TW202326179A - Optical dimming lens and fabrication method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A lens is provided. The lens includes a first material layer including a first lens material with a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance. The lens also includes a second material layer coupled with the first material layer and including a second lens material with a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance. The first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance.

Description

Optical dimming lens and manufacturing method thereof

The present invention generally relates to optical devices, and more specifically relates to an optical dimming lens and a manufacturing method thereof. Cross-References to Related Applications

This application asserts U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/292,471, filed December 22, 2021, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/353,562, filed June 18, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/353,562, filed November 9, 2022. Benefit of Priority of Non-Provisional Application No. 17/983944. The contents of the applications mentioned above are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Artificial reality devices, such as head-mounted display ("head-mounted display; HMD") or head-up display ("heads-up display; HUD") devices, are used in aeronautics, engineering design, medical surgery practice, and video games. It has a wide range of applications in various fields. Artificial reality devices can display virtual objects or combine images of real objects with virtual objects, such as in augmented reality ("augmented reality; AR"), virtual reality ("virtual reality; VR") and/or mixed reality environment (“mixed reality; MR”). When implemented for AR and/or MR applications, the artificial reality device may be at least partially transparent from the perspective of the user, enabling the user to view the surrounding real world environment. When implemented for VR applications, the AR device may be opaque such that the user is substantially immersed in the VR imagery provided via the AR device.

Consistent with an aspect of the present invention, a lens is provided. The lens includes a first layer of material including a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance. The lens also includes a second material layer coupled to the first material layer and including a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance. The first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance.

Consistent with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided. The method includes providing a first layer of material including a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance. The method also includes disposing a dimming element at the first material layer. The method also includes disposing a second material layer at the dimming element. The second material layer includes a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance. The first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance.

Consistent with another aspect of the invention, a method is provided. The method includes providing a first layer of material including a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance. The method includes disposing a dimming element into a second material layer. The second material layer includes a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance. The method includes disposing a second material layer at the first material layer. The first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance.

Other aspects of the present invention can be understood by those skilled in the art in view of the description, claims and drawings of the present invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit the scope of claims.

Specific examples consistent with this disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are examples for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts, and detailed descriptions thereof may be omitted.

Furthermore, disclosed embodiments and features of disclosed embodiments may be combined in the present disclosure. The described embodiments are some, but not all, embodiments of the invention. Based on the disclosed embodiments, one of ordinary skill in the art can derive other embodiments consistent with the present invention. For example, modifications, adaptations, substitutions, additions, or other changes may be made based on the disclosed specific examples. Such variations of the disclosed examples are still within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific examples disclosed. Rather, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

As used herein, the term "couple/coupled/coupling" or the like may encompass optical coupling, mechanical coupling, electrical coupling, electromagnetic coupling, or any combination thereof. "Optical coupling" between two optical elements refers to a configuration in which two optical elements are arranged in optical series and light output from one optical element can be directly or indirectly received by the other optical element. Optical concatenation means the optical positioning of a plurality of optical elements in a light path such that light output from one optical element is transmitted, reflected, diffracted, converted, modified, or otherwise processed by one or more of the other optical elements or manipulation. In some embodiments, the order in which the plurality of optical elements are arranged may or may not affect the overall output of the plurality of optical elements. The coupling may be direct or indirect (eg, via intermediate elements).

The phrase "at least one of A or B" may cover all combinations of A and B, such as only A, only B, or A and B. Likewise, the phrase "at least one of A, B, or C" may cover all combinations of A, B, and C, such as only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, Or A and B and C. The phrase "A and/or B" may be interpreted in a similar manner to the phrase "at least one of A or B". For example, the phrase "A and/or B" can encompass all combinations of A and B, such as only A, only B, or A and B. Likewise, the phrase "A, B, and/or C" has a meaning similar to that of the phrase "at least one of A, B, or C". For example, the phrase "A, B, and/or C" may cover all combinations of A, B, and C, such as only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C.

When the first element is described as "attached", "disposed", "formed", "attached", "mounted", "fixed", "connected", "engaged", "recorded" or "placed" to the second Two elements, on, at, or at least partially in the second element, can be used such as deposition, coating, etching, joining, gluing, screwing, press-fitting, snap-fitting, "attach", "dispose", "form", "attach", "install", "fix", "connect", "bond", "Record" or "dispose" to, on, at, or at least partially in a second element. Also, the first element may be in direct contact with the second element, or there may be an intervening element between the first element and the second element. The first element may be positioned on any suitable side of the second element, such as the left, right, front, rear, top or bottom.

When a first element is shown or described as being disposed or disposed "on" a second element, the term "on" is only used to indicate an exemplary relative orientation between the first element and the second element. The description may be based on the reference coordinate system shown in the drawing, or may be based on the current view or example configuration shown in the drawing. For example, when describing the views shown in the figures, a first element may be described as being disposed "on" a second element. It should be understood that the term "on" may not necessarily imply that a first element is located above a second element in the vertical gravitational direction. For example, the first element can be "below" the second element (or the second element can be "above" the first element) when the assembly of the first element and the second element is rotated 180 degrees. Accordingly, it should be understood that when the figures show a first element "on" a second element, that configuration is merely an illustrative example. The first element may be positioned or configured in any suitable orientation relative to the second element (e.g., above or above the second element, below or below the second element, to the left of the second element, to the right of the second element , behind the second element, in front of the second element, etc.).

When a first element is described as being disposed "on" a second element, the first element may be directly or indirectly disposed on the second element. A first element disposed directly on a second element means that no additional element is disposed between the first element and the second element. A first element being indirectly disposed on a second element means that one or more additional elements are disposed between the first element and the second element.

The term "processor" as used herein may encompass any suitable processor, such as a central processing unit ("central processing unit; CPU"), a graphics processing unit ("graphics processing unit; GPU"), an application-specific integrated circuit ("application-specific integrated circuit; ASIC"), programmable logic device ("programmable logic device; PLD"), or any combination thereof. Other processors not listed above may also be used. A processor may be implemented as software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof.

The term "controller" may encompass any suitable circuit, software or processor configured to generate control signals for controlling devices, circuits, optical elements, and the like. A "controller" may be implemented as software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. For example, a controller may include, or be part of, a processor.

The term "non-transitory computer readable medium" may cover any suitable medium for storing, sending, conveying, broadcasting or transmitting data, signals or information. For example, non-transitory computer-readable media may include memory, hard disks, magnetic disks, optical disks, magnetic tapes, and the like. The memory may include read-only memory (“read-only memory; ROM”), random-access memory (“random-access memory; RAM”), flash memory, and the like.

The terms "film", "layer", "coating" or "plate" may include rigid or flexible, self-supporting or free-standing films, layers, coatings or plates that may be disposed on or between supporting substrates . The terms "film", "layer", "coating" and "sheet" may be interchangeable. The term "film plane" refers to a plane in a film, layer, coating or sheet perpendicular to the thickness direction. A film plane can be a plane in the bulk of the film, layer, coating or sheet, or can be a surface plane of the film, layer, coating or sheet.

The term "orthogonal" in "orthogonal polarization" or the term "orthogonally" in "orthogonally polarized" means that the product of two vectors representing the two polarizations is substantially zero. For example, two lights or light beams with orthogonal polarizations (or two orthogonally polarized lights or light beams) may have two orthogonal polarization directions (e.g., the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction in a Cartesian coordinate system). axis direction) of two linearly polarized lights (or beams) or two circularly polarized lights with opposite handedness (for example, left-handed circularly polarized light and right-handed circularly polarized light).

The wavelength ranges, spectra or frequency bands mentioned in the present invention are for illustrative purposes. The disclosed optical devices, systems, components, assemblies, and methods are applicable to visible wavelength bands, as well as other wavelength bands, such as ultraviolet ("UV") wavelength bands, infrared ("IR") wavelength bands, or combinations thereof. The term "substantially" or "mainly" used to describe an optical response to a manipulation of light (such as transmission, reflection, diffraction, blocking or the like) means that a substantial portion (including all) of the light is transmitted, reflection, diffraction or blocking etc. The main portion may be a predetermined percentage (greater than 50%) of the entire beam, such as 100%, 98%, 90%, 85%, 80%, etc., which may be determined based on specific application needs.

Dimmable lenses have been used to increase the dynamic range of artificial reality devices. Optical dimming lenses must meet certain attributes or performance in order to meet product specifications, such as tightness and light weight, strong enough impact resistance to pass government agency tests, see-through quality with negligible birefringence issues. Meeting all of these requirements needed for an artificial reality device is often challenging. The present invention provides a dimming lens that provides light weight, strong impact resistance and low birefringence.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of an artificial reality device 100 according to a specific example of the present invention. In some embodiments, the artificial reality device 100 can generate VR, AR and/or MR content for the user, such as image, video, audio or a combination thereof. In some specific examples, the artificial reality device 100 can be smart glasses. In a specific example, the artificial reality device 100 may be a near-eye display (“near-eye display; NED”). In a specific example, the artificial reality device 100 can be a head-up display. In some embodiments, the artificial reality device 100 may be in the form of glasses, goggles, a helmet, a visor, or some other type of eyewear. In some embodiments, the artificial reality device 100 may be configured to be worn on the user's head (e.g., by taking the form of eyepieces or glasses, as shown in FIG. part of the helmet. In some embodiments, the artificial reality device 100 may be configured for placement near one or more eyeballs of a user at a fixed location in front of the eyeballs without being mounted to the user's head. In some embodiments, the artificial reality device 100 may be in the form of glasses that provide vision correction. In some embodiments, the artificial reality device 100 may be in the form of plano glasses that provide no vision correction. In some embodiments, the artificial reality device 100 may be in the form of sunglasses that protect the user's eyes from bright sunlight. In some embodiments, the artificial reality device 100 may be in the form of safety glasses that protect the user's eyeballs. In some embodiments, the artificial reality device 100 may be in the form of a night vision device or infrared goggles to enhance the user's vision at night. The artificial reality device 100 may be implemented in other forms.

For purposes of discussion, FIG. 1A shows that artificial reality device 100 includes a frame 105 configured to mount to a user's head, and a left-eye display system 110L and a right-eye display system 110R mounted to frame 105 . FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of one half of the artificial reality device 100 shown in FIG. 1A , according to an embodiment of the invention. For illustrative purposes, Figure IB shows a cross-sectional view associated with left-eye display system 110L. Frame 105 is merely an exemplary structure to which various components of artificial reality device 100 may be mounted. Other suitable types of clamps may be used in place of or in combination with frame 105 .

