Bottom emitting vertical cavity surface emitting laser array with integrated directional beam diffuser

Abstract

A bottom emitting vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) chip can include a VCSEL array including a plurality of VCSELs and an integrated optical element including a plurality of lens segments. The integrated optical element can direct light beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs to a particular angular range to create a diffuse pattern using the light beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs. A surface of a first lens segment can be tilted to cause a light beam from a first VCSEL to be directed at a first angle, a surface of a second (adjacent) lens segment can be tilted to cause a light beam from a second VCSEL to be directed at a second angle. The second angle can be opposite to the first angle with respect to a direction of a surface of the VCSEL array.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array and a bottom-emitting VCSEL array with an integrated directional beam diffuser. Background Technology

[0002] VCSEL arrays can be used in lighting scenarios, such as for three-dimensional (3D) sensing applications. Typically, a VCSEL array is paired with an external diffuser. The diffuser is used to extend the light supplied by the VCSEL's emitters into the field of view (FOV), sometimes also called the illumination field (FOI). In the traditional arrangement of external diffusers and VCSEL arrays, the diffuser diffuses the light from a given VCSEL across the entire FOV. In other words, the diffuser response does not vary from emitter to emitter within the VCSEL array. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In some embodiments, the bottom-emitting VCSEL chip includes a VCSEL array comprising a plurality of VCSELs; and an integrated optical element comprising a plurality of lens segments, wherein the integrated optical element guides a beam of light provided by the plurality of VCSELs to a specific angular range to create a diffusion pattern using the beam of light provided by the plurality of VCSELs, wherein the surface of a first lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is tilted such that the beam of light from the first VCSEL of the plurality of VCSELs is guided at a first angle, wherein the surface of a second lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is tilted such that the beam of light from the second VCSEL of the plurality of VCSELs is guided at a second angle, wherein the second lens segment is adjacent to the first lens segment, and wherein the direction of the second angle relative to the surface of the VCSEL array is opposite to the direction of the first angle relative to the surface of the VCSEL array, and wherein the beam of light from the plurality of VCSELs will pass through only one of the plurality of lens segments.

[0004] In some embodiments, the optical device includes a VCSEL array comprising a plurality of VCSELs; and an integrated optical element comprising a plurality of lens segments, wherein the integrated optical element guides beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs to a specific angular range to create a diffusion pattern using the beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs, wherein the lens segments of the plurality of lens segments guide beams from the VCSELs among the plurality of VCSELs at corresponding specific angles associated with creating the diffusion pattern, and wherein the surfaces of two adjacent lens segments of the plurality of lens segments are tilted such that beams from two corresponding VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs are guided at angles having opposite directions relative to the surface of the VCSEL array.

[0005] In some embodiments, the optical device includes a VCSEL array comprising a plurality of VCSELs; and an integrated optical element comprising a plurality of lens segments, wherein the integrated optical element guides a beam of light provided by the plurality of VCSELs to a specific angular range to create a diffusion pattern using the beam of light provided by the plurality of VCSELs, wherein light from the plurality of VCSELs exists in a portion of the diffusion pattern, said portion being smaller than the whole diffusion pattern, and wherein the surfaces of said lens segments are tilted in alternating directions such that beams of light from two or more corresponding VCSELs are guided at alternating angles relative to the surface of the VCSEL array. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an example optical device that includes the emitter array and integrated directional beam diffuser described herein.

[0007] Figure 2 This is an illustrative example of the outline of a bat wing, which can be achieved through the appropriate design of the optical devices described herein.

[0008] Figure 3 The diagram shows a composite relative intensity-angle graph of the output of the optical device described herein, as well as a graph showing the relative intensity-angle of a single emitter.

[0009] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates an exemplary distribution of a transmitter designed to guide a beam of light towards the generated... Figure 3 The various angles shown are related to the composite intensity-angle.

[0010] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the distribution of aiming directions of the transmitters in a two-dimensional transmitter array included in the optical device described herein.

[0011] Figures 6A-6C It shows the relationship with Figure 5 The diagram shows the intensity distribution of the example transmitter array associated with the example shown, relative to the angle.

[0012] Figure 7 This illustrates the case where the transmitter near the center of the example transmitter array is a dead transmitter, through... Figure 6A An example of a one-dimensional slice with intensity-angle shown.

[0013] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example optical device described herein, wherein the integrated directional beam diffuser includes a lens segment as a whole lens.

[0014] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example optical device described herein, wherein the integrated directional beam diffuser includes a lens segment as a lens portion.

[0015] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating an example of an alternative design for an integrated directional beam diffuser, which, along with... Figure 1 The integrated directional beam diffuser shown in the optical device provides the same intensity-angle profile.

[0016] Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a simplified two-dimensional layout for beam control provided by the integrated directional beam diffuser described herein.

[0017] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a flip-chip mounted optical device that includes the integrated directional beam diffuser described herein.

[0018] Figure 14A and 14B This is a diagram illustrating an exemplary arrangement of lens segments that reduces abrupt changes in the lens segment profile on the integrated optical element described herein.

[0019] Figure 15 and 16 The diagram illustrates an exemplary optical device in which the transmitters of transmitter array 102 are connected in a group that varies sequentially across the transmitter array.

[0020] Figure 17 and 18 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example optical device, where the transmitter assembly is connected on one side of the optical device. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements.

[0022] As described above, a conventional diffuser is a discrete element positioned at a specific distance from a light source (e.g., a VCSEL) and used to diffuse light from the source across the entire field of view (FOV). This arrangement and function can be advantageous when the light source is single-mode or few-mode, resulting in interference speckle (also known as speckle). However, some emitters, such as VCSELs, may have lateral modes that vary on picosecond (or shorter) timescales, which significantly reduces speckle. This means that extensive diffusion of light from a given VCSEL in a VCSEL array is not required to obtain a sufficiently smooth pattern.

