Hybrid optical beam steering
    1.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US10684531B1

    公开(公告)日:2020-06-16

    申请号:US16283229

    申请日:2019-02-22

    Abstract: A light beam can be steered using a non-mechanical beam steerer structure. For example, a combination of sub-aperture and full-aperture beam steering structures can be used (e.g., corresponding to regions of controlled variation in an index of refraction). The sub-aperture elements can include tapered structures defining a saw-tooth or triangular footprint in the plane in which the in-plane steering is performed. Respective rows of sub-aperture tapered structures can be configured to controllably steer the light beam in the first in-plane direction, wherein at least one row of sub-aperture tapered structures defines a first base region edge that is tipped at a first specified in-plane angle relative to a second base region edge defined by another row. Use of the tipped configuration can simplify a configuration of the beam steerer structure, such as allowing a configuration lacking a compensation plate at the input.

    Array of Sub-Aperture Refractive Elements for Steering a Light Beam

    公开(公告)号:US20180292727A1

    公开(公告)日:2018-10-11

    申请号:US15479999

    申请日:2017-04-05

    CPC classification number: G02F1/295 G02F2201/06 G02F2201/16 G02F2203/24

    Abstract: The present subject matter includes apparatus and techniques that can be used to reduce losses in systems that perform steering of a light beam. Such steering can be performed in a non-mechanical manner, such as using an electrically-controlled optical structure (e.g., an electro-optical structure). For example, a waveguide can be used to adjust an angle of a light beam (e.g., steer the light beam). The waveguide can include a core, a cladding including an electro-optic material, and electrodes defining an arrangement that, when selectively energized, adjusts an index of refraction of the electro-optic material. In particular, electrode arrangements as described herein can be used to reduce losses, such as losses that would occur due to diffraction.

    Array of sub-aperture refractive elements for steering a light beam

    公开(公告)号:US10120261B2

    公开(公告)日:2018-11-06

    申请号:US15479999

    申请日:2017-04-05

    Abstract: The present subject matter includes apparatus and techniques that can be used to reduce losses in systems that perform steering of a light beam. Such steering can be performed in a non-mechanical manner, such as using an electrically-controlled optical structure (e.g., an electro-optical structure). For example, a waveguide can be used to adjust an angle of a light beam (e.g., steer the light beam). The waveguide can include a core, a cladding including an electro-optic material, and electrodes defining an arrangement that, when selectively energized, adjusts an index of refraction of the electro-optic material. In particular, electrode arrangements as described herein can be used to reduce losses, such as losses that would occur due to diffraction.

    Liquid crystal waveguide with sub-aperture light coupling

    公开(公告)号:US11169426B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-11-09

    申请号:US16358529

    申请日:2019-03-19

    Abstract: A Liquid Crystal Waveguide (LCW) system can provide sub-aperture incoupling or outcoupling of light having an input wavelength and input beamsize defining an aperture characteristic of the system. A Liquid Crystal Waveguide (LCW) can include a generally planar LCW core to receive light via a light input zone for communication toward a light output zone. Sub-aperture interfacial light couplers can be planarly arranged in or parallel to the planar LCW core in the light input zone or the light output zone. Sub-aperture interfacial light couplers can include teeth, prisms, or facets, a photonic crystal metasurface, or a geometric-phased holograph (GPH)). Overall LCW thickness can be reduced, which can be helpful in space-limited applications or for reducing material costs.

    Highly multiplexed coherent LIDAR system

    公开(公告)号:US11378689B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-07-05

    申请号:US16793505

    申请日:2020-02-18

    Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system comprises a laser diode; a laser diode driver circuit configured generate a laser beam using the laser diode and to frequency chirp the generated laser beam according to a frequency chirp period; a laser splitter to split the generated laser beam into N transmit laser beams pointed at different angles, wherein N is an integer greater than one, and a frequency chirp period of each of the N transmit laser beams is the frequency chirp period of the generated laser beam; and multiple return beam paths to receive N return beams and determine time of flight values for the N return beams in parallel.

    LIGHT RECEIVE SCANNER WITH LIQUID CRYSTAL BEAMSTEERER

    公开(公告)号:US20210278741A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-09-09

    申请号:US16543060

    申请日:2019-08-16

    Abstract: An optical system for receiving light scanned from different light origination locations in space can include a Liquid Crystal (LC) waveguide (LCW), including first and second LCW light ports. A beamsteering LC electrode can be included in or coupled to the LCW and can be configured to vary a receiving direction of light received at the second LCW light port in response to a varying electrical input signal applied to the LC electrode to scan receiving of light at the second LCW light port from different light origination locations in space. A photodetector can be optically coupled to the first LCW light port, such as to detect waveguided light from different light origination locations in space received in response to the varying electrical input signal applied to the first LC electrode. Ranger, bright-spot locking, laser detection, direct detect and coherent lidar, wavelength detection, and other techniques and use cases are possible.

    HIGHLY MULTIPLEXED COHERENT LIDAR SYSTEM

    公开(公告)号:US20210255324A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-08-19

    申请号:US16793505

    申请日:2020-02-18

    Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system comprises a laser diode; a laser diode driver circuit configured generate a laser beam using the laser diode and to frequency chirp the generated laser beam according to a frequency chirp period; a laser splitter to split the generated laser beam into N transmit laser beams pointed at different angles, wherein N is an integer greater than one, and a frequency chirp period of each of the N transmit laser beams is the frequency chirp period of the generated laser beam; and multiple return beam paths to receive N return beams and determine time of flight values for the N return beams in parallel.

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