Method and apparatus for light field generation

A nanophotonic phased array is configured to generate dynamic three-dimensional imagery when employed as an oscillatory beam-steering device. A scanning nanophotonic phased array generates programmable light fields. That is, a phased array generates reconfigurable light fields when controlled to perform an angular scan of incident illumination synchronized with respect to modulation of the incident illumination.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the use of an optical array of antennas, and more particularly to nanophotonic antennas in a phased array associated with a phase shifter, as a light field generator for such uses that include 3-D display and beam scanning for electronic display among others.

BACKGROUND ART

Autostereoscopic 3-D displays generate imagery visible to the unaided eye. The specific characteristics of the imagery depend on the operational mechanisms of the display device, but their properties usually include: (1) appearance in front of, behind, or straddling the display, (2) visibility as three-dimensional within a range of angles or distances from the display, (3) having a perceived spatial resolution, often specified at a surface of greatest detail (e.g. the display surface if one exists), (4) responsiveness to time-varying input, e.g. capable of displaying dynamic rather than static imagery, and (5) for imagery comprised of discrete perspective views, an angular view density which, ideally, is chosen so that the reconstructed 3-D scene does not exhibit visible “jumping” from view to view during user head motion.

For context, a typical 3-D display system performs the steps of:

(a) capturing or rendering information representative of a 3-D scene and storing it in a memory subsystem as image data;

(b) providing subsets of the image data to a projection engine of the display; and

(c) optically presenting the image data as to project a 3-D image (known as reconstruction or replay).

Creating 3-D imagery by projecting an image sequence synchronized to the oscillatory motion of an opto-mechanical beam-steering device, such as the lenticulars described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,864,419, is noisy, difficult to construct at scales greater than 30 cm×30 cm, and have a limited field of view. U.S. Pat. No. 7,864,419, titled “Optical Scanning Assembly,” (hereinafter “Cossairt '419”), is incorporated herein by reference. Moreover, these devices are difficult to operate in a two-axis (full parallax) scan mode because at least one mechanical axis must run at a very high frequency.

Creating static 2-D imagery in the far field has been demonstrated with a “pre-programmed” nanophotonic phased array using physically based interference modelling that requires the computation of potentially trillions of delay states to create an image of viewable size (See U.S. Pat. No. 8,988,754, and Sun, et al., “Large-scale nanophotonic phased array,” Nature, vol. 493, pp. 195-99, (2013), the entire content of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all that it discloses). However, the generation of dynamic (video) imagery using the Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm as reported is computationally expensive and requires orders of magnitude more delay-line controllers than the invention described here.

No electro-holographic or diffractive display of practical utility at a variety of scales has yet been demonstrated in the prior art. One reason for this is that the optical modulator is either too slow, or has pixels that are too large compared to the wavelength of light (resulting in imagery that either restricts head motion or requires a large output lens), or is run in a diffractive mode other than phased-array beam steering, which requires a complex scheme for asserting phase delays.

With rare exception, no autostereoscopic display technology has been of sufficient quality and utility to be widely adopted. Today's volumetric, lenticular, multi-projector, and scanned-view 3-D displays have been some combination of: unsuitably large for packaging into tablet or television form factors, uncomfortably narrow viewing angle, low image resolution at the display surface and throughout the reconstructed image volume, and computationally intensive.

Within the field of 3-D display, it is well known that 3-D imagery can be generated when light, representative of regions of a scene from a collection of viewpoints, is scanned in several directions towards a viewing region within the integration period of the human eye. This arrangement enables each eye of a viewer to potentially see a different image, which is a stereoscopic depth cue. For suitably broad fields of view, one or more simultaneous users can place their heads in different locations, inspecting a scene from various points of view.

Time-multiplexed autostereoscopic displays place demands on the frequency with which a set of light-transmitting regions must modulate, and on the number of such modulators. In one example, a 20,000 frame-per-second digital projector casts light onto a 30 cm×30 cm beam-steering array that performs oscillatory horizontal scanning at 50 Hz. In this case, the 3-D image is decomposed into 200 two-dimensional views, and the set of views are projected during each horizontal sweep of the scanner every 1/100 sec ( 1/100+ 1/100= 1/50 sec=50 Hz). Therefore, a 100×200=20,000 frame-per-second image source is required.

