Ultracompact virtual reality system with a Pancharatnam–Berry phase deflector

Abstract

We propose an ultracompact virtual reality (VR) system with three optical components: a lenslet array, a Pancharatnam-Berry phase deflector (PBD), and a deflector array. The lenslet array aims to collect and collimate the input light from the display panel. The PBD steers the deviated beams after the lenslet array toward the optical axis so that the image uniformity and angular resolution can be enhanced, which plays a key role to enable this ultracompact design. Finally, the deflector array deflects the collimated beam from each lenslet to the exit pupil to widen the field of view. Such an ultracompact design is particularly attractive for next-generation glasses-like, lightweight VR headsets.