[0023] Furthermore, diffusers can be diffracting or refractive. Both types of diffusers are affected by increasing VCSEL divergence, potentially resulting in an FOV efficiency of only about 70% to 80%. Besides FOV efficiency, light can be reflected by the diffuser's incident surface (e.g., a polymer surface) or exit surface (e.g., a glass surface), neither of which typically lacks an anti-reflective (AR) coating (due to the difficulty in depositing and fixing AR coatings). Without these AR coatings, efficiency is further reduced (e.g., by about 8%). Additionally, diffusers require micron or submicron scale features that are difficult or impossible to fabricate using photolithography, requiring imprints from a mold. Molds can be significantly more expensive than photomasks and are unsuitable for integration with VCSEL arrays that can vary with the product. Furthermore, for diffracting diffusers, unwanted excess light often exists at the center of the diffusion pattern when viewed from the "zeroth order" direction. For refractive diffusers, zero-order diffraction may not be a problem, but parasitic reflections at certain angles can reduce efficiency. This problem becomes more pronounced at the interface where light enters air from a material with a high refractive index (e.g., a semiconductor material). For these reasons, using conventional discrete diffusers may not be optimal for applications using VCSELs as the light source.

[0024] Some embodiments described herein provide a VCSEL chip with a bottom-emitting VCSEL array having an integrated optical element (referred to herein as the integrated optical element) that serves as a directional beam diffuser. In some embodiments, the integrated optical element includes multiple lens segments that collectively generate a diffusion pattern from the beam supplied by the VCSELs of the VCSEL array (e.g., such that the total intensity-angle from all VCSELs simulates the output of a conventional diffuser). In some embodiments, the integrated optical element generates the diffusion pattern by guiding the beam supplied by the VCSELs within a specific angular range. In some embodiments, the beam from a given VCSEL passes through only one lens segment of the integrated optical element. In some embodiments, the lens segment guides the beam from a given VCSEL at a specific angle associated with generating the diffusion pattern. In some embodiments, the light from a given VCSEL appears only in a portion of the diffusion pattern. That is, the light from a given VCSEL does not diffuse across the entire diffusion pattern (as is the case with a conventional diffuser).

[0025] As described in further detail below, VCSEL arrays with integrated optics overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of conventional diffusers. In this way, the functions of discrete diffusers and VCSEL arrays can be combined into a single compact chip, while also improving the efficiency of the optical system. Furthermore, the chip of a VCSEL array with integrated optics enables independent illumination of different areas, which may be advantageous for some optical systems, such as indirect time-of-flight systems requiring high power to illuminate objects at greater distances.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an example optical device 100 including an emitter array 102 and integrated optical elements 106. The optical device 100 may be, for example, a bottom-emitting VCSEL chip.

[0027] Emitter array 102 is an array of emitters that provides light (e.g., beam 110), from which integrated optical elements 106 generate a diffusion pattern. For example, as Figure 1 As shown, emitter array 102 may include a plurality of emitters 104, each emitter providing a corresponding beam 110. In some embodiments, emitter array 102 is a planar array having oxide trenches defining the plurality of emitters 104. In some embodiments, emitter array 102 is a bottom-emitting VCSEL array including a plurality of bottom-emitting VCSELs (i.e., the emitters 104 of emitter array 102 can emit light through the substrate side of emitter array 102). In some embodiments, emitter array 102 is a one-dimensional (1D) array of emitters 104. In some embodiments, emitter array 102 is a two-dimensional (2D) array of emitters 104. In some embodiments, emitter array 102 includes at least about 40 emitters 104 (e.g., emitter array 102 may include several hundred emitters). In some embodiments, the number of emitters 104 can be selected to create a smooth intensity-angle profile (e.g., compared to an array of different points in the far field). Notably, this design also enables independent illumination of different portions of the FOV.

[0028] Integrated optical element 106 is a component that creates a diffusion pattern from the light beam 110 provided by the emitter 104 of the emitter array 102. For example... Figure 1As shown, the integrated optical element 106 may include multiple lens segments 108. In some embodiments, the integrated optical element 106 is integrated with the emitter array 102. That is, the integrated optical element 106 is not a discrete or external diffuser. Instead, the integrated optical element 106 is integrated with the emitter array 102 on a single chip. For example, the multiple lens segments 108 may be patterned on a substrate (e.g., a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate) of the emitter array 102. In some embodiments, the optical element 106 and the emitter array 102 may be monolithically integrated into a wafer comprising multiple optical devices 100. In some embodiments, the integrated optical element 106 may be formed on a substrate. In some embodiments, the integrated optical element 106 may be formed in the substrate of the emitter array 102. Therefore, in some embodiments, the lens segments 108 are formed on the outer surface of the optical device 100. In some embodiments, the optical element 106 may have an anti-reflective coating deposited on its top surface.

[0029] In some implementations, the slope of a given lens segment 108 of the integrated optics 106 (e.g., relative to the surface of the emitter array 102) can be selected to guide the beam 110 at a specific angle. Thus, the slope of the lens segment 108 of the integrated optics 106 can be selected so that the integrated optics 106 produces a desired diffusion pattern from the beam 110 provided by the emitter 104 of the emitter array 102.