In some embodiments, each of left-eye display system 110L and right-eye display system 110R may include image display assembly 120 configured to generate image light representing a computer-generated virtual image, and to display the image The light is directed to an eye-box region 160 where the eyeball 159 can be positioned to receive the image light. The eye movement zone 160 may include a plurality of exit pupils 157 . Exit pupil 157 may be a location where eye pupil 158 of user's eye 159 may be positioned in eye movement zone 160 to receive image light. For example, in some embodiments, image display assembly 120 may include: a light source configured to output image light representing a virtual image; and an image combiner configured to direct image light received from the light source to an eye movement District 160. In some embodiments, the image combiner may also transmit ambient light (or real-world light) 142 from the real-world environment toward the eye-moving zone 160, thereby combining the image light with the real-world light 142, and toward the eye-moving zone 160 directs two beams of light. Thus, the eyeball 159 may observe a virtual scene optically combined with a real world scene. Image display assembly 120 can be any suitable image display assembly, and the image combiner can be any suitable image combiner, such as a light guide, a "holographic optical element" coupled with incoupling elements and outcoupling elements. element; HOE") and so on. For simplicity of illustration, details of the image display assembly 120 are not shown in FIG. 1B .

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1B , each of the left-eye display system 110L and the right-eye display system 110R can include a dimming lens 122 formed from two lens materials of different material properties. The dimming lens 122 can provide light weight, high impact resistance and low birefringence. The image display assembly 120 may include an outer side facing the real world environment and an inner side facing the eye movement area 160 . The dimming lens 122 can be disposed at the outer side of the image display assembly 120 . It should be noted that although elements are shown as having flat surfaces for illustrative purposes, in some embodiments at least one (eg, each) of image display assembly 120 or dimming lens 122 may include a curved surface. In some embodiments, the dimming lens 122 may be integrally formed with the image display assembly 120 , or may be a separate component stacked with the image display assembly 120 .

In some embodiments, the dimming lens 122 may be configured to dim the ambient light (or real world light) 142 from the real world environment toward the eye movement zone 160 . The ambient light 142 from the real world environment outside the left-eye display system 110L and the right-eye display system 110R may be incident on the dimming lens 122 , and then the ambient light 142 is incident on the image display assembly 120 . Based on a suitable dimming mechanism, such as polarization, absorption, scattering and/or diffusion, the dimming lens 122 can reduce the transmittance of the ambient light 142 or block the ambient light 142 from incident on the image display assembly 120 .

In some embodiments, the dimming lens 122 may be a global dimming lens configured to have uniform light transmittance across the entire aperture of the dimming lens 122 . In other words, the dimming lens 122 may be configured to dim or attenuate the real world light 142 uniformly across the entire aperture of the dimming lens 122 . In some embodiments, the dimming lens 122 may be a zone or local dimming lens configured to provide different transmittance at different regions (or regions) of the aperture of the dimming lens 122 . The transmittance to real world light 142 at various regions or portions of the dimming lens 122 may be individually or independently controllable.

In some embodiments, the transmittance or dimming effect of the dimming lens 122 to the real-world light 142 may be fixed. In some embodiments, the transmittance or dimming effect of the dimming lens 122 on the real-world light 142 can be adjusted by a suitable external field. In some embodiments, the transmittance or dimming effect of the dimming lens 122 can be adjusted by adjusting the electric field. For example, the dimming lens 122 may include a dimming material having an electrically tunable transmittance (for purposes of this discussion, referred to as an electrically tunable dimming material), and one or more electrode layers configured to electrically Coupled to a power source that can provide a voltage to the electrode layer to provide a tunable electric field in the dimming material. Examples of electrically tunable dimming materials may include host-guest liquid crystal ("liquid crystal; LC") materials (eg, host-type LC doped with guest dyes (eg, dichroic dyes)), polymer-stabilized Cholesterol-type LC materials, suspended particles, electrochromic materials, electrophoretic materials, etc.

In some specific examples, the transmittance or dimming effect of the dimming lens 122 can be adjusted by a suitable external field (eg, magnetic field, temperature or light, etc.) other than the electric field. For example, in some embodiments, the dimming lens 122 may include a dimming material having a non-electrically tunable transmittance (referred to as a non-electrically tunable dimming material for purposes of discussion). The light transmittance of non-electrically tunable light-tuning materials can be tuned by methods other than voltage tuning, such as by changing ambient light or temperature. Examples of non-electrically tunable dimming materials may include photochromic materials, photodichroic materials, thermochromic materials, and the like. In some embodiments, the dimming material may include both electrically tunable dimming material and non-electrically tunable dimming material to achieve a desired dimming effect.

In some embodiments, the dimming lens 122 may be an ophthalmic lens with a prescription (eg, single vision, bifocal, trifocal, or progressive) to provide vision correction to the user's vision. For example, dimming lens 122 may be configured to alter ambient light 142 while transmitting ambient light 142 to provide visual correction to the user's vision. In some embodiments, dimming lens 122 may be a plano lens that provides no vision correction. For example, in some embodiments, dimming lens 122 may be configured as a flat or curved plate with zero optical power to ambient light 142 .

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1B , the artificial reality device 100 may also include an object tracking assembly 190 (eg, an eye tracking assembly and/or a face tracking assembly). The object tracking assembly 190 may include an IR light source 191 configured to emit infrared (“IR”) light to illuminate the eye 159 and/or the face, a deflection element 192 such as a light barrier, and an optical sensor 193 such as a camera. Deflection element 192 may deflect (eg, diffract) IR light reflected by eyeball 159 toward optical sensor 193 . The optical sensor 193 can generate a tracking signal about the eyeball 159 based on the IR light deflected by the deflection element 192 . The tracking signal can be an image of the eyeball 159 . The artificial reality device 100 may include a controller (not shown) that can control various optical elements in the left-eye display system 110L and/or the object tracking assembly 190 .

The artificial reality device 100 is configurable to operate in a VR mode, an AR mode, or an MR mode. The artificial reality device 100 may be configured to be switchable between operating in a VR mode, an AR mode, and/or an MR mode in both indoor and outdoor environments. In some embodiments, when the artificial reality device 100 is operating in the AR or MR mode, the dimmer lens 122 can be operated in a transparent state or an intermediate state, and the left-eye display system 110L and the right-eye display system 110R can be viewed from the user. It can be fully or partially transparent from the perspective of the user, which can provide the user with a view of the surrounding real world environment. In some embodiments, when the artificial reality device 100 is operating in the VR mode, the dimmer lens 122 can operate in an opaque state, and the left-eye display system 110L and right-eye display system 110R can be opaque to block images from the real World ambient light allows users to immerse themselves in VR images based on computer-generated images.

FIG. 1C illustrates an image perceived by a user of artificial reality device 100 operating in AR or MR mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1D illustrates an image perceived by a user of artificial reality device 100 operating in VR mode, according to an embodiment of the present invention. For purposes of discussion, FIGS. 1C and 1D show images viewed through right-eye display system 110R. As shown in FIG. 1C , when the artificial reality device 100 is operating in the AR or MR mode, the user can perceive the virtual scene or virtual image 102 superimposed on the real world scene 104 . As shown in FIG. 1D , when the artificial reality device 100 is operating in the VR mode, the user can perceive the virtual scene 102 instead of the real world scene 104 .

FIG. 2A shows a schematic diagram of a dimming lens (or dimming device) 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dimming lens 200 may be a specific example of the dimming lens 122 shown in FIG. 1B . The dimming lens 200 may include a first material layer 131 and a second material layer 132 coupled to the first material layer 131 . The first material layer 131 may be located on the outer side of the dimmer lens 200 facing the real world environment and receiving the ambient light 142 . The second material layer 132 can be located on the inner side of the dimming lens 200 facing the user's eyeball 159 . Although the first material layer 131 and the second material layer 132 are shown as having curved surfaces, in some embodiments, at least one of the first material layer 131 or the second material layer 132 is in the thickness direction (eg, FIG. 2A There can be one or two flat surfaces in the z-axis direction).

The first material layer 131 may be fabricated based on a first lens material, and the second material layer 132 may be fabricated based on a second lens material different from the first lens material. In some embodiments, the first lens material and the second lens material can be optically transparent in the wavelength range of operation of dimming lens 200 (eg, the visible spectrum). In some embodiments, the first lens material can have a lower density than the second lens material. In some embodiments, the first lens material may have a lower birefringence than the second lens material in the operating wavelength range of the dimming lens 200 (eg, the visible spectrum). In some embodiments, the first lens material included in the first material layer 131 may have a density equal to or less than a predetermined density and a birefringence equal to or less than a predetermined birefringence. Accordingly, the second lens material may have a density greater than the predetermined density, and a birefringence greater than the predetermined birefringence. For example, the density of the first lens material can be about 1.0 g/cm ³ or less, and the birefringence of the first lens material can be about 10 ⁻⁵ or less. That is, the predetermined density may be, for example, 1.0 g/cm ³ , 1.05 g/cm ³ , 1.1 g/cm ³ , or the like. The predetermined birefringence may be 10 ^-5 , 2*10 ^-5 , 5*10 ^-5 , or the like. The birefringence of the first lens material may be at least 10 times less than the birefringence of the second lens material.

In some embodiments, the second lens material can have a higher impact resistance than the first lens material. Impact resistance (or impact strength) is related to a material's resistance to impact and can be measured as the energy (in J or ft-lbs) absorbed by the fracture of a standardized specimen under a standardized impact. Impact resistance (or impact strength) can be calculated by dividing the impact energy by the thickness of the specimen. In some embodiments, the second lens material can have an impact resistance equal to or greater than a predetermined impact resistance threshold. Accordingly, the first lens material may have an impact resistance less than a predetermined impact resistance threshold. The impact resistance of the second lens material may be at least 10 times greater than the impact resistance of the first lens material.

