Bonded Optical Elements for Fine-Pitch AR MicroLED Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in creating high-resolution, high-brightness display devices for applications like augmented reality smart glasses, due to inefficiencies in optical energy usage, manufacturing complexities, and high costs.
Innovation Solution
The development of bonded optical devices, where optical elements such as microLEDs are directly bonded to carriers like processor elements without adhesives, enabling fine pixel pitches and efficient light emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If LCoS technology is used to achieve low pixel pitch, then pixel pitch can be reduced, but optical energy efficiency deteriorates and manufacturing yield decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The display is segmented into multiple monochromatic sub-displays (red, green, blue) that are bonded together. Each sub-display uses simple monochromatic microLEDs rather than complex LCoS structures, achieving fine pixel pitch through precise bonding alignment while maintaining high optical efficiency of direct LED emission.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining multiple monochromatic LED layers with different colors (red, green, blue) bonded together. This composite approach achieves the low pixel pitch of LCoS through precise bonding while retaining the high optical energy efficiency of direct LED emission.
2Illumination intensity
If microLED technology is used to achieve high brightness, then optical energy efficiency improves, but manufacturing complexity increases for multi-colored displays
Solution Approach 1:
The complex multi-colored display is segmented into separate monochromatic sub-displays (red, green, blue) that can be manufactured independently using simple microLED processes. Each sub-display maintains high brightness while avoiding the complexity of integrating multiple wavelengths in a single device.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple independently manufactured monochromatic microLED displays are merged through bonding to create the final multi-colored display. This merging process achieves high brightness from each LED layer while the overall manufacturing complexity is reduced compared to creating a single integrated multi-wavelength device.
3Ease of manufacture
If adhesive bonding is used to attach optical elements to carriers, then ease of manufacture improves, but image quality deteriorates due to interference and resolution loss
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer, which causes image quality degradation, is extracted and removed from the bonding interface. Direct bonding techniques are used to attach optical elements to carriers without adhesives, eliminating interference and resolution loss while maintaining ease of manufacture through direct bonding processes.
4Volume of moving object
If monochromatic microLED displays are integrated for AR smart glasses, then device compactness improves, but achieving desired image quality becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple monochromatic microLED displays are nested or stacked in a compact arrangement suitable for AR smart glasses. The bonding technology enables precise alignment and integration of these layers in a compact form factor while maintaining high image quality through direct bonding without adhesives.
Solution Approach 2:
The display structure transitions from a single-plane configuration to a multi-layer stacked configuration, utilizing the vertical dimension to integrate multiple monochromatic displays. This dimensional change achieves compactness for wearable devices while maintaining image quality through precise bonding alignment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the creation of high-resolution, high-brightness displays with fine pixel pitches, improving image quality and manufacturability while reducing costs and energy loss.
Implementation Method 1
a first optical element having a first array of optical emitters configured to emit light of a first color... a second optical element having a second array of optical emitters configured to emit light of a second color
Data Source
AI summary
A bonded optical device is disclosed. The bonded optical device can include a first optical element, a second optical element, and an optical pathway. The first optical element has a first array of optical emitters configured to emit light of a first color. The first optical element is bonded to at least one processor element, the at least one processor element including active circuitry configured to control operation of the first optical element. The second optical element has a second array of optical emitters configured to emit light of a second color different from the first color. The second optical element is bonded to the at least one processor element. The optical pathway is optically coupled with the first and second optical elements. The optical pathway is configured to transmit a superposition of light from the first and second optical emitters to an optical output to be viewed by users.