass the third wavelength range.
9 . The eyepiece of claim 8 wherein, in a plan view the second color filter is positioned opposite the fourth color filter about an optical axis.
10 . The eyepiece of claim 8 further comprising:
a fourth planar waveguide positioned in a fourth lateral plane adjacent the third lateral plane, wherein the fourth planar waveguide comprises a fourth diffractive optical element (DOE) disposed at the fourth lateral position;
a fifth planar waveguide positioned in a fifth lateral plane adjacent to the fourth lateral plane, wherein the fifth planar waveguide comprises a fifth DOE disposed at the fifth lateral position; and
a sixth planar waveguide positioned in a sixth lateral plane adjacent to the fifth lateral plane, wherein the sixth planar waveguide comprises a sixth DOE disposed at a sixth lateral position.
11 . The eyepiece of claim 8 further comprising:
a sixth color filter disposed at a sixth lateral position and operable to pass the first wavelength range.
12 . The eyepiece of claim 1 wherein the first wavelength range includes 400 nm-500 nm (blue), the second wavelength range includes 600 nm to 700 nm (red) and the third wavelength range includes 500 nm to 600 nm (green).
13 . An eyepiece for projecting an image to an eye of a viewer, the eyepiece comprising:
a first planar waveguide positioned in a first lateral plane, wherein the first planar waveguide comprises a first diffractive optical element (DOE) disposed at a first lateral position;
a first optical filter coupled to the first planar waveguide at a second lateral position different from the first lateral position;
a second planar waveguide positioned in a second lateral plane adjacent to the first lateral plane, wherein the second planar waveguide comprises a second DOE disposed at the first lateral position;
a third planar waveguide positioned in a third lateral plane adjacent to the second lateral plane, wherein the third planar waveguide comprises a third DOE disposed at the first lateral position; and
a second optical filter positioned between the second planar waveguide and the third planar waveguide, wherein the second optical filter is disposed at the first lateral position.
14 . The eyepiece of claim 13 wherein the first DOE is configured to diffract light with a first wavelength range and the first optical filter comprises an absorption filter operable to absorb wavelengths outside the first wavelength range.
15 . The eyepiece of claim 13 wherein the first optical filter comprises a filter configured to transmit light in a first wavelength range and to absorb at least a portion of the light outside the first wavelength range.
16 . The eyepiece of claim 15 wherein the first optical filter is further configured to absorb at least a portion of the light in a third wavelength range.
17 . The eyepiece of claim 13 wherein the second optical filter comprises a dichroic reflector.
18 . The eyepiece of claim 13 wherein:
the second DOE is configured to diffract light with a second wavelength range; and
the second optical filter is configured to reflect light with the second wavelength range toward the second DOE for diffraction into the second planar waveguide.
19 . The eyepiece of claim 13 wherein the first DOE is disposed in a first region disposed at the first lateral position and the first optical filter is disposed in a second region of the first planar waveguide.
20 . The eyepiece of claim 19 wherein the first optical filter is disposed in a cavity inside the first planar waveguide or on a first surface of the first planar waveguide.