For example, the second lens material can have a notched impact strength of about 0.7 ft-lbs/in or greater, about 0.8 ft-lbs/in or greater, about 0.9 ft-lbs/in or greater, about 1.0 ft -lbs/in or greater, approximately 1.5 ft-lbs/in or greater, approximately 2.0 ft-lbs/in or greater, approximately 3.0 ft-lbs/in or greater, approximately 4.0 ft-lbs/in or greater High, approximately 5.0 ft-lbs/in or greater, approximately 10.0 ft-lbs/in or greater, approximately 15.0 ft-lbs/in or greater, etc. The second lens material may meet at least one of the US Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") drop ball test or equivalent impact test standards for European and Asian lenses. For example, to pass the FDA drop ball test for a lens, a 5/8 inch steel ball weighing approximately 0.56 ounces is dropped from a height of 50 inches onto a 5/8 inch diameter circle at the geometric center of the lens, and The lens should not break.

Examples of the first lens material may include cyclic olefin copolymer (“cyclic olefin copolymer; COC”) or cyclic olefin polymer (“cyclic olefin polymer; COP”) and the like. COC and COP have optical properties similar to glass, such as high transparency, low birefringence, high Abbe number, and high heat resistance. Examples of the second lens material may include polycarbonate ("PC"), polymethyl methacrylate ("PMMA"), polyethylene ("PE"), polyurethane or polypropylene ("PP"), and the like. For example, PC has impact resistance 10 times greater than conventional plastic or glass. The following table shows some properties of exemplary materials that can be used as the first lens material and the second lens material. The present invention is not limited to these materials. surface Material Density (g/cm ³ ) birefringence Notched Impact Strength (ft-lbs/in) COC 1.0 less than 10 ^-5 0.69 COP 1.08 less than 10 ^-5 0.56 PC 1.20 ~10 ^-4 12.0 to 16.0

In some embodiments, the dimming lens 200 may be an ophthalmic lens with a prescription (eg, single vision, bifocal, trifocal, or progressive) to provide vision correction to the user's vision. As shown in FIG. 2A , the first material layer 131 can be configured with a custom non-zero optical power for the user's vision correction, and the second material layer 132 can be configured with substantially lower or zero optical power (e.g., The second material layer 132 may be a flat plate or a curved plate with uniform thickness and substantially zero optical power). For example, the absolute value of the optical power provided by the second material layer 132 may be lower than the absolute value of the optical power provided by the first material layer 131 . The radius of curvature of the inner surface of the first material layer 131 may be substantially the same as the radius of curvature of the outer surface of the second material layer 132 . For purposes of discussion, FIG. 2A shows the first material layer 131 used as a meniscus lens configured for hyperopia correction. In some embodiments, the first material layer 131 can be configured for another type of vision correction, for example, the first material layer 131 can be used as a convex-concave lens configured for myopia correction and the like. In some embodiments, dimmer lens 200 may not provide vision correction, and each of first material layer 131 and second material layer 132 may be configured with zero optical power, e.g., first material layer 131 and second material layer 131 Each of layers 132 may be a flat or curved plate with zero optical power.

The first material layer 131 based on the first lens material with relatively low density and low birefringence can have light weight and good image quality. In addition, the second material layer 132 made based on the second lens material with relatively high impact resistance can provide good safety for the user's eyeball 159 . The relatively high birefringence of the second lens material included in the second material layer 132 may not degrade the image performance of the dimmer lens 200 when the second material layer 132 is configured with zero optical power.

In some specific examples, the first material layer 131 may be configured to be thicker than the second material layer 132 . For example, the thickness of the first material layer 131 may be in the range of 0.1 mm to 1.1 mm, in the range of 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm, in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.9 mm, in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm, in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.7 mm, 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm, 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, 0.5 mm to 1.1 mm, 0.6 mm to 1.1 mm, 0.7 mm to 1.1 mm within the range or within the range of 0.8 mm to 1.1 mm, etc. In some embodiments, the thickness of the second material layer 132 may be in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.5 mm, in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.4 mm, in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.3 mm, in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.2 mm Or within the range of 0.01 mm to 0.1 mm, etc. In some embodiments, the central thickness of the first material layer 131 may be in the range of 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm. "Center thickness" may be the thickness measured at the geometric center point (which may also be the optical center point) of a layer. In some embodiments, the center thickness of the second material layer 132 may be in the range of 0.2 mm to 0.7 mm. In some embodiments, the first material layer 131 may have a retardation value less than 100 nm in an operating wavelength range (eg, a visible wavelength range).

In some embodiments, the first material layer 131 and the second material layer 132 can be fabricated by suitable processes, such as diamond turning, molding, casting, three-dimensional (“3D”) printing, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the first material layer 131 and the second material layer 132 can be laminated together (eg, via an optically clear adhesive layer), wherein the second material layer 132 is laminated to the use-facing surface of the first material layer 131 . On the inner side (eg, concave surface) of the eyeball 159 of the patient. For example, the first material layer 131 and the second material layer 132 can be laminated and bonded together through a suitable optically transparent adhesive. In some embodiments, the optically transparent adhesive layer may have a uniform thickness across the aperture of the dimming lens 200 . The thickness of the optically clear adhesive layer may be in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.2 mm. The dimming lens 200 may include a dimming material 136 for dimming the ambient light 142 , and the dimming material 136 may be doped into at least one of the first material layer 131 or the second material layer 132 . For illustrative purposes, FIG. 2A shows a dimming material 136 doped into the second material layer 132 . In some specific examples, although not shown, the light-adjusting material 136 can be doped into the first material layer 131 . The light-adjusting material 136 may include non-electrically tunable light-adjusting materials, such as photochromic materials, photodichroic materials, thermochromic materials, and the like. The dimming material 136 may provide an adjustable dimming effect (eg, according to the temperature or brightness of the ambient light 142 ), or may provide a non-adjustable fixed dimming effect for the ambient light 142 .

Conventional lenses based on a single layer of first lens material (e.g., COC or COP, etc.) can provide relatively light weight and relatively low birefringence, but provide relatively low impact resistance, while based on a single second lens material Conventional lenses made of layers (eg, PC, PMMA, PE or PP, etc.) can provide relatively high impact resistance, but provide relatively heavy weight and relatively high birefringence. The dimming lens 200 including the first material layer 131 based on the first lens material and the second material layer 132 based on the second lens material can be configured to provide a balance between weight, birefringence and impact resistance. For example, compared to conventional lenses based on a single first lens material layer (eg, COC or COP, etc.) or a single second lens material layer (eg, PC, PMMA, PE, or PP, etc.), the dimming lens 200 can simultaneously provide low weight, low birefringence and high impact resistance.

FIG. 2B shows a schematic diagram of a dimming lens (or dimming device) 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Dimming lens 210 may be a specific example of dimming lens 122 shown in FIG. 1B . The dimming lens 210 may include a first material layer 131 made based on a first lens material, and a second material layer 132 made based on a second lens material. In the specific example shown in FIG. 2B , the dimming lens 210 may also include a dimming material layer 138 disposed between the first material layer 131 and the second material layer 132 . In some specific examples, the light-adjusting material layer 138 may include non-electrically adjustable light-adjusting materials, such as photochromic materials, photodichroic materials, thermochromic materials, and the like. The dimming material layer 138 can provide an adjustable dimming effect (eg, according to the temperature or brightness of the ambient light 142 ) or a non-adjustable fixed dimming effect for the ambient light 142 .

FIG. 2C is a schematic diagram of a dimming lens (or dimming device) 230 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Dimming lens 230 may be a specific example of dimming lens 122 shown in FIG. 1B . The dimming lens 230 may include a first material layer 131 made based on a first lens material, two second material layers 132a and 132b made based on a second lens material (which may be referred to as a second material layer and a third material layer, respectively). layer), and the light-adjusting material layer 138. The stack formed by the light-adjusting material layer 138 and the second material layers 132 a and 132 b may be disposed on the inner side of the first material layer 131 facing the eyeball 159 . For example, the stack formed by the layer of dimming material 138 and the second material layers 132a and 132b may be laminated to the inner side (eg, concave surface) of the first material layer 131 facing the user's eyeball 159 . The second material layer 132a can be disposed between the first material layer 131 and the light-adjusting material layer 138 . The light-adjusting material layer 138 can be disposed between the second material layers 132a and 132b. The first material layer 131 can be configured with non-zero optical power for vision correction, and the second material layers 132a and 132b can be configured with substantially lower or zero optical power (e.g., the second material layer 132a or 132b can have Flat or curved plates of uniform thickness and virtually zero optical power). For example, the absolute value of the optical power provided by the second material layer 132 a and 132 b may be lower than the absolute value of the optical power provided by the first material layer 131 .

FIG. 2D is a schematic diagram of a dimming lens (or dimming device) 240 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Dimming lens 240 may be a specific example of dimming lens 122 shown in FIG. 1B . The dimming lens 240 may include a first material layer 131 , a second material layer 132 and a dimming unit (or dimming element) 166 disposed between the first material layer 131 and the second material layer 132 . The dimming unit 166 may include a dimming material layer 207 and at least one electrode layer. For illustrative purposes, FIG. 2D shows that the first electrode layer 209 - 1 and the second electrode layer 209 - 2 are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the light-adjusting material layer 207 . Electrode layers 209 - 1 and 209 - 2 may be optically transparent in the wavelength range of operation of dimming lens 240 (eg, the visible spectrum). In some embodiments, electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 may also be optically transparent in the IR spectrum.

In some embodiments, each of electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 can comprise a continuous planar electrode. In some embodiments, one of the electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 may comprise a continuous planar electrode, and the other of the electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 may comprise a plurality of discrete, separated Patterned electrodes for electrode formation. For example, in some embodiments, the patterned electrode may include a first sub-electrode surrounded by a second sub-electrode. In some embodiments, the patterned electrode can include an array of pixelated sub-electrodes. In some embodiments, each of the electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 can include patterned electrodes. For example, in some embodiments, each patterned electrode may include a plurality of separate strip electrodes arranged in parallel, and the strip electrodes in each patterned electrode may be configured to move in different directions such as orthogonal directions. extend in parallel. In some embodiments, the electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 may include the following conductive materials: indium tin oxide ("indium tin oxide; ITO"), Al-doped zinc oxide ("AZO"), graphene, poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene-sulfonate) (“PEDOT:PSS”), carbon nanotubes or silver nanowires, or combinations thereof.

