Optical module and LiDAR device having at least one such optical module

Abstract

The optical module has a carrier (TR) with a circuit die, wherein on the upper side (TRO) of the carrier (TR), a light-emitting diode die (D1D) and a charge storage component (LSBT) assigned to the light-emitting diode die are electrically connected to a transistor (T dis ) via a conduction path connection field (TAF1, TAF2). The electrical connection between the two dies and the conduction path (LPF) between the transistor (T dis ) is as short as possible. On the upper sides of the two dies, there are connection fields (DAF2, LAF2) respectively, which are interconnected by short bonding wires (BD1). The discharge loop is optimized in terms of reducing parasitic inductance and ohmic resistance. The charge storage component (LSBT) is charged by a charging circuit (B1), which is electrically connected to the charge storage component (LSBT) via a second bonding wire (BD2). The second bonding wire (BD2) is longer than the first bonding wire (BD1). The optical module can be part of a LiDAR device, which can have a special optical system. The driver circuit of the transistor (T dis ) can also be designed in a special way.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This PCT application claims the priority of the following German national patent applications, the contents of which are incorporated by reference into the subject matter of the present application: 102020100142.8 filed on January 7, 2020, 102020111075.8 filed on April 23, 2020, 102020114782.1 filed on June 3, 2020, and 102020124564.5 filed on September 22, 2020. Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to a light module and a LiDAR device having at least one such light module, and also to an optical system for a LiDAR device and an integrated circuit, in particular a driver circuit, for example for a LiDAR device. The invention also relates to the use of a LiDAR device and an optical unit for a LiDAR device. Background Art

[0004] LiDAR (light detection and ranging) is a radar-related method for optical distance measurement and velocity measurement and for remote measurement of atmospheric parameters. Instead of radio waves as in radar, a light beam or laser beam is used. Thus, for example, if a semiconductor laser is used, it is sometimes referred to as LADAR (light amplification by stimulation emission of radiation detection and ranging). In the prior art, mechanical mirrors are preferably used to deflect the light beam or laser beam into different directions.

[0005] From DE-A-10 2009 060 873 a driver circuit for an LED is known, in which it remains open how the components should be mounted in order to minimize parasitic inductances and capacitances in an optimal manner.

[0006] A laser array circuit is described in DE-A-102008062544.

[0007] DE-A-10 2016 116 368 discloses a driver circuit for a light-emitting optoelectronic component. Figure 1, the charging circuits 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 charge the capacitors 18 to 21 via the series resistor 3. The cathodes of the light-emitting optoelectronic components 22 to 25 are connected together to a first star point. If one or more light-emitting optoelectronic components are to emit light, the control switch 26 connects the star point to the reference potential GND. The buffer capacitor charging circuit 9 is used to quickly charge the actual energy storage capacitors 18 to 21. In this known concept, the series resistor impairs the energy balance.

[0008] US-B-10 193 304 discloses a driver circuit in which a capacitor is charged in such a way that the current remains below the response threshold of the laser.

[0009] EP-A-2 002 519 (see Figure 2 ) discloses a compact structure with four layers (two printed circuit boards, capacitors, laser and switch IC) which is too complex and works too slowly for the solution sought within the scope of the present invention.

[0010] EP-A-3 301 473 discloses a driver circuit suitable for a single LED emitting short pulses. There is no description or demonstration of how to achieve the required inductance.

[0011] DE-A-10 2016 116 369 discloses an LED driver circuit in which each LED has its own control switch, which increases the expenditure and impairs the compactness of the device.

[0012] DE-A-10 2008 021 588 discloses a laser control circuit in which a plurality of control switches are connected in parallel so that they can generate pulses that are time-shifted relative to one another and can cool down between pulses, while other control switches can generate further pulses.

[0013] DE-A-10 2017 121 713 discloses a control switch which consists of subunits, wherein each subunit has its own capacitor to provide the switching energy.

[0014] DE-A-199 14 362 and DE-A-19 514 062 each disclose a control device for a gas laser.

[0015] US-B-9 185 762 (DE-A-10 2014 105 482) discloses a circuit for reducing the turn-off time of a laser diode.

[0016] DE-A-10 2017 100 879 discloses a circuit for quickly switching on and off a single laser diode. A construction example is also given in this document.

[0017] DE-A-10 2018 106 860 and US-A-2018 / 0045882 disclose two variants of a direct connection between the laser die and the die with an integrated control switch of a single laser. In this case, the control switch is connected between the supply voltage and the anode of the laser diode, which, as will be explained below, prevents a particularly compact solution for the laser array.

[0018] DE-A-10 2018 106 860 describes a laser diode module in which a plurality of charge storage capacitors and a plurality of laser diode dies are arranged on a substrate. The laser diodes can be electrically connected to a control IC via bonding wires. The charge storage capacitors are connected to the control IC via a lead frame.

[0019] US-A-2018 / 0045882 discloses a laser module in which a laser diode die configured as an edge emitter and a charge storage capacitor are arranged on a circuit die. In the circuit die, a power transistor for electrically connecting the charge storage capacitor to the laser diode is arranged in particular. The conduction path of the power transistor can be contacted by two surface contacts of the circuit die. In addition, the circuit die has two other surface contacts, which are used to electrically connect the charge storage capacitor and the corresponding contacts of the laser diode die. The second contact of the charge storage capacitor is connected to one of the two surface contacts of the conduction path for the power transistor by means of a flexible printed circuit board. In the same way, the second contact of the laser diode die is connected to the other contact of the conduction path for the power transistor by means of a flexible printed circuit board. Therefore, the current flowing from the capacitor to the laser diode to excite the laser diode flows through the two flexible printed circuit boards and through the conduction path. The current loop is closed by the electrical connection between the laser diode and the charge storage capacitor formed in the circuit die. The total length of the current loop is relatively large, so electrical losses and damage caused by parasitic inductance are to be worried about.

[0020] DE-A-10 2016 116 875 describes a driver circuit. Fig.12 , which has a common control switch S3 for a plurality of lasers D1, D7, wherein the common control switch S3 is connected to the cathodes of the lasers and can connect the cathodes to a reference potential. The energy of the laser pulses is taken from a common storage capacity C in this document. The lasers are selected via a separate switch S2. The known circuit has the disadvantage that a parasitic voltage drops across the switch S2.

[0021] DE-B-10 2006 036 167 discloses a laser driver circuit in which the resonances of parasitic inductances and capacitances are tuned in such a way that they support predetermined characteristics of the light pulses to be generated.

[0022] US Pat. No. 6,697,402 describes a laser driver in which the laser current is detected via a shunt resistor between the cathode connection and a reference potential.

[0023] A single driver circuit is known from US-B-9 368 936. The coil is used as an energy storage.

[0024] US-B-9 155 146 describes a circuit for supplying energy to a LED string.

[0025] DE-A-10 2018 106 861 discloses controlling a laser diode with an H-bridge.

[0026] DE-C-195 46 563 discloses a driver circuit in which, when the control transistor initiates light emission, the charging circuit is disconnected by the inductance from the laser diode for a short period of time during which the light pulse is emitted. Summary of the invention

[0027] The object of the present invention is to create a light module, in particular for LiDAR devices, which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art and has additional advantages.

[0028] Furthermore, another object of the invention is to create a LiDAR device without moving components by means of one or more light modules according to the invention. Finally, a further object of the invention is to specify an optimized imaging optical device and an optical device for realizing strip-shaped illumination light, which are mainly used in LiDAR devices. Finally, a further object of the invention is to create a driver circuit, in particular a power transistor for conducting large currents (current pulses) for a short time.

[0029] These objects of the invention are achieved by the subject-matter of claims 1, 23, 25, 46, 47 and 51. Various embodiments of these subject-matter according to the invention are subject-matter of the dependent claims.

[0030] The present invention therefore creates an optical module comprising

[0031] a carrier provided with an upper side, in which the circuit die with the integrated circuit is arranged,

[0032] - wherein the circuit die has an upper side,

[0033] - transistors, in particular power transistors, formed in the upper side of the circuit die,

[0034] - wherein the transistor has a conduction path which can be switched on or off, the conduction path having a first end region and a second end region, wherein the first end region is electrically connected to a first conduction path connection field and the second end region is electrically connected to a second conduction path connection field, the first conduction path connection field and the second conduction path connection field being both exposed on the upper side of the carrier, and wherein the transistor has a control terminal for switching the conduction path on and off,

[0035] a light-emitting diode die having a light-emitting diode, in particular a light-emitting diode die having a laser diode, comprising a bottom side having a first connection field and a top side having a second connection field,

[0036] - the light-emitting diode die is arranged with its first connection field lying on the first conduction path connection field of the transistor, and the two connection fields are electrically connected to one another,

[0037] a charge storage component having a charge storage, the charge storage component comprising a lower side having a first connection field and an upper side having a second connection field,

[0038] - the charge storage element is arranged with its first connection field lying on the second conduction path connection field of the transistor, and the two connection fields are electrically connected to one another,

[0039] at least one first bonding wire electrically connecting the second connection field of the light emitting diode die with the second connection field of the charge storage component,

[0040] a charging circuit integrated in the circuit die and having an output for charging the charge storage element, and a control circuit integrated in the circuit die for controlling the transistor and the charging circuit,

[0041] wherein a charging connection field is assigned to the charging circuit, which charging connection field is exposed on the upper side of the carrier and is electrically connected to an output of the charging circuit,

[0042] - wherein the charging connection field of the charging circuit is electrically connected to the second connection field of the charge storage component via at least one second bonding wire, and

[0043] - wherein the control circuit controls the charging circuit to charge the charge storage component to the charge level required for generating light pulses by the light emitting diode die, and then controls the transistor to switch on its conduction path.

[0044] The optical module according to the invention has a carrier in which a bare circuit die with an integrated circuit is located. The bare circuit die is contacted by means of a lead frame, that is, a lead frame with a plurality of wire tongues or wire fingers, which terminate in connection fields on the upper side of the carrier. The carrier can be said to be a housing, typically made of plastic, in which the bare circuit die and the lead frame are embedded.

[0045] The electrical connection of the individual components of the optical module is optimized with respect to reducing parasitic impedance, in particular parasitic inductance, so that high current pulses can be generated in a shorter time, which ensure high-energy, high-power optical pulses.

[0046] For this purpose, there is a transistor on or near the upper side of the circuit die, which is typically a power transistor. One of the two connection fields of the light-emitting diode die is electrically connected to the conduction path of the transistor. The light-emitting diode die is preferably a laser diode die and is conveniently connected to an exposed connection field formed in the upper side of the carrier by die-to-die bonding, which is electrically connected to one of the two end regions of the conduction path of the transistor through a lead frame and in the circuit die. This connection should be as short as possible, so it is particularly advantageous to arrange the transistor directly in or below the upper side of the circuit die. Therefore, the active area of ​​the transistor is located on the upper side of the circuit die. A charge storage component, which is usually a capacitor, is now also arranged here. The charge storage component is also constructed as a die and has a connection field located on the lower side, which is electrically connected to another conduction path connection field of the transistor. The charging circuit has a charging circuit integrated in the circuit die, which is controlled by a control circuit also integrated in the circuit die. The connection to the charging circuit is led out of the circuit die via a lead frame to the upper side of the carrier and ends there in a connection field, which is electrically connected to the upper connection field of the charge storage component by means of a (second) bonding wire. The charge storage component itself is now connected to the light-emitting diode die by means of a first bonding wire that is significantly shorter than the second bonding wire, and the second bonding wire connects the upper connection area of ​​the light-emitting diode die to the charge storage component. Finally, the control circuit of the circuit die also controls the transistor, and a driver circuit that is also integrated in the circuit die is connected in between. Possible designs of this driver circuit will be discussed in more detail below.

