Resolution-enhanced integral imaging 3D display using retro-reflector and reflective polarizer

High-resolution and high-quality 3D images are particularly important as 3D displays are applied to cutting-edge areas such as military and medicine. However, the 3D image quality of integral imaging is constrained by the resolution of the 2D display screen. To overcome the resolution limitation of 2D display screen, this paper proposed a high-resolution integral imaging 3D display using retro-reflectors and reflective polarizers. The elemental image array (EIA) is separated into two orthogonal polarized rays by the reflective polarizer. The retro-reflector, the quarter-wave retarding film and the reflective polarizer reflect the two polarized rays and superimposed them along the diagonal direction, and then generate a new EIA with smaller pixel pitch and higher pixel density. According to the pixel index relationships between the polarized EIA and the superimposed high-resolution EIA, the pixel values of polarized EIA are calculated backwards. The experimental results indicate that the proposed device can reconstruct high resolution 3D images and weaken the black grid between pixels.