In some specific examples, the two electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 can be disposed on the inner surface of the first material layer 131 and outside the second material layer 132 respectively by appropriate methods (such as coating or deposition, etc.) at the surface. In some specific examples, in order to reduce the surface reflection at the interface between the electrode layer 209-1 and the inner surface of the first material layer 131, a refractive index matching layer (not shown in the figure) can be arranged between the electrode layer 209-1 and the inner surface of the first material layer 131. between the inner surfaces of the first material layer 131 . In some specific examples, in order to reduce the surface reflection at the interface between the electrode layer 209-2 and the outer surface of the second material layer 132, a refractive index matching layer (not shown in the figure) can be disposed between the electrode layer 209-2 and the outer surface of the second material layer 132. between the outer surfaces of the second material layer 132 .

Dimming material layer 207 may include a dimming material with electrically tunable transmittance (for purposes of discussion, it is referred to as an electrically tunable dimming material). The light transmittance of an electrically tunable light-adjustable material may be adjustable when the electric field applied to the light-adjustable material is varied as controlled by a controller. Examples of electrically tunable dimming materials may include host-guest liquid crystal ("LC") materials (e.g., host LC doped with guest dyes (e.g., dichroic dyes)), polymer-stabilized cholesteric LC materials, suspended particles, electrochromic materials, electrophoretic materials, etc. In some specific examples, the light-adjustable material layer 207 may also include a light-adjustable material with non-electrically adjustable transmittance (for the purpose of discussion, it is referred to as a non-electrically adjustable light-adjustable material). The light transmittance of non-electrically tunable light-tuning materials can be tuned by methods other than voltage tuning, such as by changing ambient light or temperature. Examples of non-electrically tunable dimming materials may include photochromic materials, photodichroic materials, thermochromic materials, and the like. Examples of dimming devices 166 may include host-guest liquid crystal (“LC”) dimming devices, polymer stabilized cholesteric LC dimming devices, suspended particle devices, electrochromic dimming devices, electrophoretic dimming devices, electroplating dimming devices Devices, photochromic dimming devices, photodichroic dimming devices, dimming devices including electrically adjustable dimming material layers and non-electrically adjustable dimming material layers, etc.

In some embodiments, the dimming material layer 207 can be configured to have a uniform thickness on the aperture of the dimming device 166 (eg, in the x-axis direction in FIG. 2D ). In some embodiments, the dimming material layer 207 may be configured to have a non-uniform thickness across the aperture of the dimming device 166 . For example, the layer of dimming material 207 may have a greater thickness at the center of the aperture than at the periphery of the aperture. For purposes of discussion, FIG. 2D shows that the layer of dimming material 207 is configured with two curved surfaces, and the electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 are curved electrode layers. In some embodiments, the light-adjusting material layer 207 may be configured with a curved surface and a flat surface, for example, one of the electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 may be a curved electrode layer and the other may be a flat electrode layer. In some embodiments, the light-adjusting material layer 207 may be configured with two flat surfaces, for example, each of the electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 may be a flat electrode layer.

The electrode layers 209 - 1 and 209 - 2 can be electrically coupled to the power source 175 . The controller 215 can be connected with the power source 175, and can control the output (for example, voltage output or current output) of the power source 175 to the electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2. Therefore, the controller 215 can control the electric field (eg, the amplitude and/or direction of the electric field) applied to the light-adjusting material layer 207 through the electrode layers 209 - 1 and 209 - 2 , thereby controlling the operation state of the light-adjusting device 166 . In some embodiments, the controller 215 can control the dimming device 166 such that the dimming device 166 can switch between a transparent state operation and a "dark state" (also referred to as an opaque state) operation. Thus, dimming lens 240 may be switchable between clear state operation and dark state operation.

In some embodiments, the dimming device 166 that operates in a dark state can be configured to substantially block visible real world light 142 , such as having a transmittance of about 0.01% (or having an optical density of 4.0). The light transmittance of the dimming device 166 operating in the dark state may be referred to as the minimum transmittance of the dimming device 166 . The dimming device 166 operating in the transparent state may be configured to provide a predetermined transmittance greater than the minimum transmittance to real world light 142 . In some embodiments, the predetermined transmittance may be in the range of about 30% to about 50%, such as 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 30% to 40%, 40% to 50%, or Any other sub-range within the range of 30% to 50%. In some embodiments, the predetermined transmittance may be in the range of about 30% to about 60% (e.g., 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 30% to 40% , 40% to 50%, 50% to 60%, or any other subrange within the range of 30% to 60%), within the range of about 30% to about 70% (e.g., 30%, 35%, 40% , 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 30% to 40%, 40% to 50%, 50% to 60%, 60% to 70%, or 30% to 70% any other subrange within), in the range of about 30% to about 80% (e.g., 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75% %, 80%, 30% to 40%, 40% to 50%, 50% to 60%, 60% to 70%, 70% to 80%, or any other subrange within the range 30% to 80%), or in the range of about 30% to about 90% (30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90% %, 30% to 40%, 40% to 50%, 50% to 60%, 60% to 70%, 70% to 80%, 80% to 90%, or 30% to 90% range), etc. Therefore, the user can perceive the virtual scene superimposed with the real world scene. For purposes of discussion, the predetermined transmittance of the dimming device 166 operating in the transparent state may be referred to as the maximum transmittance of the dimming device 166 . In some embodiments, in addition to the transparent state and the dark state, the controller 215 can also control the dimming device 166 to operate in an intermediate state. Therefore, the dimmer lens 240 can operate in an intermediate state. Dimming device 166 operating in an intermediate state may provide a transmittance greater than the minimum transmittance in the dark state and less than the maximum transmittance in the clear state. By controlling the transmittance of the dimming device 166 , the transmittance of the dimming lens 240 can be controlled. Therefore, the transmittance of the see-through view observed through the dimming lens 240 can be dynamically adjusted.

In some embodiments, the dimming device 166 may be a global dimming device configured to have uniform light transmittance across the aperture of the dimming device 166 . In other words, the dimming device 166 may be configured to dim or attenuate the real world light 142 uniformly across the entire aperture of the dimming device 166 . Therefore, the dimming lens 240 may be a global dimming lens. In some embodiments, the dimming device 166 may be a zone or local dimming device configured to provide different light transmittance at different regions (or regions) of the aperture of the dimming device 166 . The transmittance to real world light 142 at various regions or portions may be individually or independently controllable. In some embodiments, each region (or region) of the aperture of the dimming device 166 may include one or more pixelated dimming elements. The light transmittance at the respective pixelated dimming elements may be individually or independently controllable. In some embodiments, the size of the individual pixelated dimming elements may be greater than 1 mm. Thus, the dimming lens 240 may be a zone or local dimming lens.

For illustrative purposes, the dimming effect of the dimming lens 240 shown in FIG. 2D is shown as being adjustable via an external electric field applied to the layer of dimming material 207 . Other mechanisms can also be implemented to adjust the dimming effect based on the properties of the dimming material.

FIG. 2E schematically illustrates a diagram of a dimming lens 250 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dimming lens 250 may include a first material layer 131 , a dimming unit 166 and two second material layers 132a and 132b. The dimming unit 166 can be disposed between the two second material layers 132a and 132b. For example, the dimming unit 166 can be encapsulated into the second lens material, so that substantially the entire dimming unit 166 is surrounded by the second lens material. The material included in the two second material layers 132a and 132b may be substantially the same as the second lens material included in the second material layer 132, as described above. The configuration may be similar to that shown in FIG. 2C , except that the dimming effect is provided by an electrically adjustable dimming unit 166 .

In the various embodiments shown in FIGS. 2D and 2E , in addition to the electrically adjustable dimming unit 166, the dimming lens 240 or 250 may also include a separate, non-electrically adjustable dimming material layer disposed on the At a suitable location, such as at the outer surface of the first material layer 131, between the first material layer 131 and the active dimming unit 166 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2D , or in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2E Between the first material layer 131 and the second material layer 132a. In some specific examples, the dimming material layer 138 shown in FIG. 2C can also be replaced by an electrically adjustable dimming unit 166 .

Referring to FIGS. 2A-2E , in some embodiments, the dimming lens 200 , 210 , 230 , 240 , or 250 may be a global dimming lens configured to have uniform light transmission across the entire aperture of the dimming lens. In other words, the dimming lens 200, 210, 230, 240, or 250 may be configured to dim or attenuate real world light 142 uniformly across the entire aperture of the dimming lens. In some embodiments, the dimming lens 200, 210, 230, 240, or 250 may be a zone or local dimming lens configured to provide different transmittance at different regions (or regions) of the aperture of the dimming lens. The transmittance to real world light 142 at various regions or portions of the dimming lens may be individually or independently controllable. In some embodiments, each zone (or region) of the aperture of the dimming lens may include one or more pixelated dimming elements. The light transmittance at the respective pixelated dimming elements may be individually or independently controllable.

FIG. 3A illustrates an x-z cross-sectional view of a display system 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display system 300 may be implemented in an artificial reality device for AR, VR, and/or MR applications, such as the artificial reality device 100 shown in FIGS. 1A-1D . For example, display system 300 may be an embodiment of display system 110L or 110R shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B . As shown in FIG. 3A , display system 300 may include light guide display assembly 320 . Light guide display assembly 320 may be included in or implemented as image display assembly 120 shown in FIG. 1B . The display system 300 may also include a dimming lens 312 . The dimming lens 312 can be any specific example of the dimming lens disclosed herein, such as the dimming lens 200 shown in FIG. 2A, the dimming lens 210 shown in FIG. 2B, the dimming lens shown in FIG. 2C. Lens 230, dimming lens 240 shown in FIG. 2D or dimming lens 250 shown in FIG. 2E. For purposes of discussion, FIG. 3A shows dimming lens 312 having the same or similar configuration as dimming lens 240 shown in FIG. 2D.

