INCREASING RETURNED LIGHT IN A COMPACT AUGMENTED REALITY / VIRTUAL REALITY DISPLAY

Implementations of an augmented reality (AR)-capable display device for displaying polarized light generated by a display onto a predefined field of view are disclosed herein. The display device comprises an optical arrangement having a predefined arrangement relative to a predefined position of the display and defining the field of view. The optical arrangement comprises a mirror element disposed within the field of view and at least partially transmissive of ambient light incident on a first surface and at least partially reflective of light incident on an opposite second surface, a polarized beam splitter element disposed within the field of view and closer to the second surface of the mirror element than the first surface, a half-wave plate element disposed between the polarized beam splitter element and the display and outside the field of view, and a quarter-wave plate element disposed between the polarized beam splitter element and the mirror element.