Workers in the field of 3-D display have experimented with various agile beam steering devices for 3-D display, such as two lenticular arrays undergoing relative vibratory motion, as described in Cossairt '419. Systems of this type have suffered from drawbacks including: narrow horizontal and/or vertical field of view, insufficient angular resolution, and acoustically noisy operation.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a radiation projector is provided that has a plurality of nanophotonic antennas configured to emit electromagnetic radiation. The radiation projector also has phase delay elements, each one characterized, at any particular moment, by a phase delay. At least one phase delay element is associated with at least one of the plurality of nanophotonic antennas. The radiation projector also has a control signal generator configured to generate a control signal associated with the plurality of delay elements, wherein the control signal is further configured to recurrently update phase delays of the plurality of phase delay elements in such a manner as to cause the electromagnetic radiation to substantially span at least one contiguous solid angle. In certain embodiments of the invention output of the antennas may generate a three dimensional light field of imagery.

A nanophotonic phased array can be configured to generate dynamic three-dimensional imagery in an efficient manner when employed as an oscillatory beam-steering device. A scanning nanophotonic phased array can generate programmable light fields. That is, a phased array can generate reconfigurable light fields if it is controlled to perform an angular scan of in-coupled or incident illumination and is synchronized with respect to the modulation of the incident illumination. This will be explained in the context of 3-D display. The system may use an optical array of antennas, configured as an array of nanophotonic antennas, to generate arbitrary light fields in applications including 3-D display. The array of nanophotonic antennas are assembled in an array of arrays, and operated in a phased array configuration to perform beam-scanning for electronic display.

Other techniques of electro-holographic display that may be applied to nanophotonic antenna arrays to generate 3-D imagery are also disclosed. For example, in addition to using the antennas as directional elements (direls) that perform a horizontal or two-axis periodic sweep of space, the antennas of the nanophotonic array can be operated as holographic pixels (hogels), each projecting an illumination cone representative of the appearance of a scene from a collection of viewing angles. Additionally, the nanophotonic phased array can be operated to produce “wafels,” by imposing a desired curvature on each piecewise contribution of a reconstructed light field's wavefront.

In other embodiments of the invention, a MEMS phase shifter is used for shifting the phase of the illuminated signal to direct the electromagnetic radiation to the proper antenna at the proper angle.

The radiation projector may also include a modulator for receiving data representative of a three dimensional scene and producing a plurality of time-varying illumination patterns. In certain embodiments, the scene may be scanned from several different directions and projected in several different directions so that a view can move their head and look around the scene.

In accordance with other embodiments of the invention, the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the antennas may be visible light. The radiation projector may also include the plurality of nanophotonic antennas coupled to the modulator for dividing the time-varying illumination patterns into a plurality of paths, wherein a path is associated with each antenna within the array.

In other embodiments of the invention, the plurality of delay elements are a plurality of phase shifters each associated with an antenna for shifting the phase of the time-varying illumination patterns collectively so that the patterns are modulated in synchrony for each of several directions.

The phase delay elements may shift the phase in both a horizontal and a vertical direction. The phase shifters may be associated with an array of nanophotonic antennas that represent a single pixel and the phase shifters for the single pixel receive a phase control signal in the x direction and in they direction. In such a configuration only two phase shift control values are needed to steer a radiation pattern from the antennas in the array.

When the nanophotonic array is arranged in an array of arrays, each array can represent a single pixel. In addition to representing a pixel the radiation pattern may represent a hogel, a direl, or a wafel.

The radiation projector according may also include a controller for providing phase shift control signals to each of the phase delay elements to provide a sequence of video images.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the plurality of phase delay elements is a MEMS phase shifter that mechanically alters phase based upon movement of a phase actuator. The phase actuator may be a movable membrane.

The radiation projector may also include a database containing data representative of the three dimensional scene scanned from several different directions.

In accordance with further embodiments of the invention, the nanophotonic antennas may be controlled with a first control signal to steer the emitted output radiation in a first direction. In other embodiments of the invention the nanophotonic antennas are controlled with a second control signal to steer the emitted output radiation in a second direction. The plurality of nanophotonic antennas may be arranged in an array and the array may be arranged on a two dimensional surface.

In another embodiment of the invention the radiation projector includes a lens and a plurality of interconnected switches having an input and an output wherein the input receives a time-varying illumination pattern and the time-varying illumination pattern is synchronized with control signals to the plurality of switches allowing the time-varying pattern to be directed in a desired direction through the output of the switches and through the lens. In certain embodiments the plurality of interconnected switches have a plurality of outputs that defines a pixel, wherein the direction of the emitted time-varying illumination pattern is dependent on the state of the switches.