The dimming lens 312 can be disposed on the outside of the light guide display assembly 320 facing the real world environment. Light guide display assembly 320 may include light source assembly 305 . The light guide 310 may be coupled with an incoupling element 335 and an outcoupling element 345 . The light guide 310 may include a first surface 310-1 and a second surface 310-2. Light source assembly 305 may be configured to output image light 330 representing virtual image 350 (eg, including virtual object 302 ). Light guide 310 coupled with incoupling element 335 and outcoupling element 345 may be configured to direct image light 330 to one or more exit pupils 157 in eye moving region 160 of display system 300 . For example, in-coupling element 335 may couple image light 330 into light guide 310 as in-coupled image light 332 . The in-coupling image light 332 can propagate from the in-coupling element 335 toward the out-coupling element 345 inside the light guide 310 via total internal reflection. The outcoupling element 345 can couple the incoupled image light 332 incident on different portions of the outcoupling element 345 out of the light guide 310 as a plurality of output image lights 334 propagating toward the eye movement region 160 , thereby being transmitted at the exterior of the light guide 320. Duplicate image light 330 . Therefore, the eyeball 159 located at the exit pupil 157 can perceive the virtual image generated by the light source assembly 305 . In some embodiments, the light guide 310 coupled with the incoupling element 335 and the outcoupling element 345 can also transmit the real world light 142 toward the eye movement zone 160 . Therefore, the eyeball 159 located at the exit pupil 157 can perceive the virtual image optically combined with the real world scene. The light guide 310 coupled with the incoupling element 335 and the outcoupling element 345 can be used as an image combiner, such as a light guide image combiner, that optically combines a virtual scene with a real world scene.

In some embodiments, the dimming lens 312 may be separately formed and disposed at (eg, affixed to) a real-world environment-facing surface (eg, the first surface 310 - 1 ) of the light guide 310 . In some embodiments, the first dimming lens 312 can be integrally formed as part of the light guide 310 . In some specific examples, the area of the dimming lens 312 may be greater than or equal to the area of the outcoupling element 345 . The dimming lens 312 may be disposed on the side of the outcoupling element 345 facing the real world environment. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3A , dimming lens 312 can be disposed at first surface 310 - 1 of light guide 310 , and outcoupling element 345 can be disposed at second surface 310 - 2 of light guide 310 . In some embodiments, the outcoupling element 345 can also be disposed on the first surface 310 - 1 , between the dimming lens 312 and the light guide 310 . It should be noted that although the light guide 310 is shown in FIG. 3A as having a flat surface, the light guide 310 may have a curved surface, or the entire light guide 310 may be curved (eg, having a curvature that matches the curvature of the second material layer 132 ).

Controller 215 (not shown) may be communicatively coupled to various components within dimming lens 312 and/or light guide display assembly 320 to control the operation thereof. The controller 215 can control the operating state of the dimming lens 312 to dynamically adjust the transmittance of the real world light 142, thereby switching the artificial reality device including the display system 300 between operating in a VR mode and operating in an AR device , or switch between operating in a VR device and operating in an MR device. For example, an artificial reality device including display system 300 may be configured to operate in a VR mode when controller 215 controls dimming lens 312 to operate in a "dark state." When the controller 215 controls the dimming lens 312 to operate in the transparent state or the intermediate state, the artificial reality device including the display system 300 may be configured to operate in an AR mode or an MR mode. In some embodiments, dimming lens 312 may be configured to dynamically attenuate real world light 142 depending on the brightness of the real world environment, thereby adjusting the brightness of the see-through view. For example, when the artificial reality device including the display system 300 is operating in AR mode or MR mode, the dimming lens 312 can be configured to adjust the brightness of the see-through view to ease the gap between the see-through view and the virtual image perceived by the user. difference in brightness.

In some embodiments, the dimming lens 312 can be a global dimmer. For example, when an artificial reality device including display system 300 is operating in AR mode or MR mode, display system 300 may provide a uniform contrast ratio of see-through views and virtual images across the aperture of dimming lens 312 . In some embodiments, the dimming lens 312 can be a regional or local dimmer. For example, when an artificial reality device including display system 300 is operating in AR mode or MR mode, display system 300 may provide see-through and virtual reality at different regions (or portions, regions) of the aperture of dimming lens 312. Different contrast ratios of images.

For purposes of discussion, FIG. 3A shows that controller 215 controls dimming lens 312 to operate in a dark state, and thus, the artificial reality device including display system 300 operates in VR mode. The dimmer lens 312 can substantially block the transmission of the real-world light 142 toward the eye movement zone 160 through the light guide 310 . Therefore, the eyeball 159 located at the exit pupil 157 can only perceive the image 355 of the virtual object 302 .

For purposes of discussion, FIG. 3B shows that controller 215 controls dimmer lens 312 to operate in a transparent state or an intermediate state, and thus, an artificial reality device including display system 300 operates in either an AR mode or an MR mode. The modulating lens 312 may transmit the real world light 142 towards one or more of the exit pupils 157 in the eye movement zone 160 . Thus, eye 159 located at exit pupil 157 may perceive image 375 in which a virtual scene (eg, virtual object 302 ) is superimposed on a real-world scene (eg, image 304 of real-world object 274 ). In some embodiments, modulating lens 312 may be an ophthalmic lens configured to modify real world light 142 to provide visual correction to the user's vision while transmitting real world light 142 .

3A and 3B show light guide display assembly 320 and dimming lens 312 as individual components configured in a stacked configuration. In some embodiments, the light guide display assembly 320 can be embedded in the dimming lens 312 . FIG. 3C illustrates an x-z cross-sectional view of a display system 360 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display system 360 may be implemented in an artificial reality device for AR, VR, and/or MR applications, such as the artificial reality device 100 shown in FIGS. 1A-1D . For example, display system 360 may be an embodiment of display system 110L or 110R shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B . Display system 360 may include the same or similar elements, structures and/or functions as those included in display system 300 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B . For descriptions of the same or similar elements, structures and/or functions, reference may be made to the above description presented in conjunction with FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B .

As shown in FIG. 3C , display system 360 may include light guide display assembly 320 and dimming lens 312 . In the particular example shown in Figure 3C, the light guide display assembly 320 and the dimming lens 312 may not be arranged in a stacked configuration. In fact, the light guide display assembly 320 can be at least partially embedded in the second material layer 132 of the dimming lens 312 . The light guide display assembly 320 may not be embedded in the dimming device 166 and the first material layer 131 , and thus, the output image light 334 of the light guide 310 may not be affected by the dimming device 166 . In some embodiments, the second material layer 132 of the modulating lens 312 can modify the output image light 334 to provide visual correction to the user's vision while transmitting the output toward one or more exit pupils 157 in the eye-moving zone 160 Image light 334 . In some embodiments, although not shown, the dimming lens 312 can include a non-electrically adjustable dimming material doped into the first material layer 131, and the light guide display assembly 320 can be at least partially embedded in the dimming lens 312 in the second material layer 132 . As shown in FIG. 3C , in some embodiments, at least a portion of light guide 310 mounted with outcoupling element 345 may be embedded in second material layer 132 of dimming lens 312 . In some embodiments, the light guide 310 can be a curved light guide having a curvature that matches the curvature of the second material layer 132 .

FIG. 3D illustrates an x-z cross-sectional view of a display system 380 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display system 380 may be implemented in an artificial reality device for AR, VR, and/or MR applications, such as the artificial reality device 100 shown in FIGS. 1A-1D . For example, display system 380 may be an embodiment of display system 110L or 110R shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B . Display system 380 may include the same or similar elements, structures and/or functions as those included in display system 300 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B or display system 360 shown in FIG. 3C . For descriptions of the same or similar elements, structures and/or functions, reference may be made to the above description presented in conjunction with FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B or FIG. 3C.

As shown in FIG. 3D , display system 380 may include a holographic optical element (“HOE”) display assembly 390 and a dimming lens 312 . The HOE display assembly 390 may include the light source assembly 305 and the HOE image combiner 385 . Light source assembly 305 may be configured to output image light 330 representing virtual image 350 (eg, including virtual object 302 ) toward HOE image combiner 385 . The HOE image combiner 385 can focus the image light 330 to one or more points of light at one or more exit pupils 157 within the eye-moving zone 160 . In some embodiments, dimming lens 312 may be separately formed and disposed at (eg, affixed to) a real-world environment-facing surface (eg, first surface 385 - 1 ) of HOE image combiner 385 . It should be noted that although HOE image combiner 385 is shown as having a flat surface in FIG. 132 to match the curvature).

Controller 215 (not shown) may be communicatively coupled to various components within dimming lens 312 and/or HOE display assembly 390 to control the operation thereof. For example, the controller 215 can control the operating state of the dimming lens 312 to dynamically adjust the transmittance of the real world light 142, thereby enabling the artificial reality device including the display system 380 to operate in VR mode and in an AR device Switch between operations, or between operating in a VR device and operating in an MR device. When configured for AR or MR applications, the HOE image combiner 385 may combine the image light 338 focused by the HOE image combiner 385 with the real world light 142 and direct both lights toward the eye-moving zone 160 .

In some embodiments, although not shown, the HOE image combiner 385 can be at least partially embedded in the second material layer 132 of the dimming lens 312 . HOE image combiner 385 may not be embedded in dimming device 166 and first material layer 131 , and thus, output image light 338 of HOE image combiner 385 may not be affected by dimming device 166 .

The display system 300 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B , the display system 360 shown in FIG. 3C , and the display system 380 shown in FIG. 3D are for illustrative purposes to explain implementing the disclosed dimming lens to Included in the display system in the artificial reality device. The disclosed dimming lenses may also be implemented in smart glasses or other suitable eyewear. Light guide display assembly 320 and HOE display assembly 390 shown in FIGS. 3A-3C are for illustrative purposes and are examples of image display assembly 120 shown in FIG. 1B . In some embodiments, the display system can include another suitable image display assembly in addition to the light guide display assembly 320 and the HOE display assembly 390, and the display assembly can include other than the light guide image combiner and the HOE image combiner. Another suitable image combiner for .

In the following, exemplary dimming elements that may be implemented in the disclosed dimming lenses will be explained. The dimming element can attenuate input light through suitable dimming mechanisms such as polarization, absorption and/or scattering. 4A and 4B illustrate x-z cross-sectional views of a dimming element 400 according to a specific example of the present invention. The dimming element 400 can be a specific example of the dimming element 166 shown in FIG. 2D or FIG. 2E . The dimming element 400 may be a host-guest type LC dimming device. As shown in FIG. 4A , the dimming element 400 may include electrode layers (or conductive layers) 209-1 and 209-2 and a dimming material layer 207 disposed between the electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2. Each electrode layer 209 - 1 or 209 - 2 may include an alignment layer 404 . The light-adjusting material layer 207 can be disposed between the alignment layers 404 . The alignment layer 404 provides alignment for the molecules included in the dimming material layer 207 . In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B , the light-adjusting material layer 207 may be a host-guest LC layer, which includes a mixture of host-type LC 408 and guest-type dye 410 doped into the LC 408 . In the specific example shown in FIG. 4A , the guest dye 410 can include a dichroic dye (also referred to as 410 for purposes of discussion) that is a voltage-responsive or field-responsive dye, and the host-guest LC layer can be It is a voltage-driven host-guest LC layer.