[0030] In some embodiments, the surface of the lens segment 108 of the integrated optical element 106 may be planar (e.g., a surface with a linear slope). A lens segment 108 with a tilted planar surface can provide guidance for the beam 110, but cannot reduce the divergence of the beam 110. In some embodiments, the surface of the lens segment 108 of the integrated optical element 106 may be curved (e.g., the surface may have a non-linear slope, such as...). Figure 1(As shown). In some embodiments, the curvature of the surface of lens segment 108 can be used to reduce the divergence of the light beam 110 passing through lens segment 108, which is beneficial, for example, at relatively steep angles (e.g., improving the sharpness of the intensity-angle profile at the edges of a diffusion pattern where the beam can exit at an angle of 20 to 60 degrees with respect to the normal and the surface can be tilted nominally by 7 to 14 degrees relative to the horizontal direction). In some embodiments, the radius of curvature of a given lens segment 108 can range from about 180 micrometers (μm) to about 450 μm (e.g., it can range from about ±1 μm to about ±5 μm to obtain reasonable tolerances for misalignment). In some embodiments, the slope of the surface of lens segment 108 can be selected to guide the light beam 110 passing through lens segment 108 in a desired direction. In some embodiments, the surface type of a given lens segment 108 (e.g., curved, flat) can be selected to selectively reduce the divergence of the light beam 110 passing through a given lens segment 108. In some embodiments, reducing the divergence of the beam 110 illuminating the edge of the FOV can improve the sharpness of the edge of the convergence profile of the diffusion pattern generated by the integrated optical element 106. In some embodiments, the lens segments 108 may each correspond to the same reference lens segment, or may each correspond to a set of two or three reference lens segments.

[0031] In some embodiments, the spacing (e.g., center-to-center distance) between a given pair of lens segments 108 is in the range of approximately 30 μm to approximately 60 μm and is intended to match the spacing of the emitters. This spacing is much smaller than that of a complete (circular) lens, which can be 100 μm to 200 μm. In some embodiments, the size of the coverage area of ​​the integrated optical element 106 is matched to or smaller than the size of the coverage area of ​​the emitter array 102. That is, in some embodiments, the coverage area of ​​the integrated optical element 106 is no larger than the coverage area of ​​the emitter array 102.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, in operation, the transmitters 104 of the transmitter array 102 emit beams 110 via integrated optical elements 106, such that each beam 110 passes through a corresponding lens segment 108. In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the optical device 100 is designed such that each beam 110 passes through a different lens segment 108 of the integrated optical element 106 (i.e., such that no two beams 110 pass through the same lens segment 108). Alternatively, in some embodiments, the optical device 100 may be designed such that two or more beams 110 pass through a given lens segment 108 of the integrated optical element 106.

[0033] In some embodiments, the lens segment 108 of the integrated optical element 106 guides the light beam 110 to a specific angular range to create a diffusion pattern using the light beam 110. To generate a diffusion pattern, a given lens segment 108 guides the light beam 110 from one or more emitters 104 at a specific angle (e.g., said specific angle depends on the slope of the surface of the given lens segment 108). Figure 1 As shown, the beam 110 provided by the emitter 104 on the left side of the emitter array 102 can be guided in a generally leftward direction in association with the generation of a diffusion pattern. Figure 1 As shown, the beam 110 provided by the emitter 104 on the right side of the emitter array 102 can be guided in a generally rightward direction in association with the generation of a diffusion pattern. Figure 1 As shown, the beam 110 provided by the emitter 104 near the center of the emitter array 102 can be guided in a generally linear direction in association with the generation of the diffusion pattern. As a result, as Figure 1 As shown, light from a given emitter 104 exists only in a portion of the diffusion pattern generated by the integrated optical element 106 (i.e., light from a given emitter does not exist across the entire diffusion pattern).

[0034] It is worth noting that, such as Figure 1As shown, a beam 110 from a given emitter 104 can pass through only one lens segment 108. In some embodiments, the optics 100 can be designed such that the synthesized output beam of the optics 100 simulates the output beam of a conventional diffuser. That is, in some embodiments, the diffusion pattern created by the integrated optical element 106 can simulate the diffusion pattern of the aforementioned conventional external diffuser. In some embodiments, the optics 100 is designed such that the angle of the focusing intensity relative to the diffusion pattern minimizes the appearance of spots from the individual emitters 104 in the diffusion pattern (e.g., such that the intensity varies between the inner and outer angles of the diffusion pattern with an oscillation of less than about 20%). In some embodiments, the optics 100 is designed to maximize the power concentrated within the field of view (FOV). To increase the power within a particular FOV, the edges of the profile need to be sharp relative to the angle. An optical device 100 designed with a smaller emitter (e.g., 4 μm to 16 μm aperture diameter) and an optimal radius of curvature (e.g., 150 μm to 380 μm for GaAs substrates, typically 1.4 to 2.5 times the substrate thickness) will better reduce divergence and result in a sharper, more efficient profile when pointed towards the edge of the field of view (FOV). To achieve a smooth profile, the radius of curvature and individual divergence may need to be increased for emitters pointing towards the center of the FOV. Thicker substrates (e.g., thickness greater than 400 μm) and larger radii of curvature further reduce divergence, but require further separation of the emitters, which increases chip cost and may result in a far-field profile that is scattered into spots rather than a continuous beam.

[0035] As mentioned above, Figure 1 This is provided as an example. Other examples may differ from those provided. Figure 1 As described. Furthermore... Figure 1 The number and arrangement of the components shown are provided as an example. In reality, there can be more. Figure 1 The diagram shows more parts, fewer parts, different parts, or parts arranged differently.

[0036] In some embodiments, the optical device 100 is designed such that the diffusion pattern has a high intensity (e.g., about 2 to 4 times the center intensity) at a relatively large angle within a desired FOV (e.g., from about 50 degrees to about 120 degrees) to achieve a so-called “bat wing” profile. Figure 2 This is an illustrative example of a bat wing profile that can be achieved through a suitable design of the optical device 100. Figure 2 Provided as an example, and other examples may differ from those provided. Figure 2 As described.

