Expanding on its previous advances in integrated optics and silicon photonics, CEA-Leti reported key steps toward improved augmented reality (AR) capabilities with retinal projection – see news release below and here, along with the attached images.
“Pixelated Holographic Reflector Recording for Retinal Projection Devices”
This paper reported how a team investigating new optical configurations for AR designs using CEA-Leti’s previous development of silicon photonics in the infrared range applied that capability to the visible spectral range and combined it with recent success in pixelating holograms. The success with pixelated holograms informed the research of the other papers.
“Analysis of New Optical Addressing Strategies for the Optimization of Retinal Projection Display”
Retinal projection based on silicon photonics for visual application requires scientists to investigate unconventional physical processes to form an image. This paper investigates CEA-Leti’s concept of self-focusing and presents new information on the diffraction phenomenon involved in that process.
The team on this project is developing an innovative and compact retinal projection display concept for AR applications that will diverge from conventional optics by using a device based on an integrated photonics architecture. It embeds a photonic device in the lens of a pair of glasses for a novel display application by transposing silicon photonics from the infrared range to the visible range.
Another paper, “Improved Mathematical Model for a Dense Network of Waveguide and Electrode Design”, introduces a mathematical model used to design a network of waveguides and electrodes with random behavior. This model is required to address the light in the display in an efficient way.
CEA-Leti will unveil its retinal-projection display concept with a static demonstrator later this year. The project team also will begin working on a demonstration of dynamic retinal projection.