The dichroic dye 410 can be an organic molecule with anisotropic absorption. The absorption properties of dichroic dye 410 may depend on the relative orientation between the absorption axis of dichroic dye 410 (eg, the major or minor axis of the dye molecule) and the polarization direction of incident light. For example, dichroic dye 410 may absorb relatively strongly incident light having a polarization direction parallel to the absorption axis (e.g., major or minor axis) of the dye molecule and relatively weakly absorb light having a polarization direction perpendicular to the dye molecule. Incident light is polarized along the absorption axis (e.g., major or minor axis). That is, the dichroic dye 410 can provide a greater dimming effect to incident light having a polarization direction parallel to the absorption axis of the dye molecules than to incident light having a polarization direction perpendicular to the absorption axis. Therefore, by changing the orientation of the dye molecules through, for example, an electric field, the transmittance of the incident light 142 can be adjusted.

The LC 408 in the dimming material layer 207 can have positive or negative dielectric anisotropy. For illustrative purposes, FIGS. 4A and 4B show that LC 408 has positive dielectric anisotropy (Δε > 0). The dye molecules of the dichroic dye 410 can be aligned with the LC molecules 408 in the x-axis direction in the voltage-off state. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B , when the director of the LC 408 changes from a planar orientation to a vertical orientation with the applied voltage V, the long molecular axis of the dye molecule can also change orientation with the LC 408 . In other words, the dye molecules can change from a planar orientation (strong absorption state) at V=0 to a vertical orientation (weak absorption state) at V≠0. Therefore, the dimming device 400 can be switched from operating in a dark state at V=0 to operating in a transparent state at V≠0. In some embodiments, the LC 408 can have negative dielectric anisotropy (Δε <0), and the opaque state and the transparent state of the dimming element 400 can be reversed, for example, the dimming element 400 can be transparent at V=0 State operation and dark state operation at V≠0. In some embodiments, dimming element 400 may not include a polarizer. In some specific examples, the dimming element 400 may include a polarizer (not shown in the figure), such as a wire grid polarizer disposed at the upper electrode layer 209-1, and the upper electrode layer 209-1 may be disposed between the polarizer and Between the upper alignment layer 404 .

FIG. 4C shows an x-z cross-sectional view of a dimming element 450 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dimming element 450 may include the same or similar elements, structures and/or functions as those included in the dimming element 400 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B . For descriptions of the same or similar elements, structures and/or functions, reference may be made to the above description presented in conjunction with FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B . The dimming element 450 may be a specific example of the dimming element 166 shown in FIG. 2D or FIG. 2E . The dimming element 450 can be a host-guest LC dimming device including a dimming material layer 207 , the dimming material layer includes a host-type LC 408 and a guest-type dye doped into the LC 408 . In some embodiments, guest dyes can include voltage-responsive or electric-field-responsive dyes (eg, dichroic dye 410 ) and light-responsive dye 460 . In some embodiments, the photoresponsive dye 460 can include a photochromic dye, a photodichroic dye, or a combination thereof. As shown in FIG. 4C , the dimming element 450 may include electrode layers (or conductive layers) 209-1 and 209-2 disposed on opposite sides of the dimming material layer 207, and disposed on opposite surfaces of the dimming material layer 207. The alignment layer 404 at. The alignment layer 404 is in direct contact with the light-adjusting material layer 207 .

In some embodiments, photoresponsive dye 460 can undergo reversible photoisomerization between at least two stable states (or steady states) with distinct light absorption effects. During the reversible photoisomerization process, when photoresponsive dye 460 is subjected to activating energy (e.g., irradiation with activating light), one or more physical properties of photoresponsive dye 460, such as absorption spectrum, fluorescence emission, co- Yokes, electronic conductivity, dipole interactions, and geometry. In some embodiments, the color of photoresponsive dye 460 can reversibly change depending on the presence or absence of activating light of sufficiently high frequency, such as ultraviolet ("UV") light, blue light, and/or violet light. For example, the photoresponsive dye 460 can change from a "clear steady-state" (alternatively referred to as a "clear state") upon exposure to UV light (or when the intensity of the UV light is greater than a predetermined intensity) to a dark steady-state ("dark steady-state") (or referred to as "dark state"), and can return to transparent steady-state in the absence of UV light (or when the intensity of UV light is below a predetermined intensity) state. The dark steady state (also referred to as the colored steady state, because the photoresponsive dye 460 can exhibit gray or dark shades in the dark steady state. The transparent steady state can also be referred to as the colorless steady state, because the photoresponsive dye 460 can exhibit a gray or dark hue. 460 may be visually transparent in a transparent steady state.

In some embodiments, the process of returning to a steady state of transparency can be accelerated by exposing photoresponsive dye 460 to other types of activation energy, such as heat or electromagnetic radiation. For example, in some embodiments, the photoresponsive dye 460 may take longer to return to a transparent steady state in a low temperature environment, and may not reach a substantially dark steady state in a high temperature environment because the light An induced (eg, UV-induced) transition to a dark steady state can be counteracted by a thermally induced rapid reversal to a transparent steady state. Such photoresponsive dyes 460 can be referred to as thermally reversible photoresponsive dyes, which can return to a transparent steady state at a rate dependent on temperature (eg, ambient temperature). In some embodiments, the photoresponsive dye 460 can absorb light having different wavelengths to drive the transition to both a dark steady state and a clear steady state, where the ambient temperature can have an effect on the transition speed and steady state (e.g., dark steady state and clear steady state). Steady-state) properties have negligible or no effect. Such photoresponsive dyes 460 may be referred to as thermally stable photoresponsive dyes. In some embodiments, one or more infrared (“IR”), visible, and/or UV light sources may be disposed adjacent to and powered to irradiate photoresponsive dye 460 as needed. For example, in some embodiments, thermally stable photoresponsive dye 460 can absorb activating light having a predetermined wavelength to change from a clear steady state to a dark steady state, and absorb light having a wavelength different from the predetermined wavelength of activating light to Return to transparent steady state.

5A and 5B illustrate x-z cross-sectional views of a dimming element 500 according to a specific example of the present invention. The dimming element 500 may be a specific example of the dimming element 166 shown in FIG. 2D or FIG. 2E . The dimming element 500 can be an electrochromic dimming device. As shown in FIG. 5A , the dimming element 500 may include electrode layers 209 - 1 and 209 - 2 (collectively referred to as 209 ) and a dimming material layer 207 disposed between the electrode layers 209 - 1 and 209 - 2 .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5A , the layer of light-adjusting material 207 may include at least one electrochromic layer configured to be variable to produce a visual effect in response to changes in an applied electric field or current. light transmittance. For purposes of discussion, as shown in FIG. 5A , the layer of dimming material 207 may include an ion storage layer 505, a layer of ion-containing material 507 (e.g., an ion-conducting layer or an electrolyte layer), and an electrochromic layer arranged in a stacked configuration. 509. Ion-containing material layer 507 may be disposed between ion storage layer 505 and electrochromic layer 509 . The electrochromic layer 509 may include electrochromic materials, such as electrochromic materials of small organic molecules, electrochromic materials including conductive polymers, or electrochromic materials including transition metal oxides. An electrochromic material can reversibly change its optical properties after electrochemical oxidation and reduction in response to an applied potential (eg, an applied voltage). For example, the light transmittance of the electrochromic layer 509 may change upon oxidation or reduction of the electrochromic material.

The ion storage layer 505 can serve as a charge storage film that attracts and stores the oppositely charged counterparts of the ions that activate or deactivate the electrochromic layer 509 . In some embodiments, the ion storage layer 505 can be configured to match the charge balance with the electrochromic layer after reversible oxidation/reduction reactions for color switching of the electrochromic material contained in the electrochromic layer 509 . For example, in some embodiments, ion storage layer 505 may include an electrochromic material having a different color switching response characteristic than the electrochromic material included in electrochromic layer 509 . For example, when electrochromic layer 509 includes a reducing electrochromic material, ion storage layer 505 may include an oxidizing electrochromic material. In some embodiments, ion-containing material layer 507 may serve as a medium for transporting ions between ion storage layer 505 and electrochromic layer 509 . In some embodiments, the ion-containing material layer 507 can effectively block electron current flow while allowing ions, typically protons (H ⁺ ) or lithium ions (Li ⁺ ), to pass through.

In some embodiments, during operation of the dimming element 500, as shown in FIG. 5A, a positive voltage may be applied to the electrode layer 209-1 and a negative voltage (or zero voltage) may be applied to the electrode layer 209-2. . The direction of the external electric field generated in the light-adjusting material layer 207 can be along the z-axis direction in FIG. 5A . The generated electric field may cause charge compensating ions, such as lithium, sodium, or hydrogen ions, to be transferred from ion storage layer 505 into electrochromic layer 509 via ion-containing material layer 507 . At the same time, electrons can be transmitted along the external circuit and injected into the electrochromic layer 509 . The injected electrons can produce an electrochemical reduction of the electrochromic material included in the electrochromic layer 509 , resulting in a colorless (eg, transparent) state of the dimming device 500 .

In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 5B, a negative voltage (or zero voltage) can be applied to the electrode layer 209-1, and a positive voltage can be applied to the electrode layer 209-2. The direction of the external electric field generated in the light-adjusting material layer 207 can be along the z-axis direction in FIG. 5B . The resulting electric field may cause charge compensating ions to flow out of the electrochromic electrode layer 509 and back through the ion-containing material layer 507 to the ion storage layer 505 . At the same time, the polarity reversal can cause electrons to flow out of the electrochromic electrode layer 509 , along the external circuit, and into the ion storage layer 505 . The extraction of electrons may result in electrochemical oxidation of the electrochromic material included in the electrochromic layer 509 , resulting in a colored (eg, dark) state of the dimming element 500 . 5A and 5B, by reversing the polarity of the voltage applied to the dimming element 500, the dimming device element may be switchable between a colorless state and a colored state.