[0037] Figure 3This is a graph showing the composite relative intensity-angle (far field) of the output of the optical device 100 after the integrated optics 106 of all the transmitters 104 in the example transmitter array 102, and a graph showing the relative intensity-angle after the integrated optics 106 of a single transmitter 104 in the example transmitter array 102. Figure 3 As shown, in the operation of the optical device 100, the beam 110 of a single emitter 104 is guided in a specific direction (indicated by the associated lens segment 108). Other beams 110 emitted by the other emitters 104 of the emitter array 102 are similarly guided (at specific angles indicated by their associated lens segments 108), such that the beams 110 provided from the emitters 104 produce a composite relative intensity-angle. That is, the synthesis of the intensity profile associated with each emitter 104 of example 102 will result in… Figure 3 The composite relative intensity-angle profile is shown.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating an exemplary distribution of emitter 104, which is designed to direct beam 110 to generate... Figure 3 The diagram shows various angle guides with a composite intensity-angle correlation. Figure 4 In the example shown, the transmitter array 102 has 19 transmitters 104, and the lens segment 108 of the integrated optical element 106 guides the beam 110 to the direction of the transmitter. Figure 4 The distribution shown gives a specific angle. In some implementations, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the number of transmitters 104 aimed at the center of transmitter array 102 (e.g., at an angle with a small absolute value) is relatively small. However, the number of transmitters 104 aimed at the center of transmitter array 102 can be not too low, so that a single beam 110 appears in the far field. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the number of emitters 104 targeting angles near the edge of the field of view (e.g., angles with higher absolute values) can be relatively high (e.g., increasing the intensity near the edge of the emitter array 102 to create a diffusion pattern with a batwing profile). As described above, Figure 3 and 4 This is provided as an example. Other examples may differ from those provided. Figure 3 and 4 As described.

[0039] It is worth noting that, Figure 3 and 4 The example is associated with a one-dimensional (1D) transmitter array 102, but a similar principle can be applied to the case of a 2D transmitter array 102. Figure 5 A diagram showing an example of the aiming direction distribution of the transmitters 104 in the 2D transmitter array 102 (e.g., Figure 5 The image shows an array of 328 transmitters 104. In some implementations, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the distribution of aiming directions can have a honeycomb pattern (e.g., instead of a square grid) at the center of the far field (e.g., away from the edge of the far field). In some embodiments, the honeycomb pattern allows for uniform coverage of the circular far field of a single transmitter 104. It is worth noting that... Figure 5 The honeycomb pattern shown indicates the distribution of the aiming direction of the transmitter 104 provided by the integrated optical element 106, and is independent of the spatial distribution of the transmitter 104. That is, Figure 5 The distribution shown does not represent the physical layout of the transmitters 104 of the transmitter array 102.

[0040] Figures 6A-6C It shows the relationship with Figure 5 A graph showing the intensity-angle distribution of the associated example transmitter array 102. Figure 6A The 2D intensity-angle of all emitters 104 in the 2D emitter array 102 is shown. Notably, the intensity is higher near the edges of the intensity distribution (e.g., as shown through relatively darker areas). Figure 6B The 2D intensity-angle (with) of a single emitter 104 of the 2D emitter array 102 is shown. Figure 6A (The proportions are the same). Here, each transmitter 104 of the example transmitter array 102 will have similar intensity, but will be pointed at different angles (e.g., Figure 6A , 6B (Different positions in the middle). The synthesis of the intensities associated with all emitters 104 will result in Figure 6A The distribution shown. Figure 6C It shows the first axis ( Figure 5 The θY axis shown is along the second axis at various values ​​(e.g., 0 degrees, 16 degrees, and 25 degrees). Figure 5 The θX axis shown passes through Figure 6A An example of a 1D "slice" showing the intensity-angle distribution. (See example...) Figure 6A and 6C As shown, in the 2D implementation, the diffusion pattern created by the integrated optical element 106 can have a bat wing profile (e.g., at a given “slice” of the distribution).

[0041] One consideration for the integrated optical element 106 is that it is capable of operating even if the transmitter 104 is dead. The “dead” transmitter 104 can be, for example, a transmitter 104 with a power amount less than a threshold, a transmitter 104 with no power, a transmitter 104 with a power much smaller than that of the adjacent transmitter 104, etc. Figure 7This illustrates the case where transmitter 104 near the center of example transmitter array 102 is a dead transmitter, through... Figure 6A An example of an intensity-angle 1D slice is shown. Therefore, Figure 7 The tolerance of the optical device 100 to the dead emitter 104 present in the emitter array 102 is shown. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the dead emitter 104 near the center of the 2D emitter array 102 only reduces the intensity by about 15%, meaning that the optics 100 can still provide the desired function in most cases. It is worth noting that... Figure 7 The example shown represents the extreme case where the dead transmitter 104 has zero power. In practice, the dead transmitter 104 can have some power, meaning that in some cases the intensity reduction will be less severe.

[0042] As mentioned above, Figure 5 , 6A -6C and 7 are provided as examples. Other examples may differ. Figure 5 , 6A -6C and 7 are described.

[0043] In some embodiments, as described above, the surface of lens segment 108 may be curved to reduce the divergence of beam 110 (e.g., to allow optical power to be better confined within the field of view). Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing a lens segment 108 with a radius of curvature r (e.g., formed on a substrate of emitter array 102), through which a beam 110 from emitter 104 passes at an angle θ (relative to the horizontal direction) and exits. However, if the curvature is too strong, the final tilt of the beam 110 may affect the error of deviating from the center of the lens (in... Figure 8The image is denoted as x0). For example, if the alignment tolerance is + / - 2 micrometers, a beam nominally pointing 30 degrees off-center (perpendicular to the substrate surface) from the vertical direction may deviate by + / - 2 degrees for a radius of curvature of 200 micrometers, and the error will increase as the radius of curvature decreases. Due to the limitation of the radius of curvature, as mentioned above, the size of the complete (circularly symmetrical) lens can be very large, and the lens segment is preferred. Furthermore, a tight curvature will result in uneven illumination. In some embodiments, to tolerate misalignment up to a few micrometers (e.g., error in x0, rather than the target value of x0), and to keep the angular profile centered (e.g., within a few degrees), the radius of curvature r can be between approximately 180 micrometers and approximately 450 micrometers (e.g., when the lens segment 108 is formed in GaAs, which is the common substrate of the VCSEL). For radii of curvature within such a range, the offset x0 from the center of the lens segment 108 to the beam 110, causing the beam to tilt by approximately 30 to 40 degrees, is on the order of tens of micrometers. It is worth noting that when each transmitter 104 is used as the entire lens (e.g., as... Figure 8 When the radially symmetrical lens (as shown) is in lens segment 108, the distance between the emitters is equal to the distance p between adjacent lenses. lens The spacing is limited, for example, from 100 micrometers to 200 micrometers. This limitation could result in a significant waste of space between the emitters 104 and lead to large and expensive dies. Therefore, in some embodiments, the lens segment 108 can be a portion of the entire lens area (e.g., a few percent). Thus, using such a lens segment 108 can reduce the size and cost of the optical device 100.