In yet another embodiment of the invention for a radiation projector, the radiation projector includes a lenticular lens, an input for receiving a time-varying illumination pattern, a nanophotonic array having a plurality of outputs and a filter for directing the time-varying illumination pattern to a particular output of the nanophotonic array so that the time-varying illumination from the output is directed to the lenticular lens.

In accordance with other aspects of the present invention, methods are provided for generating a three-dimensional radiation pattern. The methods have steps of:receiving data from a data store that defines a three dimensional image;converting the data into a time-varying illumination pattern and providing the time-varying illumination pattern to an input of a nanophotonic array, wherein the nanophotonic array includes a plurality of antennas and the antennas emit electromagnetic radiation; anddelaying the electromagnetic radiation with a plurality of phase delay elements using a control signal, at least one phase delay element associated with at least one of the plurality of antennas, wherein the control signal is periodic.

Corresponding methods are provided, in accordance with further embodiments of the invention, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is switched with a plurality of switching elements using a control signal, at least one switching element associated with at least one of the plurality of antennas.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, for a radiation projector, the radiation projector steers a phased array by changing the wavelength of the input signal. For example, a radiation projector includes a plurality of optical couplers, each optical coupler transmitting a first portion of a lightwave incident thereupon and radiating a second portion of the lightwave, the lightwave characterized at any point by a wavelength-dependent phase. The radiation projector may also include a waveguide for transmitting the lightwave successively to a succession of the plurality of optical couplers in such a manner that the wavelength-dependent phase varies between successive optical couplers by a fixed wavelength-dependent increment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the invention solve the problems of the prior art by utilizing nanophotonic phased array “tiles,” assembled into tile groups of arbitrary size, in a variety of periodic or aperiodic beam-steering modes, while input illumination is modulated in synchrony with each tile's beam direction and the corresponding elements of a database or memory representative of a visual scene to be reconstructed.

Definitions

The word “arbitrary,” is used herein to refer to a value of a parameter (such as the size of a component) that may be specified by a designer of a system as a matter of design choice, or that is presented by the system to be elected by a user, as a matter of convenience.

A “modal index,” as the term is used herein, refers, as normative in the art, to the effective refractive index of a waveguide medium particularized to a specified mode of propagation in the medium.

A control signal generator includes any circuitry, known in the art or subsequently developed, that applies a control signal to a succession of control elements, whether in parallel, in whole or in part, or successively, or in some combination of parallel and serial application. The control signal generator may be implemented in whole, or in part, in analog or digital embodiments.

“Recurrently” means beginning at successive instants of time, and may include periodic behavior, but is not so limited, as it may include patterns that are not identical from sweep to sweep, and that may, in fact, be random or quasi-random.

“Update a phase delay” means to apply a control signal to each of the successive phase delay elements. Updating a phase delay may include moving the control signal to successive sets of phase delay elements.

“Substantially span” means encompassing a region (of solid angle, for example) so that it is perceived by the eye as covering that region.

With the appropriate synchronization of scanning and amplitude modulation, users will perceive imagery due to the persistence of vision over the period of the system's scanning action.

An additional embodiment of the invention employs MEMS phase shifters in place of other phase delay elements. The MEMS phase shifters employ mechanical principles for shifting the phase of the optical signal. One such embodiment, includes a moveable structure that physically interacts with the waveguide to change the optical path and thus, the phase of the optical signal. In another embodiment, a membrane is moved closer or further away from the waveguide altering the evanescent fields that extend from the waveguide and changing the modal index of the waveguide system.

Another embodiment of the invention uses an antenna array to create 3-D images, for example in analogy to lenticular arrays and integral photography.

This method has several benefits over other scanned-viewpoint autostereoscopic displays, including: a thin form factor suitable for packaging into consumer electronic devices; the ability to be tiled with minimally-visible seams between tiles; having a high spatial resolution at the display surface; and compatibility with semiconductor laser illumination offers high switching speeds between views, thereby permitting several views per pupil area. This elicits an accommodative response (i.e., refocusing) in the viewer due to the realistic projected imagery.