FIG. 5C shows an x-z cross-sectional view of a dimming element 550 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dimming element 550 may be a specific example of the dimming element 166 shown in FIG. 2D or FIG. 2E. The dimming element 550 can be an electrochromic dimming element or a suspended particle dimming element. The dimming element 550 may include the same or similar elements, structures and/or functions as those included in the dimming element 500 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B . For descriptions of the same or similar elements, structures and/or functions, reference may be made to the above description presented in conjunction with FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5C, the layer of light modulating material 207 can be configured to also include a photoresponsive dye 460, such as a photochromic dye, a photodichroic dye, or a combination thereof. The photoresponsive dye 460 can be doped into at least one of the ion storage layer 505 , the ion-containing material layer 507 or the electrochromic layer 509 . For purposes of discussion, FIG. 5C shows doping of photoresponsive dye 460 into ion-containing material layer 507 . In some embodiments, photoresponsive dye 460 can be doped into electrochromic layer 509 . In some embodiments, photoresponsive dye 460 can be doped into ion storage layer 505 .

6A and 6B illustrate x-z cross-sectional views of a dimming element 600 according to a specific example of the present invention. The dimming element 600 can be a specific example of the dimming element 166 shown in FIG. 2D or FIG. 2E . The dimming element 600 can be an electrophoretic dimming element. As shown in FIG. 6A , the dimming element 600 may include electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2 and a dimming material layer 207 disposed between the two electrode layers 209-1 and 209-2. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6A , the layer of dimming material 207 may include microscopic particles 608 suspended in a liquid suspension or polymer film 610 . Particles 608 may be needle-shaped, rod-shaped, or lath-shaped, among others.

In the voltage-off state, as shown in FIG. 6A , the particles 608 suspended in the liquid suspension or film 610 may be randomly distributed or disordered due to Brownian motion, and the light 142 incident on the layer of dimming material 207 may be absorbed and/or scattered. Therefore, the light 142 incident on the light-adjusting material layer 207 may not be transmitted through, and the light-adjusting element 600 may operate in a dark state. In the voltage-on state, as shown in FIG. 6B , when the applied voltage is high enough, the particles 608 can be uniformly oriented in the direction of the electric field (e.g., the z-axis direction in FIG. 6B ), allowing the incident light 142 to substantially transmission through. Therefore, the dimming element 600 can operate in a transparent state. After the voltage is removed, the particles 608 may move back to a random pattern and substantially block the incident light 142 . Therefore, the light transmittance of the dimming element 600 can be adjusted by varying the applied voltage.

FIG. 6C shows an x-z cross-sectional view of a dimming element 650 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dimming element 650 can be a specific example of the dimming element 166 shown in FIG. 2D or FIG. 2E. The dimming element 650 can be an electrochromic dimming element or a suspended particle dimming element. The dimming element 650 may include the same or similar elements, structures and/or functions as those included in the dimming element 600 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B . For descriptions of the same or similar elements, structures and/or functions, reference may be made to the above description presented in conjunction with FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6C, the layer of light modulating material 207 can be configured to also include a photoresponsive dye 460, such as a photochromic dye, a photodichroic dye, or a combination thereof. The photoresponsive dye 460 can be doped into the liquid suspension or the polymer film 610 , which can further enhance the dimming effect of the dimming element 650 .

FIG. 7A is a flowchart illustrating a method 700 of fabricating a dimming lens according to an embodiment of the present invention. Method 700 may include providing a first layer of material (step 701 ). The first material layer can be disposed on the substrate. The method 700 may also include disposing a dimming element at the first material layer (step 702 ). The dimming element can be disposed on the inner surface (for example, concave surface) of the first material layer, and when the user uses the manufactured dimming lens, the inner surface faces the user's eyeball. The method 700 may further include disposing a second material layer at the dimming element (step 703 ). The second material layer can be arranged on the inner surface of the dimming element, and when the user uses the fabricated dimming lens, the inner surface faces the user's eyeball. The first material layer may include a first lens material having a low density and low birefringence, as described above. The second material layer may include a second lens material with high impact resistance, as described above. The density of the first lens material may be lower than the density of the second lens material. The birefringence of the first lens material may be lower than the birefringence of the second lens material. The impact resistance (or impact strength) of the second lens material may be higher (or stronger) than the impact resistance (or impact strength) of the first lens material. In some embodiments, after providing the first material layer, method 700 can include disposing the dimming element at the second material layer, and disposing the stack of the dimming element and the second material layer at the first material layer. For example, the stack of dimming element and second material layer can be placed at the inner surface (eg, concave surface) of the first material layer, which faces the user when the user uses the fabricated dimming lens eyeball.

FIG. 7B is another flowchart illustrating a method 750 of fabricating a dimming lens according to an embodiment of the present invention. Method 750 may include providing a first layer of material, eg, via injection molding (step 751 ). Method 750 may also include disposing a dimming element into the second material layer (step 752). For example, step 752 may include encapsulating the dimming element into the second material layer through a suitable process. The method 750 may further include disposing the second material layer including the dimming element at the first material layer, for example by bonding with an optically clear adhesive (step 753 ). The second material layer can be disposed on the inner surface of the first material layer, and when the user uses the manufactured dimming lens, the inner surface faces the user's eyeball. The first material layer may include a first lens material having a low density and low birefringence, as described above. The second material layer may include a second lens material with high impact resistance, as described above. The density of the first lens material may be lower than the density of the second lens material. The birefringence of the first lens material may be lower than the birefringence of the second lens material. The impact resistance (or impact strength) of the second lens material may be higher (or stronger) than the impact resistance (or impact strength) of the first lens material.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a lens. The lens includes a first layer of material including a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance. The lens also includes a second material layer coupled to the first material layer and including a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance. The first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance.

In some embodiments, the lens has an inner side facing the user's eyeball and an outer side facing the real world environment, the first material layer is located on the outer side of the lens, and the second material layer is located on the inner side of the lens.

In some embodiments, the first material layer is configured with non-zero optical power for providing vision correction, and the second material layer is configured with zero optical power or an optical power less than a predetermined value.

In some embodiments, the first lens material includes at least one of a cycloolefin copolymer or a cycloolefin polymer. The second lens material includes at least one of polycarbonate ("PC"), polymethylmethacrylate ("PMMA"), polyethylene ("PE") or polypropylene ("PP"), or polyurethane.

In some embodiments, the first material layer has a concave surface, and the second material layer is laminated to the concave surface of the first material layer. In some embodiments, the lens also includes a dimming element disposed between the first material layer and the second material layer. In some embodiments, the dimming element includes a non-electrically tunable dimming material. In some embodiments, the non-electrically tunable dimming material includes at least one of a photochromic material, a photodichroic material, or a thermochromic material. In some specific examples, the dimming element includes a first electrode layer disposed at the first material layer and a second electrode layer disposed at the second material layer, and disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer dimming material. In some embodiments, each of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer includes indium tin oxide, Al-doped zinc oxide, graphene, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene - at least one of sulfonate), carbon nanotubes or silver nanowires.

In some embodiments, the dimming material includes an electrically tunable dimming material. Electrically tunable dimming materials include at least one of host-guest liquid crystal ("LC") materials, polymer-stabilized cholesteric LC materials, suspended particles, electrochromic materials, or electrophoretic materials. In some embodiments, the light-adjustable material also includes a non-electrically adjustable light-adjustable material. In some embodiments, the second material layer includes a set of two second material layers, and the lens further includes a dimming element disposed between the two second material layers.

In some embodiments, the lens also includes a light-adjusting material doped into at least one of the first material layer or the second material layer. In some embodiments, the dimming material includes a non-electrically adjustable dimming material.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a system. The system includes a light source configured to output image light. The system also includes an image combiner configured to direct image light received from the light source to an eye movement zone of the system, the image combiner having a first side facing the eye movement zone and a second side facing the real world environment. The system also includes a lens disposed on the second side of the image combiner. The lens includes a first layer of material including a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance. The lens also includes a second material layer coupled to the first material layer and including a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance. The first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a system. The system includes a light source configured to output image light. The system also includes an image combiner configured to direct image light received from the light source to an eye movement zone of the system, the image combination including a first side facing the eye movement zone and a second side facing the real world environment. The system also includes a lens disposed on the second side of the image combiner. The lens includes a first layer of material including a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance. The lens also includes a second material layer coupled to the first material layer and including a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance. The first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance. The image combiner is at least partially embedded in the second material layer of the lens.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a method. The method includes providing a first layer of material including a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance. The method also includes disposing a dimming element at the first material layer. The method also includes disposing a second material layer at the dimming element. The second material layer includes a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance. The first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance. In some embodiments, disposing the dimming element at the first material layer includes laminating the dimming element onto the concave surface of the first material layer via an optical adhesive.

In some embodiments, the stack of the first material layer, the dimming element and the second material layer forms a lens having an inner side facing the user's eyeball and an outer side facing the real world environment, the first material layer being located on the outer side of the lens , and the second material layer is located inside the lens.

In some embodiments, the first material layer is configured with a custom optical power for providing vision correction, and the second material layer is configured with zero optical power or an optical power less than a predetermined value. In some embodiments, the first lens material includes at least one of a cycloolefin copolymer or a cycloolefin polymer. In some embodiments, the first material layer has a retardation value less than 100 nm. In some embodiments, the second lens material includes at least one of polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyurethane.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a method. The method includes providing a first layer of material including a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance. The method also includes disposing the dimming element in a second material layer including a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance. The method further includes disposing a second material layer at the first material layer. The first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance. In some embodiments, disposing the dimming element into the second material layer includes encapsulating the dimming element into the second material layer. In some embodiments, disposing the second material layer at the first material layer includes laminating the second material layer onto the concave surface of the first material layer via an optical adhesive.

The foregoing descriptions of specific examples of the invention have been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure.

Portions of this specification may describe embodiments of the invention in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. Although such operations are described functionally, computationally or logically, such operations may be implemented by computer programs or equivalent circuits, microcode or the like. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to such configurations of operation as modules, without loss of generality. The described operations and their associated modules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof.

Any of the steps, operations or procedures described herein may be executed or implemented by one or more hardware and/or software modules alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, the software modules are implemented by a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer code executable by a computer processor to perform any of the described or all steps, operations or procedures. In some embodiments, a hardware module may include hardware components, such as devices, systems, optical components, controllers, circuits, logic gates, and the like.