[0044] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example optical device 100, which includes a lens segment 108 as part of a lens (e.g., a segment of a radially symmetrical lens, rather than the entire radially symmetrical lens). Figure 9 In the example shown, each emitter 104 is positioned below the lens segment 108 to guide the beam 110 and partially reduce beam divergence. Here, the lens segment 108 makes the spacing p between the emitters 104... eThe size of the beam 110 at lens segment 108, rather than the size of the entire lens, can be limited. It is noteworthy that because the emitter array 102 is typically relatively small (e.g., about 1 millimeter in size) compared to the scene illuminated by the optical device 100 (e.g., which can be on the order of hundreds of millimeters to several meters (m)), the spatial position of the emitter 104 on the chip does not change the observed intensity-angle relationship. Therefore, lens segments 108 can be spatially rearranged in any order. In some embodiments, the spatial configuration of lens segments 108 is configured to improve the manufacturability (e.g., yield and reproducibility) of the integrated optical element 106. In some embodiments, the spatial configuration of lens segments 108 is configured to reduce the frequency or height of transitions between adjacent lens segments. In some embodiments, the spatial configuration of lens segments 108 is configured to reduce the power loss effects from potential failure modes (e.g., adjacent emitter failures, edge failures, crystal dislocations, etc.). Figure 9 As further shown, in some embodiments, the lens segment 108 is recessed from the top surface of the integrated optical element 106 by a support at the periphery of the emission region of the optical device 100 (e.g., the edge of the die). Here, the lens segment 108 recessed from the top surface by the support can be used to protect the surface of the lens segment 108 from damage.

[0045] As mentioned above, Figure 8 and 9 This is provided as an example. Other examples may differ. Figure 8 and 9 As described.

[0046] In practice, different designs of the lens segment 108 of the integrated optical element 106 can be used to provide the same intensity-angle profile. For example, Figure 10 The design of the lens segment 108 of the integrated optical element 106 shown can provide with... Figure 1 The lens segment 108 of the integrated optical element 106 shown provides the same intensity-angle profile as the integrated optical element 106. It is worth noting that... Figure 10 This shows that when both electrodes are excited, it provides the same... Figure 1 The diagram illustrates an example of an alternative design for an intensity-angle profile provided by an integrated directional beam diffuser in an optical device. When either of the two electrodes is excited, the intensity profile is illuminated relative to either the central or outer portion of the angle. It is noteworthy that... Figure 1 The design shown causes the beam 110 closer to the edge of the transmitter array 102 to be more tilted than the beam 110 closer to the center of the transmitter array 102. In contrast, Figure 10The design shown makes the beam 110 on the left side of the transmitter array 102 less tilted relative to the beam 110 on the right side of the transmitter array 102.

[0047] In some embodiments, beams 110 with relatively small tilt can be grouped under one contact portion of the transmitter array 102, while beams 110 with relatively large tilt can be grouped under another contact portion of the transmitter array 102 (e.g., individual anodes or cathodes). That is, in some embodiments, a first group of transmitters 104 of the transmitter array 102 is connected to a first contact portion 112a of the optical device 100, and a second group of transmitters 104 of the transmitter array 102 is connected to a second contact portion 112b of the optical device 100, such as... Figure 10 As shown. In this case, as Figure 10 As further shown, the integrated optical element 106 can be designed to guide the beam 110 from the first set of emitters 104 toward the center of the diffusion pattern, and can guide the beam 110 from the second set of emitters 104 toward one or more edges of the diffusion pattern. In some embodiments, one or more emitters 104 in the first set of emitters 104 are located at the edge of the emitter array 102, and one or more emitters 104 in the second set of emitters 104 are located at the edge of the emitter array 102, which improves the addressability of the emitter group 104.

[0048] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a simplified 2D spatial layout (e.g., a 9×9 layout) for beam control provided by the integrated optical element 106. Figure 11 In the image, each transmitter 104 of the transmitter array 102 is represented by a box, and the associated arrow indicates the tilt direction provided by the integrated optics 106 (viewed from directly above the integrated optics 106). The dot in the center box represents a direct line of sight. Figure 11 A beam of light 110 outside the plane. In Figure 11 In this design, the lens segment 108 closer to the center of the transmitter array 102 provides a relatively smaller tilt than the lens segment 108 closer to the edge of the transmitter array 102. This design is consistent with... Figure 1 The design of the integrated optical element 106 shown is consistent.

[0049] Another layout is as follows Figure 12 As shown. In Figure 12 In this configuration, lens segment 108 is arranged such that the beam 110 with a relatively small tilt is closer to the corner of emitter array 102 (e.g., the upper left corner of emitter array 102), rather than as... Figure 11 That is, closer to the center of transmitter array 102. Figure 12 One advantage of the design of the associated integrated optical element 106 is that it is compatible with... Figure 11 Compared to this approach, the addressing beam 110, which is directed closer to the center of the field of view (FOV), is simplified (e.g., because the transmitter 104, which is aimed closer to the center of the FOV, is located at the edge of the transmitter array 102). For example, the optics 100 can be a flip chip mounted on a base, and the traces leading to the edge of the optics 100 can be routed on a single plane of the base. Conversely, in Figure 11 In the illustrated design, either the optics 100 requires overlapping traces to approach the transmitters 104 closer to the center, or the base requires traces or through-holes—both of which increase the cost and complexity of the optics 100 or the base. Another possible arrangement (not shown) is to arrange the lens segment 108 such that the transmitters 104 aimed closer to the center of the field of view (FOV) are located at multiple positions along the perimeter of the transmitter array 102 (e.g., at corners). In this arrangement, the failure of multiple adjacent transmitters 104 may not result in a significant loss of function (e.g., because not all transmitters 104 aimed closer to the center will cluster together). It is worth noting that... Figure 11 and 12 The layout in the image can be used to illuminate the FOV or its sub-regions.

