Design of single-layer color echelle grating optical waveguide for augmented-reality display

We proposed a single-layer color echelle grating combined optical waveguide structure for an augmented-reality display. In this structure, we used echelle gratings with super-wavelength periodic scale as in-coupling, relay, and out-coupling elements. The combined propagation of three light beams in the waveguide was realized by overlapping different high diffraction orders of the RGB three primary colors, and deflection of the beam direction between gratings was achieved by conical diffraction generated by the inclined grating. Using the vector diffraction theory, the structural parameters and tolerance ranges of the three types of gratings were optimized, rendering average diffraction efficiencies of the three primary colors of the in-coupling, relay, and out-coupling gratings greater than 74%, 21%, and 35%, respectively. As a result, we obtained dual-channel one-dimensional pupil dilation of the original image and a field-of-view angle of h18.9 degrees x v36.87 degrees. (c) 2023 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

We propose a single-layer color echelle grating combined optical waveguide structure for augmented-reality display. By using echelle gratings with super-wavelength periodic scale as in-coupling, relay, and out-coupling elements, we achieve the combined propagation of three light beams in the waveguide. The deflection of beam direction between gratings is achieved by conical diffraction generated by the inclined grating, resulting in dual-channel one-dimensional pupil dilation of the original image and a field-of-view angle of 18.9 degrees x 36.87 degrees.