Embodiments of the invention are also directed to using an optical array of nanophotonic antennas (or an array of arrays) to generate arbitrary light fields in applications including 3-D displays. Embodiments of the invention are useful generally for projecting light fields. Light fields have applications in three-dimensional displays with or without optical headgear for the viewer, such that the images can be projected in free space. Embodiments of the inventive system may provide optical activation of biological tissue, such as optogenetics and neurogenetics. In such embodiments, because of the small scale of the arrays, the optical signal (i.e. light) can be directed to a plurality of neurons, so that multiple neurons can be activated simultaneously. In other embodiments, the nanophotonic arrays can be used for free-space communications, for projecting a beam and steering the beam, wherein 1 and 0 (or n-ary values) can be represented by different phases and the beam can be steered toward a receiver. For example, the optical beam may be steered toward a moving satellite. In another embodiment of the invention, the nanophotonic arrays may be used for perspective-correct optical cloaking. In such an embodiment, a vehicle, such as a tank, could be covered with nanophotonic arrays and the beamed imagery can change with the viewing angle. This would provide for a much more real presentation of camouflage, as the camouflage would change with the perspective of the aerial viewer. In yet another embodiment of the invention, methods in accordance with the invention may be used for 3-D printing in which the beam steered light can cause a printing material to harden.

The fact that embodiments of the present invention employ diffraction to define beam characteristics provides an unprecedented degree of light field reconstruction flexibility. It is essentially a dynamically addressable hologram. Each tile can be directed to run in a variety of modes that “dial in” the realism of the reconstructed scene (by default, as directional elements, which are piecewise approximators to spherical wave front sections).

Embodiments of the invention can be the optical engine of electro-holographic displays, such as: a desktop 3-D computer display, a head-worn near-eye virtual reality/augmented reality/mixed reality display, a virtual sand table, or the walls of a room creating immersive imagery. Applications of such displays include: battlefield visualization, interventional medical imaging for procedure planning and guidance, molecular visualization and entertainment.FIG. 1shows an exemplary system illustrating the reconstruction of a 3-D scene (10) by a 3-D display system20. The 3-D display system has an image projection surface (21) composed of emissive regions51having horizontal and vertical angular emissive extents, yielding a viewing zone50. An observer (40,41—represented by his/her eyes) is able to see the 3-D scene10processed by processor30when situated within the viewing zone50. A viewer outside the viewing zone who is not gazing at the image projection surface, such as a third observer42, will not see a 3-D image because light representative of the 3-D scene will not enter the pupils of the third observer. As noted, the display emits light such that each eye sees a potentially different image. The emissive regions output light with an intensity and direction (or other emissive profile, such as a curved wave front) with time-varying properties.

FIG. 2illustrates a top view of the 3-D display system in operation. The observer (40) with left (40L) and right (40R) eyes will perceive a 3-D image when the image projection surface emits illumination representative of two perspective viewpoints of the 3-D scene (100,110).

FIG. 3Aillustrates a top view of a 3-D display system including each of the components of such a system. A source61of 3-D data such as a database or storage device (and otherwise referred to herein as memory61) provides information representative of a 3-D scene to a display controller62. The data stored in the storage device may be captured photographs from a 360-degree view of an object or the data may be three dimensional computer generated data. The photographs do not need to be a 360-degree view and might be just a small number (as in the range of 2°-100°) from different perspectives of a camera moving along a linear track.FIG. 3Bshows the acquisition of 3D scene data, designated generally by numeral22, for later presentation and viewing by an observer. Cameras23A,23B and23C are positioned at different locations to capture scene22. As shown, there is a left view camera23A, a center view camera, and a right view camera that each captures an image simultaneously. This image data is passed through video processor and stored in memory61for later retrieval and is indexed with respect to time (i.e., relative to a clock signal CLK).

FIG. 11is a representation of how the initial data is derived and stored in a storage space prior to being retrieved for display using the nanophotonic array embodiments described in the present disclosure. As shown, a car1200is the desired scene to be projected by an embodiment of the present system. A movable camera or a series of stationary cameras take pictures of the car from different angles. These cameras can be real or synthetically generated cameras (i.e., for computer graphics). Each camera1210,1220. . .1230,1240captures a separate view of the flowerpot from a left-most view1250to a right-most view1260. This data is then combined together to form a 3D data set using techniques known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

During display of the source data stored in memory61, the display controller62provides time-varying illumination patterns along one or more connections63to a tiled array of phased arrays60and may also be referred to as a “modulator.” Thus, the display controller62converts the three dimensional (3-D) data into the time varying illumination patterns.

