Design of a 360-degree holographic 3D video display using commonly available display panels and a paraboloid mirror

Abstract

Even barely acceptable quality holographic 3D video displays require hundreds of mega pixels with a pixel size in the order of a fraction of a micrometer, when conventional flat panel SLM arrangement is used. Smaller pixel sizes are essential to get larger diffraction angles. Common flat display panels, however, have pixel sizes in the order of tens of micrometers, and this results in diffraction angles in the order of one degree. Here in this design, an array of commonly available (similar to high-end mobile phone display panels) flat display panels, is used. Each flat panel, as an element of the array, directs its outgoing low-diffraction angle light beam to corresponding small portion of a large size paraboloid mirror; the mirror then reflects the slowly-expanding, information carrying beam to direct it at a certain exit angle; this beam constitutes a portion of the final real ghost-like 3D holographic image. The collection of those components from all such flat display panels cover the entire 360-degrees and thus constitute the final real 3D table-top holographic display with a 360-degrees viewing angle. The size of the resultant display is smaller compared to the physical size of the paraboloid mirror, or the overall size of the display panel array; however, an acceptable size table top display can be easily constructed for living-room viewing. A matching camera can also be designed by reversing the optical paths and by replacing the flat display panels by flat wavefront capture devices.