[0047] The hybrid structure of the optical module according to the present invention ensures the minimization of parasitic inductance and ohmic resistance and capacitance, and in particular in the discharge loop determined by the conduction path of the transistor, the light-emitting diode die and the charge storage component. Preferably, the last two components are arranged directly side by side on the upper side of the carrier so that the first bonding wire can be implemented as short as possible. The connection between the upper side conduction path connection field of the carrier for the transistor and the actual conduction path of the transistor is also optimized, so that the parasitic impedance is also minimized to the greatest extent. The charging loop includes the output end of the charging circuit, the second bonding wire and the charge storage component, and is also optimized in reducing the parasitic influences caused by inductance and resistance and capacitance. In principle, it has been found that the parasitic inductance of the charging loop can be completely advantageously greater than the parasitic capacitance of the discharge loop. Because when the discharge loop is closed when the transistor is turned on, the electrical connection from the charge storage component to the charging loop is blocked in some way, so that the charge storage effectively supplies the maximum electrical energy to the light-emitting diode in the shortest possible time and increases rapidly. It is also important to use the large edge steepness of the electrical switching pulse for the transistor to control the transistor in a pulsating form. This is in turn supported by the driver circuit being advantageously shut down accordingly, as will be discussed below.

[0048] As mentioned above, it is advantageous that

[0049] - at least one first bonding wire has a first parasitic inductance and a first parasitic ohmic resistance,

[0050] - at least one second bonding wire has a second parasitic inductance and a second parasitic ohmic resistance,

[0051] the electrical connection of the first connection field of the light-emitting diode die to the first end region of the conduction path of the transistor has a third parasitic inductance and a third parasitic ohmic resistance, and

[0052] the electrical connection between the first connection field of the charge storage component and the second end region of the conduction path of the transistor has a fourth parasitic inductance and a fourth parasitic ohmic resistance,

[0053] - an electrical connection of the output of the charging circuit to a charging connection field assigned to the charging circuit has a fifth parasitic inductance and a fifth parasitic ohmic resistance,

[0054] - wherein the sum of the first parasitic inductance, the third parasitic inductance and the fourth parasitic inductance is smaller than the sum of the third parasitic inductance and the fifth parasitic inductance, and in particular is smaller than 1 / 2, smaller than 1 / 4 or smaller than 1 / 5 of the sum of the third parasitic inductance and the fifth parasitic inductance.

[0055] The length of the first bonding wire can in particular be less than 1 / 2 or less than 1 / 3 or less than 1 / 5 of the length of the second bonding wire. The value of the first parasitic inductance and / or the first parasitic ohmic resistance is advantageously smaller than the value of the second parasitic inductance and / or the second parasitic ohmic resistance. The parasitic inductance or ohmic resistance of the two bonding wires is preferably smaller than the above-mentioned other parasitic inductances or ohmic resistances. It is also advantageous that the sum of the first parasitic ohmic resistance, the third parasitic ohmic resistance and the fourth parasitic ohmic resistance is smaller than the sum of the third ohmic resistance and the fifth ohmic resistance, and in particular is less than 1 / 2 or less than 1 / 4 or less than 1 / 5 of the sum of the third ohmic resistance and the fifth ohmic resistance.

[0056] As mentioned above,

[0057] the components electrically connected to one another, namely the light emitting diode die, the charge storage component, the at least one first bonding wire and the transistor together with their conduction path form a discharge loop having a first parasitic inductance and a first parasitic ohmic resistance, and

[0058] the charge storage element and its electrical connection to the output of the charging circuit via at least one second bonding wire form a charging loop having a second parasitic inductance and a second parasitic ohmic resistance,

[0059] - wherein the first parasitic inductance is smaller than the second parasitic inductance, and in particular is smaller than 1 / 2 or smaller than 1 / 4 or smaller than 1 / 5 of the second inductance.

[0060] Advantageously, the first parasitic ohmic resistance is smaller than the second parasitic ohmic resistance, and in particular is smaller than 1 / 2, smaller than 1 / 4, or smaller than 1 / 5 of the second parasitic ohmic resistance.

[0061] It has been found to be expedient to use a plurality of first bonding wires connected in parallel with one another and a plurality of second bonding wires themselves also connected in parallel with one another to achieve the above-mentioned electrical connection of the top connection field of the light-emitting diode die, the charge storage component and the connection field of the charging circuit.

[0062] In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, a plurality of light emitting diode dies and a plurality of charge storage components may be provided, wherein

[0063] - a charge storage element is assigned to each LED die,

[0064] the upper side of the carrier has, for each light-emitting diode die, an exposed first connection field electrically connected to a first end region of a conduction path of the transistor, and, for each charge storage component, an exposed second connection field electrically connected to a second end region of a conduction path of the transistor,

[0065] a charging circuit assigned to each charge storage element is integrated in the circuit die, and an exposed connection field is arranged on the upper side of the carrier for each charging circuit,

[0066] each light-emitting diode die is arranged with its first connection field lying on an associated first conduction path connection field of the transistor, and the two connection fields are electrically connected to one another,

[0067] each charge storage element is arranged with its first connection field lying on an associated second conduction path connection field of the transistor, and the two connection fields are electrically connected to one another,

[0068] the second connection field of each light-emitting diode die is connected by means of at least one first bonding wire to the second connection field of the charge storage component assigned to the respective light-emitting diode die,

[0069] the connection field of each charging circuit is connected by means of at least one second bonding wire to a second connection field of the charge storage component assigned to the respective charging circuit, and

[0070] - wherein the control circuit sequentially controls the charging circuits to charge the respective charge storage components to a charge level required for generating light pulses by the light emitting diode die assigned to the respective charge storage components, and controls the transistor to conduct its conduction path before controlling the next charging circuit.

[0071] The above-mentioned design of the light module now has a single transistor that can selectively close one of a plurality of discharge loops, each of which includes different light-emitting diodes and different charge storage devices. All light-emitting diodes are interconnected to a common first star point (e.g., the cathode of the light-emitting diode) and connected to an end region of the conduction path of the transistor. The other end region of the conduction path is connected, for example, to a reference potential, to which a contact of the charge storage device is also connected, and the other contact of the charge storage device is connected to another contact of the light-emitting diode that is not connected to the transistor (e.g., to its anode). These charge storage devices are charged sequentially under the control of the control circuit. Then, after each charging process, the transistor is turned on, so that only the following light-emitting diodes emit light, and the associated charge storage device of the light-emitting diode is charged. This circuit concept simplifies the circuit structure and the number of switching elements, because only a single transistor is required, which should be advantageously constructed to have a large area to have the required current carrying capacity. If a plurality of such transistors are to be used, the limit of the number of transistors involved in each circuit die will soon be reached.

[0072] In the above-described embodiments, a plurality of separate first and second conduction path connection fields can be provided for the transistors on the upper side of the carrier. However, since the two end regions of the conduction paths of the transistors are each connected to a star point of the circuit (e.g., on the one hand, the anodes of all light-emitting diodes and on the other hand, a contact of all charge stores), a common and therefore larger first conduction path connection field and a common and therefore likewise correspondingly large second conduction path connection field of the transistors can also be formed on the upper side of the carrier.

[0073] As already mentioned above, the light emitting diode die preferably comprises a laser diode, ie a laser diode die, wherein it is expedient for the laser diode to be designed as an edge emitter.

[0074] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a first supply voltage connection field exposed on the upper side of the carrier can be provided for a supply voltage potential, wherein a supply voltage reference potential can be applied to the second conduction path connection field of the transistor or, if a plurality of such second conduction path connection fields are present, to all of these second conduction path connection fields of the transistor or to a second conduction path connection field common to all of these second conduction path connection fields.

[0075] Furthermore, a buffer capacitor component forming a buffer capacitor can expediently be provided with a bottom side and a top side, the first connection field being arranged on the bottom side and the second connection field being arranged on the top side, wherein the buffer capacitor component is arranged with its first connection field lying on one or more second conduction path connection fields or on a second conduction path connection field common to all of these second conduction path connection fields, and the connection fields on both sides are connected to one another, and wherein the second connection field of the buffer capacitor component is electrically connected to the first supply voltage connection field via at least one third bonding wire.

[0076] In order to minimize the length of the first bonding wire connecting the upper side connection field of the light-emitting diode die and the associated charge storage components, it is advantageous if the light-emitting diode die and the charge storage components are arranged successively along two side-by-side lines, respectively, wherein each light-emitting diode die and each charge storage component assigned to the light-emitting diode die are arranged opposite to one another.

[0077] When using an optical module with a plurality of LED dies, each LED die defines an optical axis along which the light beam emitted from the LED die in question is directed, wherein the line along which the LED dies are arranged in succession

[0078] - extends in an arc shape around a central point, and the optical axis of the LED die extends radially relative to the arc shape, or

[0079] - extends in a straight line, and the optical axis of the LED die is perpendicular to the line.

[0080] Advantageously, the capacitor typically used as charge storage device and the buffer capacitor already mentioned above are constructed as a common component, which comprises a bottom side with a common bottom connection field and an top side with at least one first top connection field and a second top connection field, and a dielectric between the bottom connection field on the one hand and the at least one first top connection field and the second top connection field on the other hand, wherein the buffer capacitor is formed between subregions of the second top connection field and the bottom connection field located below the second top connection field, and each charge storage capacitor is formed between subregions of a further first top connection field and the bottom connection field located below the respective first top connection field.

[0081] As described above, the carrier has a casting compound in which a lead frame having a plurality of conductor tongues and a circuit die electrically connected to the conductor tongues are embedded, wherein the conductor tongues have connection fields exposed at the upper side of the carrier.

[0082] The transistors of the light-emitting module according to the invention, which are in particular designed as power transistors, are preferably controlled by means of digital voltage signals, which naturally do not have sufficient power to control the relatively large-area gates of, for example, power MOSFETs. A power transistor can be understood as a parallel circuit of a plurality of individual transistors. Each individual transistor has a single control connection (for example in the form of a gate electrode), wherein the entirety of the individual control connections forms the overall control connection of the power transistor. In order to be able to switch the power transistors uniformly, a digital control signal must be applied to each individual control connection. It should also be noted here that the length of the electrical connection between the output of the control circuit, which is typically designed in digital technology, and each individual control connection has the same size and is designed with a corresponding geometry in its distribution.

