Microsoft Patent | Wide-angle beam steerer

Patent: Wide-angle beam steerer

Publication Number: 10156768

Publication Date: 2018-12-18

Applicants: Microsoft

Abstract

A light-steering optic comprises a dielectric substrate, a liquid crystal, and a series of transparent conductors. The dielectric substrate has a series of mutually parallel trenches formed therein. A wall of each trench extends up the trench to an adjacent land portion of the dielectric substrate, and the liquid crystal is arranged within each trench. An adherent electrode extends up the wall of the trench and onto a corresponding contact zone, which partly covers the land portion adjacent to that wall. The series of transparent conductors crosses over the series of parallel trenches. Each transparent conductor selectively contacts one or more of the electrodes at a corresponding one or more contact zones.

Background

Digital holography is an emerging field, which has recently made inroads into the consumer-electronics market. Applications of digital holography include near-eye display and game systems that provide virtual- and mixed-reality experiences for the user, as well as large-format 3D video-display systems for the home theatre.

Summary

One aspect of this disclosure is directed to a light-steering optic usable in a wide range of digital-holography implementations. The light-steering optic comprises a dielectric substrate, liquid crystal, and a series of transparent conductors. The dielectric substrate has a series of mutually parallel trenches, with liquid crystal arranged within the trenches. A wall of each trench extends up the trench to an adjacent land portion; an adherent electrode extends up the wall onto a corresponding contact zone, which partly covers the land portion adjacent to that wall. The series of transparent conductors crosses over the series of parallel trenches, each transparent conductor selectively contacting one or more of the electrodes at a corresponding one or more contact zones.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.