One or more connective elements63(also referred to herein as “connections”63) may be electro-magnetic or optical waveguides, for example, that separate the 3-D data scene into a plurality of lines, wherein each line may be associated with a separate pixel for display.

A single phased array102is illustrated in context. The design of the source61of 3-D data and the display controller62are well-known to practitioners in the art of 3-D display systems engineering. The display of scene data is shown inFIG. 3C. Display controller62includes an array of illuminators65(e.g., laser diodes coupled to fiber, otherwise referred to, for heuristic convenience, as laser diodes65) and a controller block67that generically handles accepting an input clock signal, CLK. The controller block67cycles through video data address counter68, and in synchrony with clock signal CLK provides the phase delays (e.g., ϕ1and ϕ2), the address and optionally some control signals to the laser diodes. As the device is turned on, the address counter is set to “0” and ϕ1and ϕ2are set to the phases corresponding to steering light to the left. The image data of the left view arrives at the block of illuminators, and goes to the array of the phased array. Then the center and right views are also sent. This process cycles through for all of the data stored in memory. The time-varying emissive properties of each emissive region is controlled by a display controller69. Display controller69provides control signals that include, but are not limited to: time-varying illumination intensity for each wavelength band(s) of each emissive region, and control regarding the diffractive function of each emissive region. In one example, the diffractive function of the emissive regions is a phased-array beam steering function.

In this first example, each emissive region is a phased array and is alternatively referred to as a “tile”51.FIG. 4A-Dshows different patterns that may be generated by a tile wherein each tile51is analogous to a pixel in 2-D display (FIG. 4A) vernacular and any of: “hogel,” (FIG. 4B) “direl,” (FIG. 4C) “wafel,” (FIG. 4D) or other diffractive or beam-steering schemes in 3-D display vernacular. The terms hogel, direl, and wafel are familiar to engineers in the field of 3-D display architecture and are described, in addition to other arbitrary wavefront segmented displays, in Smithwick et al., “Interactive holographic stereograms with accommodation cues,” Proc. SPIE7619, Practical Holography XXIV: Materials and Applications,761903 (Feb. 10, 2010); doi: 10.1117/12.840526 and in Plesniak et al., “Reconfigurable image surface holograms,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,927,886, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

An exemplary tiled array60of phased arrays102is now described with reference toFIG. 5. Each tile51is an array of nanoantennas capable of being driven in a variety of space and time patterns, such as a phased array described above. Although a 6×6 tile array is shown for reference, the size, number, and arrangement of the tiles is determined as a matter of design choice to suit an intended application. For example, a desktop holographic video display may measure 600 mm×300 mm, and each tile would occupy 0.5 mm×0.5 mm. Each tile would direct modulated illumination in a time-varying angular scan subtending a half angle of 45 degrees horizontally to either side of the normal vector of the display, and a half angle of 20 degrees vertically. For a perspective projection angular density of one view per degree, the system would time-sequentially direct 2-D fields of modulated light to ((45*2)*(20*2))=3,600 directions per reconstructed scene, at a rate of 60 Hz. This requires a modulation frequency of 3,600 directions/scene*60 scenes/second=216,000 directions/second.

Operation in a horizontal parallax only (HPO) configuration reduces the scan requirements to (45*2)=90 directions per reconstructed scene, at a rate of 60 Hz, which equals 5,400 directions/second. To permit vertical head motion, the tiles must have a vertical emission component, e.g., by arrangement as a horizontally-oriented linear array; else the output should be vertically diffused, such as by an overlaid vertical diffuser, available from Luminit, LLC of Torrance, Calif., or by asserting a vertical beam broadening component to the appropriate delay lines of each tile.

Continuing the example of a display formed of 0.5 mm×0.5 mm tiles, there is a tradeoff between the image quality, tile size (phased array area), and spacing between nanoantennas. As one illustrative example, tile51could have an array of 100×100 antennas, with a spatial period of 500 nanometers. One-dimensional arrays would have 100 antennas. Tiles could have far fewer antennas, such as an array of 10×10, or far greater numbers of antennas, such as an array of 1,000×1,000 or 10,000×10,000. Likewise, the spatial period of antenna placement can vary from sub-wavelength to many wavelengths.

