Waveguide-Based Binocular Maxwellian Near-Eye Display Employing a Single Micro-Display and Polarization Grating

In this article, we propose a waveguide-based binocular Maxwellian near-eye display for implementing realistic augmented reality. Contrasting with conventional binocular near-eye displays that typically use two micro-displays, our proposed configuration uniquely utilizes a single micro-display to present binocular images. The key optical component in our design is a polarization-dependent grating that deflects incident light to different directions depending on its circular polarization state. Additionally, by using a non-conventional out-coupler, namely, a pin-mirror holographic optical element array, we address the vergence-accommodation conflict issue, which is a primary cause of visual discomfort in conventional near-eye displays. The field of view enhancement by using a set of pin-mirror holographic optical elements is also demonstrated.