[0083] In this context, it has been found to be advantageous that

[0084] the transistors of the circuit die are designed as voltage-controlled monolithic transistors implemented in analog circuit technology, having an integral control connection and an integral conduction path for conducting a current through the integral conduction path and blocking a current,

[0085] - wherein the integral control connection terminal extends over the integral surface of the control connection terminal of the circuit die,

[0086] the control circuit has a driver circuit implemented in digital circuit technology for controlling the overall control connection terminal of the overall transistor to conduct and cut off the current, or the circuit die has a driver circuit implemented in digital circuit technology and controllable by the control circuit for controlling the overall control connection terminal of the overall transistor to conduct and cut off the current,

[0087] - wherein the overall transistor is divided into a plurality of individual transistors implemented in analog circuit technology or has a plurality of such individual transistors,

[0088] each of the individual transistors has a single control connection and the single control connection of each of the individual transistors extends over a single control connection surface of the die, the single control connection surfaces being of equal size or distributed uniformly over the control connection surface of the overall transistor,

[0089] - wherein the driver circuit comprises a plurality of single driver circuits, each single driver circuit having one input terminal and u output terminals, where u is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2, and the single driver circuits are hierarchically divided into different stages, wherein the output terminal of the single transistor circuit of the i-th stage is connected to the input terminals of u single driver circuits of the (i+l)-th stage, where i is equal to 1 to v, and v is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2, (i.e., wherein each single driver circuit has a fan-out of u, where u is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2),

[0090] - wherein the arrangement of the single driver circuit of the i-th stage and the single driver circuit of the (1+1)-th stage forms a self-similar structure, the input terminal of the single driver circuit of the (i+1)-th stage is connected to the output terminal of the single driver circuit of the i-th stage,

[0091] - wherein the area of ​​the self-similar structure of the i-th level is larger than the area of ​​the self-similar structure of the (i+l)-th level, and the self-similar structure of the i+1-th level is nested with the self-similar structure of the i-th level that generates it, and - wherein the output terminal of the single driver circuit of the v-th level is connected to a single surface of the control connection terminal of a single transistor.

[0092] As described above, by nesting the individual self-similar structures of each driver stage, it is ensured that the electrical connection lines (including the electrical connections and circuit components of the single driver circuits of the individual driver stages) have the same length and are identical or similar in terms of their geometric orientation and their geometric distribution, i.e., are symmetrical or mirror-symmetrical, for example.

[0093] By "expanding" a single transistor control signal of the control circuit into a large number of individual digital signals, each of which only has to control a relatively small area of ​​the electrode of an individual transistor, the switching times and the edge steepness can be optimized, so that high-energy current pulses switched by the power transistor can be used and light-emitting diodes, preferably charging diodes, can be controlled.

[0094] In another advantageous design of the present invention, it can be provided that each single driver circuit has an input terminal and four output terminals, and each single driver circuit of the i-th level and the four single driver circuits of the i+1-th level together with the electrical connection of the four output terminals of the single driver circuit of the i-th level and the input terminals of the four single driver circuits of the (i+1)-th level form an H-type structure, wherein the single driver circuit of the i+1-th level is arranged at the four ends of the H-type structure and the single driver circuit of the i-th level is arranged at the center between the four ends, and the H-type structure has the same orientation for different levels.

[0095] Furthermore, it may be suitable that each single driver circuit has an input terminal and two output terminals, each single driver circuit of the i-th level is arranged in the center between the two single driver circuits of the (i+1)-th level, and together with the electrical connection of the two output terminals of the single driver circuit of the i-th level with the input terminals of the two single driver circuits of the (i+l)-th level, a straight line structure is formed, and these self-similar structures are rotated 90° with respect to each other for different levels.

[0096] It is furthermore advantageous if the single driver circuit is designed as an inverter circuit and the single transistor is designed as a power transistor, in particular a MOSFET.A digital inverter circuit is the simplest concept for a single driver circuit used in multiple driver stages of a driver circuit according to this design of the invention.

[0097] With regard to the geometric design and arrangement of the connection fields of the light module, it may be expedient if the upper side of the carrier has a rectangular shape with two longitudinal edges and two lateral edges that are shorter than the longitudinal edges, wherein at least one first conduction path connection field of the transistor is arranged on one of the two lateral edges and at the other lateral edge a connection field for supplying energy to a control circuit, at least one charging circuit, at least one charge storage component and at least one light-emitting diode die is arranged.

[0098] In an advantageous design of the present invention, it can be provided that one of the two transmission signal connection fields of at least one pair of transmission signal connection fields is arranged on each longitudinal edge of the upper side of the carrier, the transmission signal connection fields are electrically connected to each other and are used to convey transmission signals determined for the circuit die, such as a reset signal, a diagnostic signal, a bus communication signal, a trigger signal for triggering the generation of a light pulse by at least one light emitting diode die, wherein when multiple optical modules are arranged side by side, the transmission signal can be forwarded from one optical module to an adjacent optical module or can be forwarded from one optical module to an adjacent optical module after being processed in its circuit die.

[0099] In another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, it can be provided that the light modules are arranged side by side, with their upper longitudinal edges being arranged adjacent to each other, in particular with the longitudinal edges aligned in parallel, wherein the transmission signal connection fields of the same transmission signal connection field pair of two respectively adjacent light modules are electrically connected to each other.

[0100] It may also be advantageous if the light emitting diode dies of all light modules arranged next to one another are arranged on a common curved bending line or on a straight line.

[0101] Furthermore, according to the invention, the above-mentioned object is also achieved by a LiDAR device for optically scanning a space and recording a range image representing the space, the LiDAR device comprising

[0102] - at least one optical module according to one or more of the above designs, wherein when the LED dies involved are controlled, a light beam having an elliptical or oval beam cross section or a light beam having a circular cross section is emitted from each LED die of each optical module, the elliptical or oval beam cross section having a first semi-axis and a second semi-axis longer than the first semi-axis, - an emitter optical element for expanding the light beam of each LED die into a beam fan having a linear and / or slit-shaped cross section directed to the space to be scanned by stretching the elliptical or oval beam cross section along the second semi-axis and compressing the beam cross section along the first semi-axis or vice versa, or expanding the light beam of each LED die into a beam fan having a linear and / or slit-shaped cross section directed to the space to be scanned by stretching the circular beam cross section,

[0103] - wherein the conical light beams generated by the light emitting diode dies arranged side by side enter the space as light beam fans at different angles,

[0104] - a photosensor having a large number of photodetectors arranged in the same number of rows or columns as the total number of light emitting diode dies of the at least one photomodule, wherein each row or column has the same number of photodetectors,

[0105] - a receiving optical element for directing potential reflected light from the space to be scanned onto the photoelectric sensor, wherein the potential reflected light may be incident on another row or column of the plurality of rows or columns of photodetectors of the photoelectric sensor due to a corresponding beam fan, and

[0106] An evaluation unit for evaluating the signals of the photodetector to determine distance information and / or to determine a distance image of the space to be scanned.

[0107] Therefore, the LiDAR device according to the present invention works with a plurality of sequentially controlled light emitting diodes to convert into linear beam stripes after passing through the output individual beam groups, which typically have an elliptical or oval cross section or have a circular cross section. Each beam line is projected onto another linear or strip-shaped area of ​​the scene to be imaged (i.e., the distance image to be recorded). The light continuously reflected from there for each stripe reaches the individual rows or columns of a two-dimensional photoelectric sensor having a large number of photodetectors, which are particularly constructed as photodiodes, through an imaging receiving optical device. Therefore, the exposure of the photoelectric sensor is carried out in a "rolling shutter" manner. The individual photodetector signals are then evaluated by an evaluation unit. Here, the evaluation can be carried out based on the concept of flight time or based on intensity.

[0108] The advantage of the LiDAR device described previously is that it works without any mechanical device, because it requires no moving parts.

[0109] The receiving optics is therefore suitably an imaging lens or an imaging objective typically used in cameras.The transmitter optics may have a cylindrical lens and a Powell lens, or may have a lens combining the functionality of both lens types.

[0110] The advantage of using a Powell lens is that inhomogeneities in the intensity distribution over the cross-sectional area of ​​the beam can be compensated. Such light intensity inhomogeneities typically occur in Gaussian radiators and can occur in particular in edge emitter light emitting diodes or laser diodes. By means of a Powell lens or by means of a special lens with a corresponding surface, light intensity inhomogeneities over the longitudinal extension of the beam stripe can be compensated, as is used according to the invention for a LiDAR device.

[0111] In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, at least two light modules may be provided, wherein the LED dies of each light module are arranged side by side along a circular arc extending at a predetermined angle, and adjacent light modules are arranged rotated by a predetermined angle relative to each other.

[0112] In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least two light modules can be provided, wherein the LED dies of each light module are arranged side by side along a straight line, and adjacent light modules are arranged at an angle rotated relative to each other, so that the optical axes of those LED dies of the light modules arranged at the same position in the continuous sequence of the LED dies of each light module intersect at a common point. The advantage of this arrangement of the LED dies is that the distance of each LED die to the lens of the emitter optical element is now the same.

[0113] According to an alternative embodiment of the LiDAR device according to the invention, the LiDAR device is equipped with a light module according to one or more of the above with a single light-emitting diode die, wherein when controlled, a light beam with an elliptical or oval beam cross section or with a circular cross section is emitted from the light-emitting diode die, the elliptical or oval beam cross section having a first semi-axis and a second semi-axis that is longer than the first semi-axis,

[0114] - an emitter optical element for expanding the light beam of the light emitting diode die into a light beam fan with a linear and / or slit-shaped cross section directed to the space to be scanned by stretching the elliptical or oval light beam cross section along the second semi-axis and compressing the light beam cross section along the first semi-axis or vice versa, or expanding the light beam of the light emitting diode die into a light beam fan with a linear and / or slit-shaped cross section directed to the space to be scanned by stretching the circular light beam cross section,

[0115] - a movable optical deflection element for deflecting the light beam fan at different angles to the space to be scanned, so as to scan the space by means of the light beam fan sweeping the space to be scanned,

[0116] - a photosensor having a large number of photodiodes arranged in rows and columns,

[0117] - a receiving optical element for directing potential reflected light from the space to be scanned towards said optoelectronic sensor,

[0118] - wherein the potential reflected light resulting from each beam fan deflected at a different angle into said space is projected onto different rows or columns of the plurality of rows or columns of photodetectors of said photosensor, and

[0119] An evaluation unit for evaluating the signals of the photodetector to determine distance information and / or to determine a distance image of the space to be scanned.

[0120] In this variant of the LiDAR device, work is done with a movable mechanical element, i.e., for example, with a swingable mirror or a polymer optical device. Examples of such movable optical elements, which are known in principle, can be found in EP-A-3660574 or US-A-2020 / 0264462 as micromechanical / microelectric systems (MEMS) in the form of MEMS mirrors and in WO-A2008 / 035983 and WO-A-2018 / 154139 as polymer optical elements with piezoelectric drives. Advantageously, therefore, in LiDAR systems with movable optical deflection elements, the circuit concept according to the invention can be used for high-energy electrical control of light-emitting diode dies with the greatest possible edge steepness, so that high-intensity, sufficiently long light pulses can be generated.

[0121] In an expedient development of the above-mentioned variants of the LiDAR device, it can be provided that the optical deflection element operates in a refractive manner and is in particular designed as a prism, or that the optical deflection element operates in a reflective manner and is in particular designed as a mirror.

[0122] Both of the above-mentioned variants of LiDAR devices use photoelectric sensors in which the photodetectors are arranged in rows and columns. Depending on the design, spaces are required between adjacent photodetector rows or adjacent photodetector columns on the sensor chip for the electronic switching elements assigned to the individual photodetectors, so that a single photodetector row or photodetector column cannot detect the entire stripe-shaped illumination scene. However, if the photoelectric sensor or the entire LiDAR device is now oscillated about an axis, wherein the corresponding oscillation angle or tilt angle is detected, then when detecting the scene at each tilt angle during the oscillation, those stripe-shaped areas of the illumination scene that were previously mapped onto the gaps between adjacent rows can also be detected. This increases the resolution used to record the scene.

[0123] It is therefore advantageous in this context to provide a tilting movement device for tilting at least one light module or for tilting an arrangement of multiple light modules or for tilting a photoelectric sensor, wherein the signal of a photodetector of the photoelectric sensor is evaluated depending on the corresponding tilt angle at which the light-emitting diode die or the light module emits light and / or the photoelectric sensor receives reflected light.