[0050] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram showing a flip-chip mounted optical device 100 including integrated optical elements 106. In some embodiments, such as Figure 13 As shown, an augmented reality coating is formed on the top surface of the optical device 100 to reduce reflections on the top surface of the optical device 100.

[0051] As mentioned above, Figure 10-13 Provided as an example. Other examples may differ. Figure 10-13 As described.

[0052] The integrated optical element 106 described above is relatively more efficient than conventional (discrete) diffusers. For example, the divergence of a given beam 110 can be reduced to produce sharper edges in the intensity-angle profile, thereby improving FOV efficiency (e.g., by approximately 7%). Furthermore, the augmented reality coating can be more easily formed and maintained on the optical device 100 (e.g., compared to conventional diffusers). Conventional diffusers are typically polymers attached to glass and stamped to form a refractive pattern. Typically, the augmented reality coating is a thin film of a dielectric material, such as a metal oxide or glass, or a multilayer stack of metal oxides or glasses, with a thickness equivalent to the wavelength (a fraction of a micrometer). Such a thin dielectric film does not adhere well to the polymer, which may stretch more rapidly with increasing temperature, causing the film to break. However, AR coating materials are semiconductor-compatible. The reduction in reflection provided by the AR coating can provide a further increase in efficiency (e.g., approximately 4% to 8%, depending on whether a conventional diffuser is coated on the glass substrate side). It is worth noting that there may be some (e.g., approximately 3%) absorption from the substrate. However, even with this absorption, the overall improvement in efficiency can be significant (e.g., approximately 12%).

[0053] In some embodiments, the arrangement of the lens segments 108 can be selected to simplify the manufacture of the optical device 100. For example, the arrangement of the lens segments 108 can be selected to reduce or eliminate abrupt changes in the profile of the lens segments 108 on the integrated optical element 106. Figure 14A and 14B This is a diagram illustrating an example arrangement of lens segment 108 that reduces abrupt changes in the profile of lens segment 108 on integrated optical element 106 (e.g., with...). Figure 1 Compared to the design shown). It is worth noting that, in Figure 1 In the design shown, the transition between a given pair of adjacent lens segments 108 (most easily seen at the leftmost and rightmost ends of the integrated optical element 106) is a vertical step. In some embodiments, for ease of manufacture, it can be as follows: Figure 14A The arrangement of the lens segments 108 shown is such that the light beams 110 on the leftmost two adjacent lens segments 108 of the integrated optical element 106 point in substantially opposite directions (e.g., to the left and to the right), rather than both pointing in substantially the same direction (e.g., to the left, as shown). Figure 1 (The design shown). Similarly, the beams 110 on the two adjacent lens segments 108 on the far right of the integrated optical element 106 point in substantially opposite directions (e.g., to the left and to the right), instead of both pointing in substantially the same direction (e.g., to the right, as shown). Figure 1 (The design shown). Here, by comparison Figure 14A and 1As can be seen, there are no abrupt steps between these adjacent lens segments in the integrated optical element 106 with this arrangement, which simplifies the manufacture of the optical device 100 (for example, because abrupt changes in the contour of the integrated optical element 106 may be difficult to manufacture).

[0054] Therefore, in some embodiments, the surface of lens segment 108 may be tilted in alternating directions such that the beam 100 from the emitter 104 of emitter array 102 is guided at alternating angles relative to the surface of emitter array 102. In other words, in some embodiments, the surfaces of two adjacent lens segments 108 may be tilted such that the beams 110 from the two emitters 104 of emitter array 102 are guided at angles having opposite directions relative to the surface of emitter array 102. As a specific example, the surface of the first lens segment 108 may be tilted such that the beam 110 from the first emitter 104 is guided at a first angle, and the surface of the second lens segment 108 may be tilted such that the beam 110 from the second emitter 104 is guided at a second angle. In this example, the second lens segment 108 is adjacent to the first lens segment 108, and the direction of the second angle relative to the surface of emitter array 102 is opposite to the direction of the first angle relative to the surface of emitter array 102.

[0055] In addition, such as Figure 14B As shown, in some embodiments, the transition between the regions from which the light beam 110 exits (e.g., the region near the edge of the lens segment 108 where the light beam 110 is not incident) can be smoothed, further reducing abrupt profile changes between the lens segments 108. Because these regions do not have optical functions, they can be adjusted according to manufacturing requirements. Figure 14B Furthermore, as shown in some embodiments, the transition to a higher platform outside the lens segment 108 can also be smoothed. It is worth noting that... Figure 14A and 14B The illustrations shown are for 1D designs, but these techniques can be similarly applied to 2D designs. In some implementations, by arranging the lens segment 108 to reduce steps and smooth the profile of the integrated optics 106, a more compact emitter design can be achieved (e.g., such an arrangement or smoothing would require relatively more die area for step transitions compared to a design without it). It is worth noting that such an arrangement may be unnecessary for relatively small angular variations (e.g., ±5 degrees) because abrupt steps may not be present in the profile of the integrated optics 106 in these regions.

[0056] As mentioned above, Figure 14A and 14B This is provided as an example. Other examples may differ. Figure 14A and14B As described.

[0057] In some implementations, the transmitters 104 spanning the transmitter array 102 can be connected in groups, with these groups varying sequentially across the transmitter array 102. This configuration can be used, for example, to enable a scene to be scanned from a negative angle to a positive angle.