Embodiments of the invention may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for a particular purpose and/or it may comprise a general purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. The computer program can be stored on a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium or any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions, which can be coupled to a computer system bus. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium can be any medium that can store program code, such as magnetic disks, optical disks, read-only memory ("ROM") or random-access memory ("RAM"), electrically programmable Read-only memory ("Electrically Programmable read only memory; EPROM"), Electrically Erasable Programmable read-only memory ("Electrically Erasable Programmable read only memory; EEPROM"), scratchpad, hard disk, solid-state disk computer, smart media card (“smart media card; SMC”), secure digital card (“SD”), flash memory card, etc. Furthermore, any computing system described in this specification may include a single processor or may be an architecture that uses multiple processors for increased computing power. A processor may be a central processing unit (“CPU”), a graphics processing unit (“GPU”), or any processing device configured to process data and/or perform computations based on data. A processor may include both software components and hardware components. For example, a processor may include hardware components such as an application specific integrated circuit ("ASIC"), a programmable logic device ("PLD"), or a combination thereof. The PLD may be a complex programmable logic device ("complex programmable logic device; CPLD"), a field-programmable gate array ("field-programmable gate array; FPGA"), and the like.

Furthermore, when an embodiment depicted in a drawing shows a single element, it should be understood that that embodiment, or an embodiment not shown in the drawing but which is within the scope of the invention, may include a plurality of such elements. Likewise, when an embodiment depicted in a drawing shows a plurality of such elements, it is understood that that embodiment, or embodiments not shown in the drawing but which are within the scope of the invention, may include only one such element . The number of elements depicted in the drawings is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the particular example. Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, the specific examples shown in the figures are not mutually exclusive and they may be combined in any suitable manner. For example, an element shown in one figure/embodiment but not another figure/embodiment may still be included in another figure/embodiment. In any optical device disclosed herein that includes one or more optical layers, films, plates or elements, the number of layers, films, plates or elements shown in the figures is for illustrative purposes only. In other embodiments not shown in the figures but still within the scope of the invention, the same or different layers, films, panels or elements shown in the same or different figures/embodiments may be combined or repeated in various ways to form a stack.

Various specific examples have been described to illustrate illustrative embodiments. Based on the specific examples disclosed, various other changes, modifications, reconfigurations and substitutions may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the specific examples above, the present invention is not limited to the specific examples described above. The present invention may be embodied in other equivalent forms without departing from the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined in the appended claims.

100: Artificial Reality Device 102: Virtual scene or virtual image 104: Real World Scenarios 105: frame 110L: left eye display system 110R: Right eye display system 120: Image display assembly 122: Dimming lens 131: the first material layer 132: second material layer 132a: second material layer 132b: second material layer 136: Dimming material 138: Dimming material layer 142:Ambient light/real world light 157: exit pupil 158: eye pupil 159: eyeball 160: eye movement area 166: Dimming unit/dimming element/dimming device 175: light source 190: Object Tracking Assembly 191: Infrared ("IR") Light Sources 192: deflection element 193: Optical sensor 200: Dimming lens/dimming device 207: Dimming material layer 209-1: The first electrode layer 209-2: Second electrode layer 210: Dimming lens/dimming device 215: Controller 230: Dimming lens/dimming device 240: Dimming lens/dimming device 250: dimming lens 274: Real World Objects 300: display system 302: virtual object 304: Image 305: Light source assembly 310: light guide 310-1: first surface 310-2: second surface 312: Dimming lens 320: Light guide display assembly 330: image light 332: In-coupling image light 334: output image light 335: Internal coupling element 338: Output image light 345: External coupling element 350:Virtual Image 355: Image 360: display system 375: Image 380:Display system 385: HOE image combiner 385-1: first surface 390:Holographic Optical Element ("HOE") Display Assemblies 400: dimming element 404: alignment layer 408: Main type LC/LC molecules 410: guest dye 450: dimming element 460: Photoresponsive Dyes 500: Dimming device/dimming element 505: ion storage layer 507: Ion-containing material layer 509: Electrochromic layer 550: dimming element 600: dimming element 608: Microscopic Particles 610: liquid suspension or polymer film 650: dimming element 700: method 701: Step 702: Step 703: Step 750: method 751: step 752:Step 753:step

The following figures are provided for illustrative purposes according to various disclosed embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In the schema:

[FIG. 1A] A schematic diagram showing an artificial reality device according to a specific example of the present invention;

[ FIG. 1B ] schematically shows a cross-sectional view of one half of the artificial reality device shown in FIG. 1A according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[FIG. 1C] depicts the artificial reality device shown in FIG. 1A when operating in Augmented Reality ("AR") or Mixed Reality ("MR") mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. images perceived by users of environmental devices;

[ FIG. 1D ] illustrates an image perceived by a user of an artificial reality device when the artificial reality device shown in FIG. 1A is operated in a virtual reality (“VR”) according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[FIG. 2A] A schematic diagram showing a dimming lens according to a specific example of the present invention;

[FIG. 2B] A schematic diagram showing a dimming lens according to a specific example of the present invention;

[FIG. 2C] A schematic diagram showing a dimming lens according to a specific example of the present invention;

[FIG. 2D] A schematic diagram showing a dimming lens according to a specific example of the present invention;

[FIG. 2E] A schematic diagram showing a dimming lens according to a specific example of the present invention;

[ FIG. 3A ] and [ FIG. 3B ] are schematic diagrams showing a display system including a dimming lens according to a specific example of the present invention;

[FIG. 3C] A schematic diagram showing a display system including a dimming lens according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[FIG. 3D] A schematic diagram showing a display system including a dimming lens according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[ FIG. 4A ] and [ FIG. 4B ] are schematic diagrams showing dimming elements that can be included in dimming lenses according to specific examples of the present invention;

[FIG. 4C] A schematic diagram showing a dimming element that can be included in a dimming lens according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[ FIG. 5A ] and [ FIG. 5B ] are schematic diagrams showing dimming elements that can be included in dimming lenses according to specific examples of the present invention;

[FIG. 5C] A schematic diagram illustrating a dimming element that can be included in a dimming lens according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[ FIG. 6A ] and [ FIG. 6B ] are schematic diagrams showing dimming elements that can be included in dimming lenses according to specific examples of the present invention;

[FIG. 6C] A schematic diagram illustrating a dimming element that can be included in a dimming lens according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[ FIG. 7A ] is a flowchart illustrating a method for fabricating a dimming lens according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[ FIG. 7B ] is a flowchart illustrating a method for fabricating a dimming lens according to an embodiment of the present invention.

131: the first material layer

132: second material layer

136: Dimming material

142:Ambient light/real world light

159: eyeball

200: Dimming lens/dimming device

Claims (20)

A lens comprising: a first material layer comprising a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance; and a second material layer coupled to the first material layer and comprising a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance, Wherein the first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance. Such as the lens of claim 1, wherein: The lens has an inner side facing the user's eyeball and an outer side facing the real world environment, the first material layer is located on the outer side of the lens, and The second material layer is located on the inner side of the lens. Such as the lens of claim 1, wherein: the first material layer is configured with a custom optical power for providing visual correction, and The second material layer is configured with zero optical power or an optical power less than a predetermined value. The lens of claim 1, wherein the first lens material comprises at least one of cycloolefin copolymer or cycloolefin polymer, and the second lens material comprises polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene, At least one of polypropylene or polyurethane. The lens of claim 1, wherein the first material layer has a retardation value less than 100 nanometers. The lens according to claim 1, further comprising an optically transparent adhesive layer disposed between the first material layer and the second material layer. The lens according to claim 1, wherein the center thickness of the first material layer is in the range of 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm, the center thickness of the second material layer is in the range of 0.2 mm to 0.7 mm, and the optically transparent adhesive layer Have a uniform thickness in the range of 0.01 mm to 0.2 mm. The lens according to claim 1, further comprising a dimming element arranged between the first material layer and the second material layer, the dimming element comprising a non-electrically adjustable dimming material or an electrically adjustable dimming at least one of the materials. The lens according to claim 1, wherein the second material layer includes a set of two second material layers, and the lens further includes a light-adjusting element disposed between the two second material layers. The lens according to claim 1, further comprising a light-adjusting material doped into at least one of the first material layer or the second material layer. A method comprising: providing a first layer of material comprising a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance; disposing a dimming element at the first material layer; and disposing a second material layer at the dimming element, the second material layer comprising a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance, Wherein the first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance. The method of claim 11, wherein disposing the dimming element at the first material layer comprises laminating the dimming element onto the concave surface of the first material layer via an optically transparent adhesive layer. The method of claim 11, wherein: The stack of the first material layer, the dimming element and the second material layer forms a lens, The lens has an inner side facing the user's eyeball and an outer side facing the real world environment, the first material layer is located on the outer side of the lens, and The second material layer is located on the inner side of the lens. The method of claim 11, wherein: the first material layer is configured with a custom optical power for providing visual correction, and The second material layer is configured with zero optical power or an optical power less than a predetermined value. The method of claim 11, wherein the first lens material comprises at least one of cycloolefin copolymer or cycloolefin polymer, and the second lens material comprises polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene, At least one of polypropylene or polyurethane. The method of claim 11, wherein the first material layer has a retardation value less than 100 nm. A method comprising: providing a first layer of material comprising a first lens material having a first birefringence, a first density, and a first impact resistance; disposing the dimmer element into a second material layer comprising a second lens material having a second birefringence, a second density, and a second impact resistance; and disposing the second material layer at the first material layer, Wherein the first birefringence is lower than the second birefringence, the first density is lower than the second density, and the second impact resistance is stronger than the first impact resistance. The method according to claim 17, wherein disposing the dimming element into the second material layer comprises encapsulating the dimming element into the second material layer. The method of claim 17, wherein disposing the second material layer at the first material layer comprises laminating the second material layer to the concave surface of the first material layer via an optically clear adhesive layer. The method of claim 17, wherein: The stack of the first material layer, the dimming element and the second material layer forms a lens, The lens has an inner side facing the user's eyeball and an outer side facing the real world environment, the first material layer is located on the outer side of the lens, and The second material layer is located on the inner side of the lens.