[0124] Alternatively or additionally, it may also be provided that

[0125] - each light emitting diode die emits a light beam as a scanning light beam having an elliptical or oval or circular beam cross section,

[0126] - the transmitter optical element expands the scanning light cone into a scanning light fan, the scanning light fan being located in the light fan plane,

[0127] - the scanning light fans of the scanning light beams of all LED dies are offset relative to each other by an angular offset,

[0128] - the potentially reflected radiation emanates substantially in the form of a reflected light cone from a scanning point in the space to be scanned which is illuminated by the scanning light fan, and

[0129] The receiving optical element images a reflected light cone, which may originate from a scanning point of the space to be scanned and which is illuminated by the scanning light fan, onto a photodetector column or photodetector row of the photosensor.

[0130] In another suitable design of the present invention, it can be provided that:

[0131] - the LED dies are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photosensor, and

[0132] Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the row of photodetectors of the photoelectric sensor.

[0133] In an advantageous design of the present invention, it can also be provided that

[0134] - the LED dies are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector row of the photosensor, and

[0135] Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the row of photodetectors of the photoelectric sensor.

[0136] In another suitable design of the present invention, it can be provided that:

[0137] - the LED dies are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photosensor, and

[0138] Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photoelectric sensor.

[0139] In addition, in a suitable design of the present invention, it can be specified

[0140] - the LED dies are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector row of the photosensor, and

[0141] Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photoelectric sensor.

[0142] With regard to the optical properties of the LiDAR device, it is advantageous if the transmitter optical element has a lens with an optical axis and has, in particular, a substantially cuboid shape, with a thickness and a height, a width oriented in the direction of extension of the optical axis, and with a first main side and a second main side facing away from the first main side, the optical axis passing through each of the first main side and the second main side,

[0143] - wherein the first main side has a flat surface,

[0144] wherein the second main side has a surface which is constructed as a superposition of convex elevations and concave depressions, the concave depression being arranged in the center of the width extension of the lens,

[0145] - wherein the protrusion extends around an imaginary first axis located outside the lens, and the recess extends around a second axis also located outside the lens, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.

[0146] Such a configuration of the main sides of the transmitter optical element is advantageous because the intensity of the individual sub-segments of the stripe-shaped area for illuminating the scene can be made uniform. The transmitter optical element can have one or more lenses. The two main sides then form the end face of a group consisting of one lens or a plurality of lenses. The first main side can be oriented toward the scene to be recorded, so that the second main side is oriented toward one or more light modules. However, it is also possible for the first main side to be oriented toward one or more light modules and the second main side to be oriented toward the scene.

[0147] In the above-described transmitter optical element, it is advantageously provided that the first axis is located in a half-space adjoining a first main side of the lens and that the second axis is located in a half-space adjoining a second main side of the lens.

[0148] In an alternative design of the transmitter optical element, the transmitter optical element has a lens with an optical axis, with an in particular substantially cuboid shape, with a thickness, a height and a width oriented in the direction of extension of the optical axis, and with a first main side and a second main side facing away from the first main side, the optical axis passing through the first main side and the second main side, respectively,

[0149] wherein the first main side is constructed as a superposition of a flat surface and a concave first depression arranged in the center of the width extension of the lens and a curvature of the lens directed toward the second main side, the curvature being oriented toward the second main side in the regions on both sides of the depression,

[0150] wherein the second main side is designed as a superposition of a convex first elevation and a convex second elevation, the convex second elevation being arranged in the center of the width extension of the lens,

[0151] - wherein the first protrusion extends around an imaginary first axis arranged outside the lens,

[0152] - wherein the second protrusion extends around an imaginary second axis which is also arranged outside the lens, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis, and

[0153] - wherein the recess extends around an imaginary third axis which is also arranged outside the lens, the third axis being oriented parallel to the second axis.

[0154] It can also be advantageously provided here that the first axis, the second axis and the third axis are located in a half space adjacent to the first main side of the lens, and that the curved portion of the lens in the area on both sides of the recess on the first main side extends around a fourth axis, which extends parallel to the second axis and the third axis and is located in a second half space adjacent to the second main side.

[0155] A possible design of the lens can be given by:

[0156] The first main side has a function of the form

[0157] z=RY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |-Sign(RY)*Sqrt(RY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |+PB4*x 4 +PB6*x 6 +PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |

[0158] Defined surface,

[0159] in

[0160] RY=R0Y+AR2*x 2 +AR 3 *|x 3 |,

[0161] Sign() is the sign function of the function parameter.

[0162] sqrt() is the root of the function parameter,

[0163] x represents a point along the width of the lens,

[0164] y represents the point along the lens height,

[0165] z represents a point along the thickness of the lens and hence along the optical axis of the lens, starting from the xy center plane of the lens,

[0166] ROY is the radius of curvature of the lens,

[0167] The second main side has a function of the form

[0168] z=-(d+PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |)

[0169] Defined surface,

[0170] Where d is the lens thickness at the optical center,

[0171] - where parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero, and

[0172] - At least two of the parameters AR2, AR3, PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are not zero.

[0173] It can be provided that parameters AR2 and AR3 are not zero and at least two of parameters PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are not zero and / or parameters PB4 and PB6 are not zero and at least one of parameters PC2 and PC3 are not zero and / or parameters PC2 and PC3 are not zero.

[0174] The fields of application of the LiDAR device according to the invention with the light module according to the invention are diverse. Thus, for example, one or more light modules and the LiDAR device can be used for

[0175] - detecting objects in the environment or in a sub-area of ​​the environment of a stationary or mobile platform, in particular an autonomous mobile platform, in particular an autonomous mobile platform, such as a robot or a stationary or moving vehicle, in particular an autonomous moving vehicle, such as a water, land or air vehicle, in particular for the transport of persons or goods, or - detecting objects in the automation of a manufacturing process, or

[0176] - non-invasive imaging of living organisms and / or biological organs of living things, or

[0177] - the study of biological tissues, or

[0178] - create a 3D range image of the object in the detection space, and / or

[0179] -Monitor the building's environment.

[0180] The advantages of a driver circuit for a power transistor for generating a stable digital signal via a large control electrode of a power transistor have already been described above. According to the invention, the driver circuit is now provided as an integrated circuit for switching a current.

[0181] - Bare chips,

[0182] - a voltage-controlled integral transistor implemented in a bare die using analog circuit technology, having an integral control connection and an integral conduction path for conducting a current through the integral conduction path and for blocking the current,

[0183] - wherein the integral control connection extends over the integral control connection face of the die,

[0184] - a driver circuit implemented in the die using digital circuit technology to control the overall control connection of the overall transistor to turn the current on and off,

[0185] each individual transistor has an individual control connection and the individual control connections of the individual transistors extend in each case over individual control connection areas of the die, which individual control connection areas are of equal size or are distributed uniformly over the overall control connection area of ​​the overall transistor,

[0186] - wherein the driver circuit has a large number of single driver circuits, each single driver circuit having one input terminal and u output terminals, where u is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2, and the single driver circuits are hierarchically divided into different stages, wherein the output terminal of the single transistor circuit of the i-th stage is connected to the input terminals of u single driver circuits of the (i+l)-th stage, where i is equal to 1 to v, and v is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2, (i.e., wherein each single driver circuit has a fan-out of u, where u is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2),

[0187] - wherein the arrangement of the single driver circuit of the i-th stage and the single driver circuit of the (1+1)-th stage forms a self-similar structure, the input terminal of the single driver circuit of the (i+1)-th stage is connected to the output terminal of the single driver circuit of the i-th stage,

[0188] - where the area of ​​the self-similar structure of level i is greater than the area of ​​the self-similar structure of level (i+1), and the self-similar structure of level i+1 is nested with the self-similar structure of level i that generates it, and

[0189] - wherein the output of the individual driver circuits of the vth stage is connected to the control connection of the individual transistors in a single area.

[0190] In another advantageous design of the present invention, it can be provided that each single driver circuit has an input terminal and four output terminals, and each single driver circuit of the i-th level and the four single driver circuits of the i+1-th level together with the electrical connection of the four output terminals of the single driver circuit of the i-th level and the input terminals of the four single driver circuits of the (i+1)-th level form an H-type structure, wherein the single driver circuit of the i+1-th level is arranged at the four ends of the H-type structure and the single driver circuit of the i-th level is arranged at the center between the four ends, and the H-type structure has the same orientation for different levels.

[0191] In another advantageous design of the present invention, it can be provided that each single driver circuit has an input terminal and two output terminals, each single driver circuit of the i-th level is arranged in the center between the two single driver circuits of the (i+1)-th level, and together with the electrical connection of the two output terminals of the single driver circuit of the i-th level and the input terminals of the two single driver circuits of the (i+l)-th level, a straight line structure is formed, and these self-similar structures are rotated 90° with respect to each other for different levels.

[0192] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can also be provided that the individual driver circuits are designed as inverter circuits and that the individual transistors are designed as power transistors, in particular MOSFETs.

[0193] The optical unit of the LiDAR device for illuminating a scene has been discussed above. According to one variant, the LiDAR device has one or more optical modules,

[0194] - wherein each light emitting diode die emits a light beam having an elliptical or circular cross-section,

[0195] - where each beam has a beam axis,

[0196] - wherein the beam axes lie substantially in a common beam axis plane and the beam axis plane defines the optical axis,

[0197] - having a lens arranged on the optical axis of the beam axis plane, the lens expanding each beam in a direction perpendicular to the laser beam axis plane, thereby generating a light fan for each beam in a light fan plane perpendicular to the beam axis plane, - having a photosensor with a photodetector array, the photodetector array having a plurality of photodetector rows, each photodetector row having a large number of photodetector pixels, and

[0198] - having imaging optics for real optical imaging of the scene illuminated by the light fan onto said optoelectronic sensor,

[0199] -wherein the imaging optical device images the projection of the light beam fan in the far field onto an ideally uniformly white and / or substantially ideally diffused uniformly and uniformly reflecting projection plane in the form of a projection image of the light beam fan onto a photoelectric sensor as a projection image of the scene, the projection plane being perpendicular to the optical axis of the light beam axis plane.

[0200] In the LiDAR device

[0201] - the lens is shaped so that the illumination intensity value of the first segment of the image of the first light beam fan projected on the first photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photosensor differs from the illumination intensity value of the second segment of the image of the first light beam fan projected on the second photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photosensor different from the first photodetector pixel or differs from the illumination intensity value of the second segment of the image of the second light beam fan projected on the second photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photosensor different from the first photodetector pixel by no more than 10% or no more than 5% or no more than 2%,

[0202] - the lens has a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface,

[0203] The first surface is composed of a function of the following form

[0204] z=RY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |-Sign(RY)*Sqrt(RY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |+PB4*x 4 +PB6*x 6 +PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |

[0205] definition,

[0206] in

[0207] RY=R0Y+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |,

[0208] Sign() is the sign function of the function parameter.

[0209] sqrt() is the root of the function parameter,

[0210] x represents a point along the width of the lens,

[0211] y represents the point along the lens height,

[0212] z represents a point along the thickness of the lens and hence along the optical axis of the lens, starting from the xy center plane of the lens,

[0213] ROY is the radius of curvature of the lens,

[0214] -The second surface is composed of functions of the following form

[0215] z=-(d+PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |)

[0216] definition,

[0217] Where d is the lens thickness at the optical center,

[0218] - where parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero, and

[0219] - At least two of the parameters AR2, AR3, PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are not zero.