A typical tile102is described below with reference toFIG. 6.FIG. 7provides additional detail of a typical tile, andFIG. 8shows the antenna structure. A more comprehensive discussion of phased arrays can be found in US Published Patent Application No. 2016/0245895, entitled “Zero Optical Path Difference Phased Array,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Provided below is a brief description of the phased arrays and the individual components of phased arrays. This description should not be viewed as limiting, but rather as an exemplary description of one type of phased array.

FIG. 6is a schematic diagram plan view of a phased array100of optical couplers, represented by circles, arranged in an H-tree102, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The optical couplers, exemplified by optical couplers104,106,108and110, are connected to leaves of the H-tree102. Each optical coupler104may be referred to herein as an “optical antenna.” Lines in the H-tree, exemplified by lines112,114and116, represent optical waveguides or other optical feedlines. The optical waveguides112-116meet at optical splitters/combiners, represented by junctions118,120and122of the lines112-116. For example, the optical waveguides112and114connecting optical couplers104and106meet at an optical splitter/combiner118.

Optical waveguides112and114are of equal lengths. Similarly, other pairs of optical waveguides112-116that meet at common junctions are of equal lengths. The direction of combination alternates (left-right, up-down) between successive optical splitters/combiners118-122to ensure each signal combination occurs in phase. The resulting phased array100operates over a broad range of wavelengths. The entire phased array100is fed by an optical waveguide124, which is referred to herein as a “root” of the H-tree.

FIG. 7is a schematic diagram plan view of a portion of the phased array100. The optical waveguides112,114and116include respective exemplary trimming portions500,502and504. The trimming portions500and502are disposed in the light paths of optical couplers104and106closer to the optical couplers104and106than any optical combiners/splitters118or120. Additional trimming portions, such as trimming portions504,506,508and510, may be disposed in other optical waveguides, further from the optical couplers104and106.

The phased array100also includes a dynamically tunable optical delay line for each optical coupler104-110, as exemplified by dynamically tunable optical delay lines512,514,516and518. Each dynamically tunable optical delay line is disposed in a respective optical path of the corresponding optical coupler104-110.FIG. 8is a schematic diagram plan view of a dynamically tunable optical delay line700feeding a compact grating702optical coupler. Lengths of two sections704and706of the dynamically tunable optical delay line700may be temporarily adjusted by varying amounts of heat generated by two heaters708and710that are fabricated in the substrate200. The amount of heat generated by each heater708-710may be controlled by a processor (not shown) executing instructions stored in a memory to perform processes that steer the phased array100. Thus, each dynamically tunable optical delay line includes a thermally phase-tunable optical delay line. “Temporarily” means not permanently, i.e., for a finite duration of time, wherein the duration is not necessarily predetermined. For example, after the heaters708and710cease generating heat, the two sections704and706of the dynamically tunable optical delay line700return to their respective earlier lengths, or at least nearly so. It should be recognized that other tunable optical delay lines may be used that do not require heat for tuning, rather the delay may undergo phase shifting via a MEMS phase shifter as described below, for example.

Dynamically tuning the tunable optical delay lines512-518controls the real-time phase of each optical coupler104-110of the phased array100. Dynamically tuning the tunable optical delay lines512-518makes temporary changes to the amount of delay incurred by optical signals traversing the corresponding optical coupler104-110. The amount of delay can be changed relatively quickly, thus the dynamically tunable optical delay lines512-518may be dynamically tuned to electronically steer the phased array100. Instead of, or in addition to, making permanent changes to the trimming sections, the trimming sections and/or the tunable optical delay lines512-518may be temporarily changed to compensate for fabrication non-idealities.

An alternative way to control the phased array100uses MEMS phase shifters. A MEMS device can be used to affect a path length or a phase change in an optical waveguide. Such a MEMS device is shown inFIG. 9, where a membrane1010is moved closer or further from a waveguide1000. Because the mode in the waveguide1000has evanescent fields extending to the membrane1010, the movement of the membrane1010changes the modal index of the waveguide system. The MEMS element(s) can be moved along a variety of locations rather than just STATE A and STATE B, such that it is nearly infinitely adjustable.

Alternatively, as now described with reference toFIG. 10, a membrane1005(shown inFIG. 9) above waveguide1130can be moved laterally to cover more or less of the waveguide1130. A two-axis steering mechanism is illustrated (for example, horizontal and vertical). To steer a single beam to an antenna structure1120, only two categories of phase shift need to be asserted: Φ11100for horizontal scanning and Φ21110for vertical scanning. Alternatively, each phase could be set independently, providing a completely arbitrary phase hologram.

