Compact near-eye display system using a superlens-based microlens array magnifier

A new type of very compact optical element for a near-eye display (NED) that uses a pair of microlens arrays (MLAs) is presented. The MLA pair works in conjunction to form a magnifier (collimator). The purpose of this is to aid in the accommodation of the eye on a head-up display that is positioned within several centimeters from the eye; the MLA pair collimates the light rays departing from the display thereby generating a virtual image of the display at optical infinity. By using the MLA pair, we are able to make a collimator that retains a thin profile of about 2 mm in thickness with a system focal length of about 7 mm. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America