[0220] It can be provided that the parameters AR2 and AR3 are not zero and at least two of the parameters PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are not zero and / or the parameters PB4 and PB6 are not zero and at least one of the parameters PC2 and PC3 is not zero and / or the parameters PC2 and PC3 are not zero. The first surface can face the scene, so that the second surface faces one or more light modules. The opposite structure or installation of the lens is also possible.

[0221] As already mentioned, it is desirable to be able to generate light pulses with the highest possible energy, especially when used in LiDAR systems. This is done by controlling (preferably power) transistors in a pulsating manner with a high edge steepness of the control pulses. The preparation for transistor control is usually done with the aid of circuit components that are implemented in digital circuit technology, but these circuit components ultimately have to control power transistors with a relatively large area. For control of the same intensity, which is evenly distributed over the control electrode surface of the power transistor, special precautions must be taken, which, as far as is known, have not yet been satisfactorily solved in the prior art.

[0222] based on Fig.23 The prior art is explained exemplarily. Fig.23 1 shows an exemplary circuit according to the prior art reduced to essential components for controlling a laser diode LD by means of a driver circuit I and, for example, a field effect transistor M and a control circuit CTR not specified in detail, which in this case is exemplarily based on Figure 5The exact structure of the pre-driver circuit or control circuit CTR, which is not described in detail, is not relevant for the considerations listed below and is therefore not explained further.

[0223] The driver circuit I has an input terminal and an output terminal. The laser diode LD includes a cathode and an anode. The laser diode LD can also be a light emitting diode. The field effect transistor M includes a gate connection terminal, a drain connection terminal and a source connection terminal.

[0224] The pre-driver circuit (here exemplarily implemented as a control CTR) is conductively connected to the input of the driver circuit I. The output of the driver circuit I is conductively connected to the gate connection of the field effect transistor M. Fig.23 , the field effect transistor M is exemplarily shown as a self-conducting p-channel MOSFET. The drain connection terminal of the field effect transistor M is electrically connected to the cathode of the laser diode LD. The anode of the laser diode LD is electrically connected to the first reference potential HV. The source connection terminal of the field effect transistor M is electrically connected to the second reference potential Gnd. The absolute value of the second reference potential Gnd is less than the first reference potential HV.

[0225] In this circuit for controlling a laser diode LD or a light emitting diode, a control circuit CTR and a driver circuit I as well as a field effect transistor M are implemented as blocks separated from each other in a CMOS architecture or as discrete components.

[0226] For controlling pulsed laser diodes or light-emitting diodes by means of short high-current pulses, GaN field-effect transistors are known in the prior art, in particular as discrete components with external discrete predrivers or as CMOS high-current transistors with integrated predrivers.

[0227] Therefore, a further object of the present invention is to provide a solution which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art and has further advantages. An important aspect of the present invention is to avoid the hitherto significant and disruptive limitations on the maximum achievable switching speed which are caused by the significant signal propagation times, in particular the signal propagation times of the gate signals, due to the planar extension of the high-current MOS transistors with low resistance.

[0228] The core of the invention proposed here is therefore a light module, in particular a laser module, which allows the emission of relatively long, high-energy, high-intensity laser pulses or light pulses with greater edge steepness. It is assumed that the laser module comprises n lasers arranged linearly side by side. These lasers are preferably semiconductor lasers, which preferably have a common cathode contact. When referring to a laser module or a laser below, it should be understood to be synonymous and summarized as a light module with a light source in the form of an LED.

[0229] The proposed laser module thus has a linear laser array consisting of n lasers, wherein n represents a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, for example greater than or equal to 2 or greater than or equal to 4 or greater than or equal to 8 or greater than or equal to 16. The number n of lasers is preferably a power of 2. The lasers are preferably arranged side by side along a first (imaginary) line, wherein the lasers have a first distance between them. The lasers are preferably designed in the same way. The lasers are preferably manufactured from a common crystal.

[0230] Preferably, each of the n lasers is assigned exactly one of the n capacitors as the respective energy source for its laser pulse. Preferably, whether the laser emits a laser pulse at the next pulse signal is determined based on whether the capacitor assigned to the laser has been charged by the charging circuit before the pulse signal is generated. The n capacitors are preferably arranged side by side along a second (imaginary) line. The second line of the capacitor arrangement preferably extends parallel to the first line of the laser arrangement. The second distance between the capacitors of the n capacitors arranged along the second line is preferably equal to the first distance between the lasers, and the lasers arranged along the first line are separated from each other by the first distance. Thereby a linear capacitor array consisting of n capacitors is generated.

[0231] Furthermore, the laser module has a control switch for triggering and operating the laser using the charge from the capacitor assigned to the corresponding laser.

[0232] In order for the laser to be able to emit a laser pulse when a pulse signal arrives, the capacitor assigned to the laser must have been previously charged by a charging circuit assigned to the capacitor. Therefore, the laser module preferably comprises n charging circuits, each of which is able to selectively charge another of the n capacitors (hereinafter referred to as the capacitor assigned to the charging circuit) via a charging line inductance. During the development of the invention, it has been recognized that the size of the charging line inductance has a positive influence on the discharge speed of the corresponding capacitor and therefore on the steepness of the pulse edge, because the inductance separates the charging circuit from the capacitor for high frequencies. Therefore, in the case of a large charging line inductance, the output capacitance of the charging circuit no longer has an influence on the steep laser edge. Therefore, due to the charging line inductance with a cut-off effect, the laser pulse can become steeper.

[0233] Therefore, preferably one of the n lasers is assigned to each of the n capacitors as the laser assigned to the capacitor. The control switch is closed when the pulse signal arrives. Here, the control switch is preferably a transistor of an integrated circuit. By closing the control switch, the control switch discharges the capacitor via the laser assigned to the charged capacitor of the n capacitors and the discharge line inductance, which preferably connects the capacitor to the anode of the laser. Only when the capacitor assigned to the laser has been previously charged by the charging circuit can the assigned laser emit a laser pulse when the pulse signal arrives and the control switch is subsequently closed. By closing the control switch when the electrical pulse signal arrives, the control switch preferably connects the cathode of the laser to the reference potential. Of course, circuits in which the anode and cathode of the laser are interchanged are also conceivable or can be proposed or possible. These functionally equivalent circuits and arrangements are explicitly included in the present invention.

[0234] An important finding according to the invention is therefore that the value of the charging line inductance should be as high as possible, while the discharge line inductance should be as small as possible. In this case, for example, the connection line from the anode of the laser to the capacitor of the laser and the feed line inductance from the capacitor to the reference potential contribute to the discharge line inductance. In this case, the total discharge line inductance should be as low as possible. In the course of developing the invention, it was recognized that it is advantageous to use a plurality of thin bonding wires instead of one thick bonding wire with a high current carrying capacity for the connection, because the total inductance of a plurality of bonding wires connected in parallel is lower than the parasitic inductance of the thick bonding wire. Although a transformer coupling effect occurs between the bonding wires connected in parallel, the advantages of the low total inductance and thus the fast switching times are predominant.

[0235] Maximizing the charging line inductance. Therefore, it is preferred to maximize the length of the bonding wire connecting the first connection terminal of the capacitor to the charging circuit assigned to the capacitor in order to increase the charging line inductance as much as possible and thereby obtain a maximum separation between the parasitic output capacitance of the charging circuit and the laser anode.

[0236] The value of the charging circuit inductance is therefore preferably greater and in particular significantly greater than the value of the discharging circuit inductance.

[0237] The laser module preferably comprises an integrated circuit, in which the cathodes of the lasers of a linear laser array consisting of n lasers (i.e. laser rows) are connected together to a star point without bonding wires. For this purpose, the laser module is preferably connected directly to the contacts of a control switch via a common backside contact, which in the example presented here is the common cathode of the n lasers, so that one connection terminal of the control switch is connected to the cathodes of the n lasers practically without inductance. The crystal (i.e. bare die) of the integrated circuit conducts the lost heat of the n lasers. Therefore, the back side of the linear laser array is preferably connected in a thermally and electrically conductive manner to the contacts of the control switch, which is preferably monolithically integrated into the crystal of the integrated circuit preferably used. This connection can be made by bonding or welding or other suitable electrically and thermally conductive connection techniques, such as thermocompression of bonding balls or other flip-chip assembly techniques. Preferably, the stack consisting of the crystal (die) of the linear laser array or the crystal (die) of a single diode laser and the crystal (die) of the integrated circuit with the control switch and preferably with the charging circuit is assembled on the heat sink with the back side of the integrated circuit in a thermally conductive and preferably also electrically conductive manner, for example by means of thermally conductive and preferably electrically conductive bonding or soldering.

[0238] As already mentioned, the control switch and preferably the n charging circuits for the n capacitors of a single row capacitor array are part of an integrated circuit. The control switch is preferably electrically connected without bonding wires to a first star point which, for example, connects the cathodes of the n lasers to each other.

[0239] As mentioned, in the crystal of the integrated circuit, the control circuit and the n charging circuits are preferably integrated in the active surface opposite to the back side of the crystal. The n charging circuits are therefore part of the active surface of the integrated circuit, which means that they are placed essentially directly below the surface of the crystal or on the surface of the crystal. In parallel with the linear laser array consisting of the n lasers, a linear capacitor array consisting of n capacitors is now also mounted on the active surface of the monolithic crystal (die) of the integrated circuit.

[0240] This parallelism here relates not only to temporal parallelism, but also to spatial parallelism. The n lasers of the laser array are preferably arranged along a first straight line. The n capacitors of the capacitor array are preferably arranged along a second straight line, which firstly is preferably parallel to the second straight line, or secondly can be conceivably located on the lower side of the capacitor array. Likewise, it can be conceivable that the first line is located on the lower side of the laser array. The first line and the second line then define a plane, which preferably coincides with the active surface of the crystal of the circuit or is at least substantially parallel to this surface and is only slightly spaced apart from this surface by fixing means such as adhesive or solder, so that it can be said here that the plane and the surface of the die are substantially identical.

[0241] Each of the n capacitors of the capacitor array has a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal. The first connection terminal of each capacitor of the linear capacitor array is connected to the anode of the laser assigned to the capacitor of the linear laser array composed of n lasers by multiple bonding with a first bonding wire length to reduce the discharge line inductance. The second connection terminals of the n capacitors of the capacitor array are connected together to a second star point. The second star point is connected to a reference potential contact on the active surface of the integrated circuit crystal by multiple bonding wires with a second bonding wire length to further reduce the discharge line inductance. This structure has significant advantages. If only one of the n capacitors of the capacitor array has been charged by the charging circuit assigned to the capacitor, and all other capacitors are not charged, then these uncharged capacitors are basically charged to a voltage close to 0V or a low voltage that is far from enough to "ignite" the lasers assigned to the other capacitors. When the pulse signal arrives, the control switch now connects the first star point to the reference potential. Firstly, the previously charged capacitor involved is discharged by the laser assigned to the capacitor. However, secondly, the first connection terminals of all other capacitors are also connected to the reference potential through their lasers. Since the associated capacitors of these lasers are essentially uncharged, these remaining capacitors force the potential of the second connection end of the capacitor forming the second star point to also be close to the reference potential. Preferably, the first connection end of the capacitor of the linear capacitor array is respectively connected to the charging circuit of a corresponding capacitor of the n capacitors assigned to the capacitor array via a bonding wire having a third bonding wire length and intersecting the second star point. In this case, the third bonding wire length is preferably longer than the second bonding wire length. The second bonding wire length is preferably longer than the first bonding wire length.