A further alternative (not shown) is to place a free-standing movable object laterally to the waveguide. This object, such as a wire-like object, is moved closer or further from the waveguide, again affecting the evanescent field extending (this time laterally) to the main waveguide.

The advantage of such MEMS systems is that they are compatible with a wide range of optical materials, enabling this technology to be used for a wide range of wavelengths extending from the mid-IR to UV (including the important visible wavelengths in-between).

If it is desired to operate the phased arrays in the visible spectrum, the appropriate materials should be used. The passive waveguides can be made of a variety of well-known materials, preferably silicon nitride, because of its compatibility with CMOS fabrication processes and high index contrast. Alternative materials for passive waveguides include doped silica or polymers. Active materials include GaN, AlN, and certain polymers. If desired, a blue/UV laser can be fabricated in GaN.

Continuing the description of the first example, as shown inFIGS. 1-3A-3C, the tiles act to reconstruct a 3-D scene in the following sequence. See the left side ofFIG. 12. An array1310of light sources1301is controlled by the connections63(shown inFIG. 3A) to emit light representative of a first viewpoint1302of a 3-D scene, and the array of tiles are controlled so that their far field radiation patterns are tilted to an angle that corresponds to the first viewpoint1302of a 3-D scene. Next, the array of light sources are controlled to emit light representative of a second viewpoint1303of the 3-D scene, while the array of tiles are controlled so that their far field radiation patterns are tilted to the angle to the second viewpoint1303, and so on. The techniques used to assert the scan angle e.g. within each tile, thermally controlled delay lines or phase shifters (e.g. MEMS phase shifters) assert the exit angle of each tile's outgoing light.

Several variations of the scheme taught here are now discussed, in the following categories: tiling geometries, scan directions, illumination, the diffractive function of each tile, and the “coherence” or “joint purpose” of display tiles.

Tiling Geometries

The display can be formed of tiles in a variety of arrangements: linear (1-D), meandering linear, non-abutting, abutting, surface (2-D), or other arrangements. (The word “areal” may be used herein adjectivally with a meaning synonymous with that of “surface.”)

Scan Directions

For example, tiles can steer light horizontally, vertically, in a 2-D raster scan, or in a random or pseudo-random pattern. Referring further toFIG. 12, at any specified instant, the phased array tiles can steer light in the same direction1302,1303, in different directions1304-06, or in connected or disconnected groups. For example: The entire array can steer light at the same angle1302,1303, with respect to the line or surface of the tiles. The constituent beams of a 3-D scene can be derived from a variety of samplings through the data descriptive of the 4-D light field. For example, the first example described herein, as shown inFIG. 3A-3C, utilizes a scanned parallel pencil of rays. Alternatively, the array can steer light collectively towards a locus in space1314,1315,1316, and move that locus during scan. (Compare, for example, the two scan patterns ofFIG. 12).

As a further alternative, each tile can scan in a pseudo-random pattern. Regardless, if the display output is intended for viewing by a human, every desired scan angle should be projected by each tile over the integration period of the eye; Different tiles, or different collections of tiles, can steer light in one or more directions. For example: the left display half can perform a horizontal scan while the right display half can perform a vertical scan. Tiles can be arranged in arrays that are 1-D (linear, or a meandering line or curve), or a 2-D surface (a plane, a curved surface such as a concave hemisphere, or scattered/disconnected). The number of antennas per tile can be radically decreased to a linear array if the system is operating in a one-axis scanning mode. This would be the case for HPO (horizontal-parallax-only) 3-D display, in which the system emits a swept set of vertical ray fans.

Illumination

Light sources65(shown inFIG. 3C) such as lasers, LEDs, or any other suitable light source may be used within the scope of the present invention.

Alternatively, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, imagery may be generated using techniques analogous to spatially-multiplexed autostereoscopic displays, e.g. lenticular array and integral photography (fly's eye lens array) display. In these approaches, each tile is associated with a lens positioned such that illumination from the sub-pixels of the tile is directed towards a given angle with respect to a normal of the tile. It should be recognized that a nanophotonic array may have several antennas producing light at the sub-pixel level. A benefit of this approach is that the sub-pixels can be made smaller, using nanophotonic antenna(s), than traditional LCD or OLED pixels, thereby resulting in higher quality imagery.