[0058] Figure 15 This is a diagram illustrating an exemplary optical device 100, in which emitters 104 of a 2D emitter array 102 are connected in groups, and these groups vary sequentially across the emitter array 102. Figure 15 In the figure, the emitter guide angle in the x-direction is indicated along the top of the optical device 100. As shown, the guide angle in the x-direction alternates between negative and positive angles to minimize the vertical transition in the profile of the integrated optical element 106 as described above. Furthermore, the emitter guide angle in the y-direction is indicated along the left side of the optical device 100. As shown, the guide angle in the y-direction alternates between negative and positive angles to minimize the vertical transition in the profile of the integrated optical element 106 as described above. Figure 15 In the example shown, transmitters 104 are connected via a first metal layer (shown in gray) to form four groups of guide angles spanning from -24 degrees to -15 degrees (group 1), -12 degrees to -3 degrees (group 2), +3 degrees to +12 degrees (group 3), and +15 degrees to +24 degrees (group 4). Therefore, in some embodiments, transmitters 104 in transmitter array 102 can be connected such that the guide angles provided by the plurality of lens segments 108 change sequentially across transmitter array 102 in a specific direction (e.g., the x-direction and / or y-direction).

[0059] In some implementations... Figure 15 The optical device 100 shown may include a second metal layer to provide a heat dissipation pad, an example of which is... Figure 16 As shown. In some implementations, such as Figure 16 As shown, a second metal layer may be formed on the dielectric layer (e.g., to prevent adjacent transmitter groups 104 from short-circuiting together). In some embodiments, this design allows flip-chip bonding to the substrate and connection to the driver.

[0060] In some embodiments, the optical device 100 may be designed such that the connection of the group of transmitters 104 is arranged on one side of the optical device 100. In some embodiments, this arrangement may, for example, implement the driver connection only on one side of the optical device 100. Figure 17 This is a diagram illustrating an example optical device 100, wherein a transmitter assembly 104 is connected to one side of the optical device 100. Figure 17In the figure, the emitter guide angle in the x-direction is indicated along the top of the optical device 100. As shown, the guide angle in the x-direction alternates between negative and positive angles to minimize the vertical transition in the profile of the integrated optical element 106 as described above. Furthermore, the emitter guide angle in the y-direction is indicated along the left side of the optical device 100. As shown, the guide angle in the y-direction alternates between negative and positive angles to minimize the vertical transition in the profile of the integrated optical element 106 as described above. Figure 17 In the example shown, the transmitter 104 is associatedly connected via a first metal layer (shown in gray) to form four groups of guide angles spanning from -24 degrees to -15 degrees (group 1), from -12 degrees to -3 degrees (group 2), from +3 degrees to +12 degrees (group 3), and from +15 degrees to +24 degrees (group 4).

[0061] like Figure 17 As shown, a first metal layer can be formed to provide electrical connections for all four groups from one side of the optical device 100. It is worth noting that, in Figure 17 In the example shown, the connections to groups 1 and 2 are entirely formed on the first metal layer, while the connections to groups 3 and 4 are only partially formed on the first metal layer. In this example, the connections to groups 3 and 4 are completed on the second metal layer, as shown... Figure 18 As shown. In some implementations, such as Figure 18 As further shown, the second metal layer can further provide a heat dissipation pad for the optical device 100. In some embodiments, such as Figure 18 As shown, a second metal layer may be formed on the dielectric layer (e.g., to prevent adjacent transmitter groups 104 from short-circuiting together). Here, the dielectric layer includes vias to allow connections to groups 3 and 4 to be made. In some embodiments, this design allows flip-chip bonding to the substrate and connection to the driver.

[0062] As mentioned above, Figure 15-18 This is provided as an example. Other examples may differ. Figure 15-18 As described.

[0063] The foregoing disclosure provides illustrations and descriptions, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations can be made based on the foregoing disclosure, or modifications and variations can be derived from practice of the embodiments. Furthermore, any embodiments described herein can be combined unless the foregoing disclosure expressly provides reasons why one or more embodiments may not be combined.

[0064] Even though specific combinations of features are referenced in the claims and / or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of various embodiments. In fact, many of these features can be combined in ways not specifically stated in the claims and / or not disclosed in the specification. Although each dependent claim listed below may directly refer to only one claim, the disclosure of various embodiments includes combinations of each dependent claim with each other claim in the claim set.

[0065] Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the elements, actions, or instructions used herein should not be construed as critical or necessary. Furthermore, as used herein, the articles “a” and “one” are intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Additionally, as used herein, the article “the” is intended to include one or more items associated with the article “the” and may be used interchangeably with “the one or more.” Furthermore, as used herein, the term “set” is intended to include one or more items (e.g., related items, unrelated items, a combination of related and unrelated items, etc.) and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” When referring to only one item, the phrase “only one” or similar language is used. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms “having,” “having,” “with,” etc., are intended to be open-ended terms. Furthermore, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “at least partially based on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “or” when used in series is intended to be inclusive and may be used interchangeably with “and / or” unless explicitly stated otherwise (e.g., if used in conjunction with “any” or “only one of them”). Furthermore, for ease of description, spatially relative terms such as “below,” “under,” “above,” “over,” etc., may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature shown in the figures. In addition to the orientations described in the figures, spatially related terms are intended to include different orientations of equipment, apparatus, and / or elements in use or operation. The equipment may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatially relative descriptions used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0066] Cross-references to related applications

[0067] This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63 / 014,483, filed April 23, 2020, entitled “Bottom-Emitting Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser Array with Integrated Directional Beam Diffuser”. The disclosure of that earlier application is considered part of the disclosure of this application and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Claims

1. A bottom-emitting vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip, comprising: A VCSEL array including multiple VCSELs; and An integrated optical element has a first side edge, a second side edge, and a front edge extending between the first side edge and the second side edge, the integrated optical element including a plurality of lens segments arranged along the front edge. The integrated optical element guides the light beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs to a specific angular range to create a diffusion pattern using the light beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs. The first lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the first side edge of the integrated optical element. The surface of the first lens segment is inclined so as to guide the light beam from the first VCSEL from the plurality of VCSELs away from the center of the VCSEL array at a first angle. The second lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the first lens segment. The surface of the second lens segment is inclined so as to guide the light beam from the second VCSEL from the plurality of VCSELs toward the center of the VCSEL array at a second angle. The third lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the second lens segment. The surface of the third lens segment is inclined so that the beam from the third VCSEL is guided at a third angle away from the center of the VCSEL array. A beam of light from one of the plurality of VCSELs passes through only one of the plurality of lens segments.