[0242] The laser module defined in this way can be used in a LiDAR system. The following basic structure of a LiDAR system is proposed:

[0243] The proposed LiDAR system preferably comprises said linear laser array consisting of n lasers, a 2D photodetector array consisting of n×m photodetectors (hereinafter sometimes also referred to as photodiodes) and a photoelectric sensor having m photodetectors in each n columns or rows (m as an integer is greater than and mainly much greater than 1), a control circuit for the n lasers, n×m receiving circuits for the n×m photodetectors and an evaluation circuit for the measurement signals of the n×m receiving circuits. The optics of the LiDAR system include on the laser side, i.e. a preferred Powell lens for the laser beam, or a functionally equivalent optic, which shall be included in the term Powell lens below, and on the photodetector side, i.e. a preferred second optic in the beam path from the scene sequentially illuminated by the laser in a stripe manner to the photoelectric sensor, referred to as a receiver lens below. When powered on, each of the n lasers emits a corresponding laser beam. The Powell lens preferably expands each laser beam into a light fan. In practice, each light fan will have a strongly elliptical radiation cross section transverse to its propagation direction. In the meaning of the present invention, it is simply assumed in the description that the minor semi-axis of the cross-sectional ellipse or cross-sectional egg has an actual length of 0 cm. Since the actual cross-section is different from 0 cm, the present invention is not limited to this. This assumption of 0 cm fan thickness is only used to simplify the description. Each light fan has an opening angle. Each light fan has a light fan plane and a fan origin. The Powell lens is arranged relative to the linear laser array of n lasers so that preferably, the surface normals of the n light fan planes of the light fans of the n lasers are preferably located in a common plane with each other and together with the straight line along which the n lasers are preferably arranged. The n lasers of the laser array preferably generate n laser beams, the n light fans of these laser beams are inclined perpendicular to their corresponding fan planes at a substantially common fan origin relative to a freely selectable light fan among the n light fans by a corresponding fan angle, and are about a substantially common rotation axis passing through the fan origin.

[0244] A similar tilt occurs on the photodetector side. Due to the structure, each photodetector typically already has a receiving lobe that describes the sensitivity of the corresponding photodetector related to the spatial direction. All n×m photodetectors are preferably designed in the same way. They are preferably monolithically integrated on a semiconductor crystal. Preferably, there is a row of photodetectors or n rows of photodetectors, wherein for each row of photodetectors in the row of photodetectors involved, m photodetectors are arranged linearly along a straight line. However, it is also conceivable to use only one row of photodetectors. The n×m photodetectors are preferably semiconductor devices. For example, avalanche photodiodes (APD) and / or single-photon avalanche photodiodes (SPAD) are also considered. The receiver lens deforms the n×m receiving lobes of the n×m photodetectors into n×m receiving fans. Here, for simplicity, it is again assumed that the receiving fan has a receiving fan thickness of essentially 0 cm. In fact, this assumption is incorrect, and the receiving fan is similar to the light fan of a laser and is actually a receiving lobe with a typical strong elliptical cross-section. This simplification of assuming that the receiving fan thickness is 0 cm should also be used here only to simplify the description and therefore does not limit the present invention. Each of the n×m receiving fans now has a receiving fan plane. Therefore, n×m receiving fan planes are defined by the second optical device. Each of the n×m receiving fan planes of the n×m photodetectors is not parallel to the n laser fan planes of the n light fans of the n lasers. Each of the n×m receiving fan planes of the n×m photodetectors is preferably perpendicular to each of the n laser fan planes of the n light fans of the n lasers. Therefore, k=n×m cross lines are preferably generated, which represent the sensitivity lines of the pairing of the receiving fan assigned to one of the n×m photodetectors in the n×m receiving fans and the light fan assigned to one of the n lasers in the n light fans. The Powell lens performs two functions in the system. These functions can be distributed to the two surfaces of the Powell lens. However, these two functions can also be implemented with a single lens surface. These two functions are: a. Vertical focusing of all lasers, and

[0245] b. So-called horizontal flattening of the laser power, ie a uniform distribution of the laser power in order to uniformly illuminate a line of the image to be recorded, wherein this uniform distribution is performed identically for all lasers.

[0246] The cylindrical surface essentially implements function a. Higher order terms expand the mathematical function describing the cylindrical surface to minimize imaging errors. The vertical radius of curvature is a function of the horizontal distance from the center of the lens, which results in better focus at the end of the line.

[0247] The polynomial of the lens surface shape implements the function b. This polynomial describes the thickness of the lens as a function of the horizontal distance from the center. Thus, the lens can redistribute the energy of the laser beam horizontally in practically any way.

[0248] A further optimization results from the horizontal curvature of the lens as a function of the horizontal distance from the center described by a polynomial. This polynomial makes it possible to correct the (pincushion) distortion of the lens.

[0249] All polynomials also have a weak influence on the various other functions (vertical focusing, horizontal energy distribution, distortion correction), so that all parameters must be coordinated with each other during the optimization. For this purpose, one function is always optimized iteratively first. Then the errors that occur in the other functions are corrected one after the other. The structure is stabilized by the repetition of the cycle, while the errors typically become smaller and smaller. The entire process is now repeated until the errors are small enough.

[0250] The parameters determined exemplarily during the development of the present invention are not yet completely optimized, but they are better than the prior art.

[0251] The equation for the lens is:

[0252] The equation of the positive side surface structure:

[0253] Z=RY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |-Sign(RY)*Sqrt(RY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |+PB4*x 4 +PB6*x 6 +PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 | Among them RY = ROY + AR2 * x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |

[0254] Here Sign() represents the sign function and Sqrt() represents the root of the function argument.

[0255] Here z represents the distance to the xy center plane, where the optical axis is the z axis.

[0256] Equation for the dorsal surface structure:

[0257] z=-(d+PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |)

[0258] here:

[0259] x represents the horizontal axis

[0260] y represents the vertical axis

[0261] z represents the optical axis

[0262] ROY denotes the radius of curvature of the cylinder which determines the focal length. ROY=12.6 mm is used as an example in the present invention. This radius of curvature is determined by the laser-to-laser distance, the distance between sensors in a sensor row and the focal length of the receiver lens. Here it applies:

[0263] f tx / p tx =f rx / p rx

[0264] in

[0265] f tx Indicates the focal length of the laser lens

[0266] f rx Represents the focal length of the lens for the sensor row

[0267] p tx Indicates the distance from laser to laser

[0268] p rx Represents the receiver-to-receiver distance in the sensor row

[0269] d represents the lens thickness at the optical center. In the present invention, d=2.2 mm is exemplarily used.

[0270] AR2 and AR3 represent the coefficients of the high-order polynomial of the curvature gradient.

[0271] PB2, PB3, PB4, PB6 represent the coefficients describing the horizontal thickness variation of the lens

[0272] PC2, PC3 represent coefficients describing the curvature of the lens (same for both surfaces).

[0273] Various lenses were tested within the scope of the development of the present invention.

[0274] The parameters of the first lens are as follows:

[0275] AR2=0,AR3=0

[0276] PB2=-0.0085, PB3=0.0008, PB4=0, PB6=0

[0277] PC2=0,PC3=0

[0278] The parameters of the second lens are as follows:

[0279] AR2=0.01,AR3=0.0006

[0280] PB2=-0.0085, PB3=0.0008, PB4=0, PB6=0

[0281] PC2=0,PC3=0

[0282] The parameters of the third lens are as follows:

[0283] AR2=0.01,AR3=0.0005

[0284] PB2=-0.015, PB3=0.0015, PB4=-0.000024, PB6=0

[0285] PC2=0,PC3=0

[0286] The parameters of the fourth lens are as follows:

[0287] AR2=0.028,AR3=-0.0028

[0288] PB2=-0.0115, PB3=0.00038, PB4=-0.000034, PB6=0.00000013

[0289] PC2=0.028,PC3=-0.0032

[0290] The electrical functionality of an exemplary LiDAR system according to the present invention is described below.

[0291] The control circuit now causes one of the n lasers to emit a laser pulse at the emission moment. For this purpose, before the emission, the monitoring circuit causes, for example, one of the n charging circuits of the aforementioned laser module to charge the capacitor assigned to the charging circuit. All other capacitors should be uncharged and remain uncharged for the duration of the process for emitting a light pulse by the laser assigned to the capacitor to be charged. After the charging process is completed, which is stopped in a time-controlled manner, for example after a predefined or calculated time or after reaching or exceeding the capacitor target voltage, the charging circuit is preferably separated from the capacitor to be charged, for example by a switch and / or by switching the output of the charging circuit to high ohm. After one of the combinations of lasers and capacitors in the n pairs consisting of a laser and an assigned capacitor is suddenly switched in this way by charging the capacitor, the capacitor can be suddenly discharged via the laser and the control switch by closing the control switch. For this purpose, the monitoring circuit, which is preferably part of the control circuit, preferably generates a pulse signal, which preferably closes the control switch and thus, for example, connects the cathode of the laser to a reference potential. The charged capacitor is preferably connected via its second connection to this reference potential and preferably via its first connection to the anode of the laser. Thus, the previously charged capacitor is suddenly discharged via the laser assigned to it. This laser emits a light pulse. The other lasers of the n lasers do not emit light pulses, because the capacitors assigned to them are not charged or not charged sufficiently. Theoretically, it is possible to charge more than one capacitor, then gradually use different charging modes, and then return to the simple case of charging a single capacitor.

[0292] The light pulse is now expanded into a light fan by the Powell lens and emitted into the free space in front of the device. In this free space, the light pulse then strikes the object assumed in this example after a first light propagation time and is reflected back there as a reflected light pulse. After a second light propagation time, the reflected light pulse then reaches the second optical device, which distributes the photons of the reflected light pulse to n×m photodetectors. Here, the second optical device distributes the photons of the reflected light pulse to one of the n×m photodetectors when the propagation vector of the photon in question is located in the corresponding sensitivity fan assigned to one of the n×m photodetectors according to the direction, or in other words, when the direction from which the photon comes is within the sensitivity fan range.

[0293] Therefore, preferably, each photodetector and the receiving circuit assigned to the photodetector detect the reflected light of the laser pulse in their respective receiving fan. In addition, the receiving circuit preferably has a device for detecting the propagation time of the light pulse from the emission moment to the reception moment in the photosensor. Therefore, preferably, for each laser pulse, n×m light propagation time information is generated, which represents the light propagation time of the light pulse from the moment of emission of the laser (emission moment) to the moment of reception by the respective photodetector as a light pulse reflected by the scene (reception moment). The light propagation time information can be converted into a length or distance by means of the speed of light (for example, the speed of light in air).

[0294] If this measurement is performed for each of n lasers, k=n×m light transit time values ​​and thus k=n×m distances are obtained from the n measurement results thus produced, ie one distance for each pixel assigned to the photodiode.

[0295] In order to obtain these distances, the respective receiving circuit forwards the respective measured value for the instant at which the respective laser pulse is received at the respective photodiode to an evaluation circuit. The evaluation circuit receives information from the control circuit about which of the n lasers has emitted a light pulse. From this, the evaluation circuit can then determine which sensitivity line belongs to which distance. It should be noted that a sensitivity line in the sense of the invention results from a pairing consisting of a receiving fan of one of the n×m photodiodes and a light fan of one of the n lasers.