Referring now toFIG. 13, a single tile1400of a display array is shown, configured as an element of a spatially multiplexed display, using active steering by a network of switches1420. A series of switches1420direct incident light1422of an array of emitters toward a particular output1425of a nanophotonic array designated generally by numeral1430. Larger displays can be constructed by adjoining many tiles into a surface, e.g., 1,024 tiles×768 tiles. A lenticular lens1410serves the function, in such an embodiment, of the phase shifters or phase delay lines of the previous examples.

FIG. 14illustrates an alternative steering technique that employs passive wavelength-selective switching, also as a tile1510of a spatially multiplexed display using a lenticular lens1500. First, a laser is set to a first wavelength. Then data is fetched corresponding to the first view direction for the scene to be displayed by the display controller. The light is gated into the filter, based on the value in the frame buffer for that sub-hologram (e.g., if the pixel is to be perceived of as bright, the laser light should be allowed to pass into the filter). Next, the wavelength of the laser is incremented. A pointer to the data from the scene is also incremented and the process is looped for each data point.

In this technique, the beam direction depends on the wavelength of light as produced by the display controller. A wavelength filter1520directs the light to a particular output, depending on the wavelength of the light. In this case, the illumination wavelength would be changed to scan the beam using the display controller, and the light would be relatively narrowband, such as that from an external cavity or other tunable laser. Within the scope of the present invention, the colors may be close together, relative to the ability or inability of a human observer to discriminate their relative hues. The light wavelengths are each provided to a different pixel or subpixel location within the nanophotonic array of tiles1510and the light beam is directed at a normal angle from the tile wherein the lenticular nature of the lens causes the light beam to be directed in the desired direction.

Methods are now described with reference toFIG. 15andFIGS. 16A-16Bthat employ nanophotonic phased arrays to steer the light in each tile1500. In the phased array systems, the beam is formed by a combination of light from an array of outputs of the tile1500(i.e., the tile is composed of a nanophotonic array that has multiple outputs), all of which are active at once. A relative phase difference between neighboring emitters determines the direction of the beam. For example, if the relative phase difference is zero (all phases equal), the beam is directed straight up with respect toFIG. 15. To direct the beam, a constant phase difference is needed between successive elements.FIG. 15shows a distribution tree with phase shifters (1510and1515) (here illustrated in a binary fashion) which can impart such a phase shift to each element through splitter1520A. Of the many arrangements to distribute power and such phase shifts, this arrangement has various advantages. One advantage is that only one control signal is necessary for all the phase shift devices because there is a constant relationship between all the phase shifts (all phase shifts are multiples of a single input, Φ.) A second advantage is that it is possible to use this technique for relatively broadband light, such as that from an LED, because all path lengths are matched.

A passive method for phase array steering is now described with reference toFIG. 16A. In the passive phase array, designated generally by numeral1710, light follows a long path, shown as a serpentine path1703in the figure. At equal spacings and at equal distances, some of the light is tapped out of the path and exits an output1701. A coupler1704is used to take a fraction of the light out of the path. This light then goes to the output1701. As the wavelength changes, the phase difference between these outputs1701changes in a relative manner, shifting the position of an emergent beam1710(shown inFIG. 16B). The position of the beam1710switches due to the relative phases of the outputs, alone. The longer the path length between elements, the less wavelength change is needed for steering. This structure is analogous to a grating, and could also be understood by considering the locations of the output couplers as elements of a grating.FIG. 16Bshows an exemplary tile1702with multiple outputs1701in which the light follows the serpentine path as shown inFIG. 16A. Light is thus emitted from the output based upon the change in wavelength. The direction of the emitted light is determined by the wavelength. If there is a single wavelength, then the light is emitted in a single direction.

ForFIGS. 15 and 16A-16B, the methodology may occur as follows: first set Φ=0 and the address pointer to ‘0’. Data from the data store of a scene is retrieved. Each sub-hologram is illuminated as a function of the data. The methodology then increments phi and the video data pointer. The process is the looped for each data element (e.g. pixel element, sub-pixel element) until all of the data for the scene is processed.

As will be clear to those familiar with the arts of 3-D display and phased arrays, the techniques of the preceding section about active and passive filter alternatives are illustrated in a mode suitable for single-axis beam scanning, which is referred to as horizontal-parallax-only (HPO) operation in the field of 3-D display. The techniques can be extended to multi-axis (e.g. full parallax) scanning in a straightforward manner, by increasing the number of elements and appropriately arranging the multiplexing or scanning elements.