US Patent 11435586 Thin waveguide imager

A device for providing a 1D line of an image is disclosed. The device is based on a thin slab waveguide coupled to a beam redirecting device such as a tiltable mirror MEMS scanner, a waveguide-based phased array, or a waveguide-based optical switch switching image light between waveguides of a waveguide array coupled to a collimating element formed in the low-mode slab waveguide. The image may be formed by scanning a collimated beam propagating in the slab waveguide, or by forming the 1D singular distribution of brightness at a same time. The device may be used in a near-eye display for forming a 2D image in angular domain.