[0296] After all n lasers of the laser array have emitted a light pulse, k distances are generated for k sensitivity lines. If these distances are plotted on the sensitivity lines, then for each sensitivity line there is exactly one point resulting in a light pulse of the light fan of this sensitivity line being reflected and received by the photosensor having the sensitivity fan of this sensitivity line. Thus, k=n×m distances are determined in this way in three-dimensional space, which distances can preferably be converted from the distance sensitivity line coordinate system into, for example, a Cartesian coordinate system for further use.

[0297] The evaluation circuit thus generates a three-dimensional pixel cloud as a function of the angle of the laser fan of the respective laser pulse and the angle of the respective reception fan of the respective photodetector and the respective reception time of the respective laser pulse at the respective photodetector relative to the respective emission time.

[0298] It is particularly advantageous if the n surface normals of the n light fans have an angular distance (a 1，2 , a 2，3 , a 3，4 , to a n-2，n-1 , a n-1，n ), these angular distances are essentially the same between every two adjacent light fans.

[0299] Equally particularly advantageous is that the n×m surface normals of the n×m sensitivity sectors have m angular distances (b 1，2 , b 2，3 , b 3，4 , up to b m-2，m-1 , b m-1，m ) in the horizontal direction, and the angular distances are also substantially the same between two adjacent sensitivity sectors respectively.

[0300] Particularly advantageously, the above laser module is used in the LiDAR system as described above.

[0301] The invention further includes a laser module having a linear laser array composed of n lasers, where n is a positive integer. The n lasers are preferably mounted on a module carrier and / or a driver IC. Each laser beam of each laser has a laser beam axis. All the laser beam axes and / or at least two laser beam axes intersect at a point. Based on this, a combination of p laser modules can be defined, where p is a positive integer, and each laser module has a linear laser array composed of n lasers, where n is a positive integer, and the lasers of each module can be numbered in the same way, and each laser beam of each laser has a laser beam axis, and the laser beam axes of every kth laser (0 < k ≤ n) of all p laser modules intersect at a common point, and / or the laser beam axes of every kth laser (0 < k ≤ n) of at least two of the p laser modules intersect at a point.

[0302] However, it is better that the laser beam axes of all n×p lasers of all p laser modules intersect at a common point. Alternatively, at least two laser beam axes of at least two lasers among the n×p lasers of all p laser modules can intersect at a point. The driver IC is preferably the integrated circuit. Such a driver IC preferably has a rectangular shape. Then the driver IC has two narrow sides and two long sides as edge sections. The driver IC preferably has a plurality of contact parts or a contact part DisC on a first edge section formed by a narrow side of the rectangle, which is used for and suitable for contacting one or more back-side contact parts of the diode laser. The IC has contact parts VDDA, GNDA, VDDD, GNDD, VDDP, GNDP, VDDH, GND on a second edge section formed by the other narrow side of its rectangle, and these contact parts are used to supply energy to the driver IC and / or the lasers D1 to Dn and / or the energy storage devices (i.e., capacitors C1 to Cn) belonging to the lasers. The first edge section is opposite to the second edge section here.

[0303] The driver IC preferably has at least one transmission contact for a signal on a third edge section of its rectangle formed by one long side, which signal can be forwarded to another driver IC. The driver IC has a further transmission contact on a fourth edge section of its rectangle formed by another long side, which is electrically connected to a transmission contact of another driver IC.

[0304] One of the transmission contacts is preferably a contact for a reset signal RES, which puts the driver IC into a defined state. Preferably, the transmission contact is a contact for a trigger signal TRIG, which causes the driver IC to control its lasers D1 to Dn in a predetermined signal state, as long as this is prescribed based on the system state. Preferably, one or more transmission contacts are designed to receive signals for contacting a data bus. One or more transmission contacts on an edge section of the driver IC are preferably directly electrically connected to one or more corresponding transmission contacts on the opposite edge of an adjacent driver IC. However, it is also conceivable that a linear data bus (e.g. a LIN bus) is at least temporarily interrupted by the driver IC as a bus node, and that the internal device components of the driver IC receive the data on one side of the driver IC and, if necessary, send the data further with modifications on the other side of the IC. In this case, the signals of one or more transmission contacts on an edge section of the driver IC are processed in the sub-device of the driver IC, in particular in the data bus interface, before being forwarded to one or more corresponding transmission contacts on the opposite edge section of the adjacent driver IC.

[0305] Furthermore, the present invention comprises a combination of laser modules, in particular a combination of a LiDAR system having at least two laser modules, namely at least a first laser module and a second laser module, wherein the laser modules essentially have a cuboid shape with two narrow sides and two long sides, wherein the laser modules are arranged side by side with their long sides.

[0306] As described above, each laser module has a driver IC in a cuboid housing, which driver ICs are arranged next to one another on a carrier.

[0307] The driver ICs of the laser modules are typically designed identically with respect to the transmission contacts used in their driver ICs. Each transmission contact of the driver IC of the first laser module is then preferably electrically connected to a corresponding transmission contact of the driver IC of the second laser module by means of a single bonding wire per such transmission contact pair. This has the advantage that only very low losses occur. This is particularly advantageous for the rapid, synchronous transmission of the trigger signal TRIG, since all lasers are to be started successively in a manner coordinated with one another in time and should therefore emit their radiation packets.

[0308] The present invention also includes a special capacitor array for a laser module and / or for a combination of laser modules and / or for use with a driver IC, as described above. For example, the capacitor array has a rectangular shape and has an upper side and a lower side. The capacitor array has n contacts K1' to Kn' arranged along the first edge of the rectangle on its upper side. The capacitor array has an additional contact KG' extending along the second edge of the rectangle on the upper side of the capacitor array. The second edge of the rectangle is opposite to the first edge of the rectangle. The additional contact KG' extends along the third and fourth edges for a shorter distance than the extension of the third and fourth edges of the rectangle and ends at a distance from the contacts K1' to Kn'. The capacitor array has a lower contact KR covering the lower side of the capacitor array. Each of the n contacts K1' to Kn' forms a capacitor C1 to Cn with the back contact KR, wherein the further contact KG' forms a further capacitor CVDD with the back contact KR, and wherein the capacitors C1 to Cn and CVDD have a common dielectric extending between the n contacts K1' to Kn' and the further contact KG' on the one hand and the lower contact KR on the other hand.

[0309] The proposed device can be used as a LiDAR system or as part of such a LiDAR system in a mobile device. In this case, the mobile device can be, for example, a robot or a missile or a space missile or a ship or a water vehicle or a vehicle or a rail vehicle or an aircraft or a spacecraft. By oscillating the mobile device, the resolution of the distance information of the illuminated scene can be increased.

[0310] The proposed device can be used as a LiDAR system or as part of such a LiDAR system in automation technology. For example, the device can be used in a device for detecting the shape of an object or a building, or in a device for automating a process, or in a device for three-dimensional detection of the shape of a three-dimensional body.

[0311] The proposed laser module enables the generation of short light pulses for LiDAR systems that do not require moving parts. However, the advantages are not limited thereto.

[0312] The optical module, the common capacitor component, the combination of a plurality of optical modules, the circuit die and the integrated circuit for switching current as described above and characterized in the claims are considered to be independent inventions that can also be implemented independently of each other. The same applies to the features of the individual dependent claims of the claims, which define independent inventions, i.e., not necessarily related only to other features of other dependent claims.

[0313] The features described above and / or below of the present invention or of various aspects of the present invention are to be understood as independent, separate features of one another, even if they are described in conjunction with other features, which can be realized independently and are essential to the present invention individually and together with the other features in conjunction with which they are described, if necessary.

[0314] As far as "light" or reflected light from a diode is mentioned above and below, this primarily refers to light in a wavelength range outside the wavelength range of visible light. However, the invention can also be implemented with visible light. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0315] The present invention is described in more detail below based on a number of embodiments. Specifically:

[0316] Figure 1 The beam paths of an exemplary LiDAR system are shown in top and side views, the system exemplarily having n=4 lasers and exemplarily m=256 photodetectors of a sensor, wherein a first laser emits a laser pulse and its laser surface illuminates a first row of an image, which is detected by a first row of photodiodes of the sensor by light reflection,

[0317] Figure 2 The beam paths of a LiDAR system with four lasers and 256 photodetectors are shown in top and side views, with the second laser emitting laser pulses.

[0318] Figure 3 The beam paths of a LiDAR system with four lasers and 256 photodetectors are shown in top and side views, with the third laser emitting laser pulses.

[0319] Figure 4 The beam paths of a LiDAR system with four lasers and 256 photodetectors are shown in top and side views, with the fourth laser emitting laser pulses.

[0320] Figure 5 shows an exemplary interconnection of the proposed LiDAR system,

[0321] Figure 6 Shown for Figure 5 The proposed structure of the laser module of the LiDAR system,

[0322] Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of a hybrid structure consisting of a carrier with a circuit die and with various electrical and electronic components which are die-to-die connected with connection fields on one main side of the carrier,

[0323] Figure 8 Shows that there is Figure 6 Arrangement of multiple laser modules,

[0324] Fig. 9 A. Fig. 9 B. Fig. 9 C shows the use of Figure 7 The top view, side view and internal interconnection of the capacitor array C1 to C4 and CVDD in the laser module of FIG.

[0325] Fig.10 The structure of the proposed driver IC is shown in a top view.

[0326] Fig.11 shows the serial arrangement of laser modules at the driver IC level,

[0327] Fig.12 Shows Fig.11 The orientation of the laser module along the curve,

[0328] Fig.13 shows a top view of an alternative light module with 16 laser diodes on a single carrier when arranged along a curve,

[0329] Fig.14 An exemplary Powell lens is shown,

[0330] Fig.15 shows an exemplary arrangement of a transmitting system with a transmitting lens and a receiving system with a receiving lens,

[0331] Fig.16 shows the actual measurement results as a point cloud in an exemplary Cartesian coordinate system as a target coordinate system with n=16 lasers and m=256 photodetectors in a photodetector row,

[0332] Fig.17 The drone according to the present invention is shown, on which a LiDAR module is installed,

[0333] Fig.18 shows an optimal positioning of a scanning point on a flat surface which is set up at a distance from the sensor system and whose surface normal is oriented parallel to the measuring axis of the sensor system,

[0334] Fig.19 shows a lens without a correction polynomial,

[0335] Fig. 20 A lens having parameters of AR2=0.01, AR3=0.0006, PB2=-0.0085, PB3=0.0008, PB4=0, B6=0, PC2=0, PC3=0 is shown.

[0336] Fig.21 A lens having parameters of AR2=0.01, AR3=0.0005, PB2=-0.015, PB3=0.0015, pb4=-0.000024, PB6=0, PC2=0, PC3=0 is shown.

[0337] Fig. 22 A lens having parameters AR2=0.028, AR3=-0.0028, PB2=-0.0115, PB3=0.00038, PB4=-0.000034, PB6=0.00000013, PC2=0.028, PC3=-0.0032 is shown.

[0338] Fig.23 An exemplary circuit according to the prior art, reduced to basic elements, is shown for controlling a laser diode LD by means of a driver circuit I and a pre-driver circuit not shown in detail, as well as a field effect transistor M,

[0339] Fig.24 In parts (a) to (f) of the figure, the basic concept of self-similarity is simplified based on circuit diagrams and circuit layouts.