2. The bottom-emitting vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of lens segments is used to guide a beam from one of the plurality of VCSELs at a corresponding specific angle associated with creating the diffusion pattern.

3. The bottom-emitting vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip according to claim 1, wherein light from one of the plurality of VCSELs is present in a portion of the diffusion pattern, said portion being smaller than the entire diffusion pattern.

4. The bottom-emitting vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip according to claim 1, wherein the focus intensity-angle distribution of the diffusion pattern has a batwing profile within the field of view associated with the diffusion pattern.

5. The bottom-emitting vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip according to claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of lens segments is used to reduce beam divergence from a beam from one of the plurality of VCSELs.

6. The bottom-emitting vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip according to claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of each of the plurality of lens segments is in the range of 180 micrometers (µm) to 450 micrometers (µm).

7. The bottom-emitting vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip according to claim 1, wherein the transition between the first lens segment and the second lens segment is smooth.

8. The bottom-emitting vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip of claim 1, wherein the VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs are connected such that the guide angle provided by the plurality of lens segments varies sequentially along a specific direction across the VCSEL array.

9. The bottom-emitting vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip of claim 8, wherein the guide angle provided by the plurality of lens segments alternates between negative and positive angles across the VCSEL array in the particular direction.

10. The bottom-emitting vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip according to claim 1, wherein the size of the coverage area of ​​the integrated optical element is matched with or smaller than the size of the coverage area of ​​the VCSEL array.

11. The bottom-emitting vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) chip according to claim 1, wherein the spacing between the first lens segment and the second lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is in the range of 30 micrometers (µm) to 60 micrometers.

12. An optical device, comprising: A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array comprising multiple VCSELs; and An integrated optical element has a first side edge, a second side edge, and a front edge extending between the first side edge and the second side edge, the integrated optical element including a plurality of lens segments arranged along the front edge. The integrated optical element guides the light beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs to a specific angular range to create a diffusion pattern using the light beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs. One of the plurality of lens segments guides a beam of light from one of the plurality of VCSELs at a specific angle associated with creating the diffusion pattern. The first lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the first side edge of the integrated optical element. The second lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the first lens segment. The third lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the second lens segment. The fourth lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the third lens segment. The surfaces of the first lens segment and the second lens segment are inclined such that beams from two corresponding VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs are guided at opposite angles relative to the surface of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array, such that: The beam corresponding to the first lens segment extends away from the center of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array, and Another beam corresponding to the second lens segment extends toward the center of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array. The surfaces of the third lens segment and the fourth lens segment are inclined such that beams from two corresponding VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs are guided at approximately the same angle relative to the surfaces of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array, such that: The beam corresponding to the third and fourth lens segments extends away from the center of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array.

13. The optical device of claim 12, wherein light from one of the plurality of VCSELs is present in a portion of the diffusion pattern, the portion being smaller than the entire diffusion pattern.

14. The optical device of claim 12, wherein the VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs are connected such that the guide angles provided by the plurality of lens segments change sequentially along a particular direction across the vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array.

15. The optical device of claim 14, wherein the guide angle provided by the plurality of lens segments alternates between negative and positive angles across the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array in the particular direction.

16. The optical device of claim 12, wherein the fifth lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the second side edge of the integrated optical element. The sixth lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the fifth lens segment, and The surfaces of the fifth lens segment and the sixth lens segment are inclined such that beams from two corresponding VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs are guided at angles with opposite directions relative to the surfaces of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array.

17. An optical device, comprising: A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array comprising multiple VCSELs; and An integrated optical element has a first side edge, a second side edge, and a front edge extending between the first side edge and the second side edge, the integrated optical element including a plurality of lens segments arranged along the front edge. The integrated optical element guides the light beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs to a specific angular range to create a diffusion pattern using the light beams provided by the plurality of VCSELs. The light from one of the plurality of VCSELs exists in a portion of the diffusion pattern, which is smaller than the entire diffusion pattern. The first lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the first side edge of the integrated optical element. The second lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the first lens segment. The third lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the second lens segment. The fourth lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the third lens segment. The surfaces of the first lens segment and the second lens segment are inclined such that the beams from the respective VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs are guided at opposite angles relative to the surface of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array, such that: The beam corresponding to the first lens segment in the beam extends away from the center of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array. The beam corresponding to the second lens segment in the beam extends toward the center of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array. The surfaces of the third lens segment and the fourth lens segment are inclined such that beams from two corresponding VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs are guided at approximately the same angle relative to the surfaces of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array, such that: The beam corresponding to the third and fourth lens segments extends away from the center of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array.

18. The optical device of claim 17, wherein the VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs are connected such that the guide angles provided by the plurality of lens segments change sequentially along a particular direction across the vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array.

19. The optical device of claim 18, wherein the guide angle provided by the plurality of lens segments alternates between negative and positive angles across the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array in the particular direction.

20. The optical device of claim 17, wherein the fifth lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the second side edge of the integrated optical element. The sixth lens segment of the plurality of lens segments is adjacent to the fifth lens segment, and The surfaces of the fifth lens segment and the sixth lens segment are inclined such that beams from the respective VCSELs of the plurality of VCSELs are guided at an angle having opposite directions relative to the surfaces of the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array.

Images