Reflective Array Waveguide Warping Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacture of reflective array waveguides for wearable display devices in augmented reality is challenged by the warping or deflection of mirror panels due to intense heat during the fabrication process, leading to a distorted view of virtual and surrounding environments.
Innovation Solution
The use of clear and reflecting waveguide panels with a partially reflective metal oxide coating on opposing sides, alternated and angled to balance tensile forces, prevents warping and deflection, allowing for see-through and reflective functionality without distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mirror coating is applied to mirror panels during fabrication, then the waveguide achieves reflective functionality, but the intense heat causes warping or deflection of the mirror panels
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide is divided into multiple alternating clear panels and reflecting panels, where only the reflecting panels contain mirror coatings. This segmentation allows the coating process to be applied to smaller, more manageable panels that are less prone to warping, while the clear panels serve as structural support to maintain overall flatness.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror coating is applied locally only to specific reflecting panels rather than uniformly across the entire waveguide structure. This localized application reduces the thermal load on any single panel, minimizing warping while maintaining the necessary reflective functionality in specific regions.
2Ease of manufacture
If mirror panels are adhered together to form a waveguide, then the waveguide structure is assembled, but the intense heat and subsequent cooling cause warping or deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide is constructed by assembling multiple thin panels (alternating clear and reflecting panels) rather than using a single thick panel. This segmentation into thin layers reduces thermal mass, allowing faster and more uniform heating and cooling during the coating process, thereby minimizing warping while maintaining ease of assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The waveguide uses a composite structure combining clear panels and reflecting panels with mirror coatings. This composite design allows the clear panels to provide structural stability and resist warping, while the reflecting panels provide the necessary optical functionality, creating a balanced structure that maintains flatness during manufacturing and operation.
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 ensures the manufacture of reflective array waveguides that maintain their flatness, providing undistorted virtual and augmented reality imaging, enhancing the user experience by preventing warping and deflection issues.
Implementation Method 1
reflecting waveguide panels to reflect a virtual image that is generated to appear as part of the environment
Implementation Method 2
The alternating clear and reflecting waveguide panels are angled for augmented reality imaging of the reflected virtual image as part of the environment that is viewed through the reflective array waveguide
Data Source
AI summary
In embodiments of reflective array waveguide, a reflective array waveguide includes clear waveguide panels for see-through viewing of an environment viewed through the reflective array waveguide. The reflective array waveguide also includes reflecting waveguide panels to reflect a virtual image that is generated to appear as part of the environment. Each of the reflecting waveguide panels have a partially reflective mirror coating deposited on opposing sides, and the reflecting waveguide panels are alternated in the reflective array waveguide with the clear waveguide panels. The alternating clear and reflecting waveguide panels are angled for augmented reality imaging of the reflected virtual image as part of the environment that is viewed through the reflective array waveguide.