Holographic Waveguide Manufacturing via Movable Platform
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for high volume manufacturing of waveguides with holographic gratings are inefficient and costly, limiting their application in augmented reality, virtual reality, and other display and sensor technologies.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for recording holographic gratings using a movable platform to support waveguide cells, a master grating, and a laser source to form recording beams, allowing for stepwise exposure of multiple waveguide cells with zero-order and diffracted beams, and incorporating an index matching layer and optical filter to enhance diffraction efficiency and uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional methods are used for manufacturing waveguides with holographic gratings, then manufacturing capability is limited, but production efficiency and cost-effectiveness are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the waveguide array into multiple individually addressable waveguide cells that can be manufactured in parallel using the same laser system. Each waveguide cell can be independently positioned and exposed, enabling high-volume production while maintaining manufacturing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from manufacturing single waveguides to manufacturing arrays of waveguides by adding the spatial dimension of multiple waveguide cells that can be simultaneously or sequentially processed. This dimensional expansion enables high-volume manufacturing without proportionally increasing manufacturing complexity or cost.
2Productivity
If multiple waveguide cells are exposed simultaneously, then production volume increases, but alignment precision and diffraction efficiency uniformity become difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs movable platforms that can dynamically reposition waveguide cells into precise alignment with the laser beam path. This dynamic positioning capability allows multiple waveguide cells to be exposed simultaneously while maintaining high alignment precision through controlled movement rather than fixed rigid alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms through the movable platform system that can detect and compensate for positioning variations. This feedback control ensures that each waveguide cell is precisely aligned with the laser beam, maintaining manufacturing precision even when multiple cells are being processed in parallel to increase production volume.
3Productivity
If multiple waveguide cells are exposed simultaneously, then production volume increases, but diffraction efficiency uniformity becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The movable platform system dynamically adjusts the position of each waveguide cell to ensure optimal alignment with the laser beam, which directly influences diffraction efficiency. This dynamic positioning enables uniform diffraction efficiency across multiple waveguide cells while maintaining high production volume through simultaneous exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls diffraction efficiency uniformity by precisely managing exposure parameters such as laser beam intensity, exposure time, and spatial positioning. By dynamically adjusting these parameters for each waveguide cell in the array, the system maintains uniform diffraction efficiency across all cells while processing multiple cells simultaneously to increase production volume.
4Productivity
If a movable platform is used to support multiple waveguide cells, then manufacturing flexibility and volume increase, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the waveguide array into multiple independently controllable waveguide cells mounted on the movable platform. This segmentation allows each cell to be individually positioned and exposed, enabling high-volume manufacturing. The modular nature of the segmented approach manages system complexity by breaking down the overall manufacturing task into simpler, repeatable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable platform system serves multiple functions: it positions waveguide cells, aligns them with the laser beam, and enables simultaneous processing of multiple cells. This multi-functionality increases manufacturing volume and flexibility while managing system complexity by consolidating multiple operations into a single integrated platform rather than requiring separate mechanisms for each function.
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
Enables efficient and cost-effective high volume manufacturing of waveguides with high diffraction efficiency and uniformity, suitable for advanced display and sensor applications.
Implementation Method 1
During the recording process, the monomers polymerize, and the mixture undergoes a photopolymerization-induced phase separation
Implementation Method 2
the mixture undergoes a photopolymerization-induced phase separation, creating regions densely populated by liquid crystal micro-droplets, interspersed with regions of clear polymer
Implementation Method 3
planar waveguides can be designed to utilize diffraction gratings to diffract and couple incident light into the waveguide structure such that the in-coupled light can proceed to travel within the planar structure via total internal reflection
Implementation Method 4
the in-coupled light can proceed to travel within the planar structure via total internal reflection
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for recording holographic gratings in accordance with various embodiments of the invention are illustrated. One embodiment includes a holographic recording system including a first movable platform configured to support a first plurality of waveguide cells for exposure, at least one master grating, and at least one laser source configured to provide a set of recording beams by directing light towards the at least one master grating, wherein the first movable platform is translatable in predefined steps along at least one of two orthogonal directions, and wherein at each the predefined step at least one waveguide cell is positioned to be illuminated by at least one recording beam within the set of recording beams.