Waveguide illuminator

Abstract

A display system configured to project light to an eye of a user, the display system comprising: at least one light source; a spatial light modulator having one or more pixels and configured to form an image; and at least one waveguide having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and first and second edges between the first and second major surfaces, the spatial light modulator being closer to the first major surface of the at least one waveguide and the at least one light source closer to the second major surface of the at least one waveguide, wherein the display system is configured such that light from the light source is received into the at least one waveguide through the second major surface and is transmitted through the first major surface towards the spatial light modulator, and at least a portion of the light illuminating the spatial light modulator is redirected back and diffractively coupled into the at least one waveguide by a diffractive optical element disposed on the second major surface to be guided therein, and wherein the at least one waveguide is configured to be positioned on a head of the user in front of the user's eye such that at least a portion of the light from the spatial light modulator diffractively coupled into the at least one waveguide and guided therein is output from the at least one waveguide to the eye of the user to display image content to the user.

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