Waveguide Display ASIC Alignment for Monochromatic Emitter Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional near-eye display systems using a single polychromatic light source driven by a single ASIC assembly are not suitable for systems with multiple monochromatic light sources, leading to inefficiencies and potential misalignment issues.
Innovation Solution
The use of multiple ASIC assemblies or a single ASIC with an interposer to drive monochromatic emitter arrays, allowing for precise alignment and efficient projection of separate single-color images into a waveguide display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single ASIC assembly is used to drive a single polychromatic light source, then the device complexity is reduced, but the system cannot support multiple monochromatic light sources leading to misalignment issues and reduced manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the driving system into multiple ASIC assemblies, with each ASIC dedicated to driving a specific monochromatic emitter array. This segmentation allows each ASIC to be precisely aligned with its corresponding emitter array during fabrication, eliminating misalignment issues that would arise from using a single ASIC for multiple light sources. The segmentation enables independent optimization of each ASIC-emitter pair while maintaining overall system integration.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple ASIC assemblies are used to drive multiple monochromatic emitter arrays, then the manufacturing precision and alignment are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple ASIC assemblies and their corresponding monochromatic emitter arrays into a single integrated unit. This merging allows the multiple ASICs to be fabricated and aligned together as one structure, reducing the cumulative alignment errors that would occur if they were separate components. The integration maintains the precision benefits of individual ASIC alignment while reducing the overall device complexity through unified fabrication and assembly.
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 precise projection of multi-colored images by aligning monochromatic emitter arrays, reducing fabrication complexity and enhancing display quality in near-eye displays.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the plurality of monochromatic emitter arrays has a plurality of emitters disposed in a two-dimensional configuration and emits a monochromatic image of a corresponding color
Implementation Method 2
a waveguide configuration that includes a top surface, a bottom surface disposed opposite the top surface, a coupling area that receives the monochromatic images, and a decoupling area that projects a plurality of instances of a polychromatic image
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosed waveguide display device may include a waveguide and one or more projector assemblies configured to project image light into the waveguide, where each of the one or more projector assemblies includes a first monochromatic emitter array having a plurality of emitters of a first color disposed in a two-dimensional configuration and a second monochromatic emitter array having a plurality of emitters of a second color disposed in a two-dimensional configuration. The display device may also include at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) configured to drive the first and second monochromatic emitter arrays to emit images of the first and second color along a common axis, with the first color being different from the second color. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.