[0340] Fig.25 In part (a) of the figure a simplified layout of a basic structure of a self-similar structure according to the invention is shown as a stick layout, and in part (b) of the figure it is shown how further basic structures can be combined to finally obtain a self-similar structure according to the invention, and

[0341] Fig.26 A simplified representation of the self-similarity of a circuit layout is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0342] exist Figures 1 to 4 In an embodiment of the invention, components of a LiDAR system are schematically shown, which has a transmitter in the form of a laser diode row LDZ, a receiver in the form of a 2D (photodiode) sensor S, and a lens (transmitting lens SL and cylindrical lens ZL) for fanning out the laser beam into a strong elliptical cross-section to illuminate a row of the range image to be recorded, and a lens (receiving lens EL) for imaging the respectively illuminated rows, wherein the laser diode row is composed of n=4 lasers D1, D2, D3, D4, and the 2D sensor S has 4 rows, each row has n=256 photodiodes.

[0343] Figure 1The beam path of the LiDAR system when the first laser D1 emits a laser pulse is shown in a top view and a side view. The first laser D1 emits a light pulse, which is expanded into a first light fan LF1 by the lenses SL, ZL, preferably Powell lenses. The first light fan LF1 is shown with a dotted line. The first light fan LF1 illuminates a first stripe of the space or scene (range image) in front of the LiDAR system. The receiving lens EL images the illuminated first (image) stripe onto a row of the sensor S. Figure 1 (and in Figures 2 to 4 ) shows by dashed and solid lines that two image points at the two ends of the illuminated image stripe are imaged onto two photodiodes at the two ends of the photodiode row involved in the sensor S. The illuminated first image stripe is different from the illuminated second image stripe ( Figure 2 ), different from the illuminated third image stripe ( Figure 3 ) and is different from the illuminated fourth image stripe ( Figure 4 ).exist Figure 1 In the example of , each row of the sensor array comprises 256 photodiodes. This sensor row thus records one image stripe. The receiving lens EL is preferably also a Powell lens.

[0344] Figure 2 The beam path of the LiDAR system when the second laser D2 emits a laser pulse is shown in top view and side view. The second laser D2 emits a light pulse, which is expanded into a second light fan LF2 by the lenses SL, ZL, preferably Powell lenses. The second light fan LF2 is shown with a dotted line. The second light fan LF2 illuminates a second stripe of the space or scene (range image) in front of the LiDAR system. The receiving lens EL images the illuminated second stripe onto a row of the sensor S. The illuminated second image stripe is different from Figure 1 The illuminated first image stripe is different from Figure 3 The illuminated third image stripe is different from Figure 4 The illuminated fourth image fringe.

[0345] Figure 3 The beam path of the LiDAR system when the third laser D3 emits a laser pulse is shown in a top view and a side view. The third laser D3 emits a light pulse, which is expanded into a third light fan LF3 by the lenses SL, ZL, preferably having a Powell lens. The third light fan LF3 is shown with a dotted line. The third light fan LF3 illuminates a third stripe of the space or scene (range image) in front of the LiDAR system. The receiving lens EL images the illuminated third stripe onto a row of the sensor S. The illuminated third image stripe is different from Figure 2 The illuminated second image stripe is different from Figure 1 The illuminated first image stripe is different from Figure 4 The illuminated fourth image fringe.

[0346] Figure 4 The beam path of the LiDAR system when the fourth laser D4 emits a laser pulse is shown in a top view and a side view. The fourth laser D4 emits a light pulse, which is expanded into a fourth light fan LF4 by the lenses SL, ZL, preferably having a Powell lens. The fourth light fan LF4 is shown with a dotted line. The fourth light fan LF4 illuminates a fourth stripe of the space or scene (range image) in front of the LiDAR system. The receiving lens EL images the illuminated fourth stripe onto a row of the sensor S. The illuminated fourth image stripe is different from Figure 2 The illuminated second image stripe is different from Figure 3 The illuminated third image stripe is different from Figure 1 The illuminated first image stripe.

[0347] Figure 5 An exemplary circuit for the proposed LiDAR system is shown. The control circuit CTR causes one of the n charging circuits B1 to Bn to charge the capacitors C1 to Cn via the charging line K1 to Kn assigned to the charging circuit. Each of the N charging lines K1 to Kn has a (especially parasitic) resistance RZ1 to RZn and a parasitic inductance LZ1 to LZn. Each of the charging lines K1 to Kn is preferably connected to the first connection of exactly one of the n capacitors C1 to Cn. The second connection of each of the n capacitors C1 to Cn is connected to a reference potential via a line. Each line between the second connection of the capacitors C1 to Cn and the reference potential includes a parasitic resistance RC1 to RCn and a parasitic inductance LC1 to LCn. The anode of preferably exactly one of the n lasers D1 to Dn is preferably connected to the first connection of preferably exactly one of the n capacitors C1 to Cn via a discharge line K1' to Kn'. The cathodes of the n lasers D1 to Dn are connected to form a common first star point DisC. dis When the common star point is reached, the control switch T dis The second connection terminals of the n capacitors C1 to Cn are also connected to the reference potential GND.

[0348] An exemplary buffer Buf is generated from the pre-pulse signal PL for disconnecting the control switch T dis The pulse signal G dis Preferably, the control circuit CTR can generate the pre-pulse signal PL when the charging process of the capacitor to be charged by the associated charging circuit B1 to Bn is completed and the charging circuit B1 to Bn concerned is switched to neutral.

[0349] The auxiliary capacitor CVDD is preferably part of a capacitor array KA of n capacitors C1 to Cn. The auxiliary capacitor CVDD can stabilize the supply voltage VDD or other system-related voltages. The role of the auxiliary capacitor is to prevent the current surge generated when starting the laser from affecting other components of the vehicle that are connected to the supply voltage VDD, where the supply voltage VDD is the vehicle network voltage.

[0350] A first terminal of the auxiliary capacitor CVDD is connected to the supply voltage VDD via a line inductance LZV and a line resistance RZV.

[0351] A second terminal of the auxiliary capacitor CVDD is connected to the reference potential GND via a line resistance RCV and a line inductance LCV.

[0352] Figure 6 Shown for Figure 5 Example of the structure of a laser module of a LiDAR system.

[0353] The basis of the module is the driver IC. The driver IC is preferably a monolithic integrated circuit. The driver IC preferably includes Figure 5 The control circuit CTR and all other micro-integrated (e.g. CMOS) circuit components. This may be, for example (but not exclusively), the control circuit CTR, the buffer Buf, the control switch T dis And n charging circuits B1 to Bn. In addition, the control circuit CTR may include, for example, a microcomputer having a memory, an interface, and a CPU. These together form a control circuit. Figure 6 In the example of , for example n=4 lasers D1 to D4 are used, which are manufactured on a common crystal and form a linear laser array. The underside of the crystal forms the common cathode of the laser diodes, which is electrically connected as a first star point DisC to a control switch, which is manufactured in the crystal of the driver IC and has an active surface at the control switch. This connection with only low parasitic inductance values ​​and low resistance values ​​can be achieved by flip-chip assembly, which increases the edge steepness of the laser pulses. The n lasers are thermally cooled by the crystal of the driver IC. The four capacitors C1 to C4 are also designed as common components. Figure 6In the example of , the second connection terminals of the four capacitors C1 to C4 are connected to each other via a common contact. The first connection terminal of each capacitor C1 to C4 is connected to the laser assigned to the capacitor among the four lasers D1 to D4 via one of the four discharge lines K1' to K4'. Through the selected arrangement, the discharge lines K1' to K4' are particularly short. The multiple bonding wire connection of the discharge lines K1' to K4' shown leads to a further reduction in parasitic inductance and therefore to a further increase in edge steepness. Similarly, the short bonding wires of the connection between the (second) star point DisK as the common connection point of the capacitors C1 to Cn and the reference potential together with the multiple bonding wire connections lead to a reduction in the parasitic inductance of the line connection. This also increases the edge steepness of the emitted light pulses.

[0354] Relatively long bonding wires of the charging lines K1 to Kn are more favorable for edge steepness, since they prevent or largely suppress the discharge of the charge of the capacitors C1 to Cn via these charging lines K1 to Kn.

[0355] As shown, the auxiliary capacitor CVDD can be part of the capacitor array KA. The auxiliary capacitor CVDD is connected to the reference potential GND on the lower side via a second connection terminal having a very low line resistance RCV and a very low line inductance LCV. The first connection terminal of the auxiliary capacitor CVDD is connected to a virtual node KG' of the supply voltage VDD. The virtual node KG' of the supply voltage VDD is connected to the supply voltage VDD via a very short bonding wire. Thus, the virtual node KG' of the supply voltage VDD is connected to the supply voltage VDD with a very low line resistance RZV and a very low line inductance LZV.

[0356] As a basis Figure 5 The circuit implementation is Figure 7 Schematically shows the hybrid structure of a laser module, which has, for example, a plastic casting compound as a carrier TR. The circuit die and the lead frame are embedded in the carrier TR; for the sake of clarity, neither the circuit die nor the lead frame is shown. The control circuit CTR, the transistor driver Buf and the charging circuits B1 to Bn are designed as integrated circuits of the circuit die. In addition, the transistors T dis As close to the top side of the die as possible. Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, transistor T disThe laser diodes D1 to Dn are located on the first conduction path connection field TAF1 and are electrically connected to the first conduction path connection field TAF1 in a die-to-die bonding manner with the lower side first connection field DAF1 of the die D1D to which they relate. In the same way, the capacitors C1 to Cn are connected to the transistors T dis For this purpose, each capacitor C1 is designed, for example, as a separate charge storage element LSBT, wherein all capacitors C1 to Cn can also form a common charge storage element in combination (see in this context, for example Figure 6 The charge storage part LSBT has a first connection field LAF1 on the lower side which is electrically connected to a second conduction path connection field TAF2 by a die-to-die bond.

[0357] The upper side of the laser diode die D1D and the upper side of the charge storage component LSBT each have a second connection field DAF2 and LAF2 which are electrically connected to one another by means of short first bonding wires BD1. These first bonding wires BD1 form lines K1' to Kn'.

[0358] In addition, the capacitors C1 to Cn are each electrically connected via a longer second bonding wire BD2 to a connection field AF of a charging circuit B1 to Bn assigned to the capacitor, which is located on the upper side TRO of the carrier TR. A third bonding wire BD3 is also shown, which connects the supply voltage potential VDD applied to the connection field on the upper side of the carrier TR to an auxiliary or buffer capacitor CVDD, which itself is connected to the reference potential GND via its second contact. For this purpose, the auxiliary or buffer capacitor CVDD is designed as a separate component or a component integrated in the capacitor array KA, which is also electrically connected, for example, via a die-to-die bond to a second conduction path connection field TAF2, to which the reference potential is applied.

[0359] exist Figure 7 In the example, the extended line pairs are visualized according to Figure 5 Which parasitic components in the discharge loop and charging loop of the circuit correspond to the various components of the hybrid structure. It should be noted here that the final lead frame ( Figure 7 not shown) and also not shown in Figure 7 The internal connections in the circuit die shown in FIG. 1 also have an impact on parasitic components.

[0360] Finally, in Figure 7 It also shows Figure 24-26 Represents driver Buf and transistor Tdis The output of the driver Buf is connected to the control connection GT of the transistor dis .

[0361] Figure 8 Shows a number of Figure 6 The control logic and the controller are preferably designed in such a way that only one laser of all laser modules always generates light pulses, wherein all lasers arranged next to each other are controlled sequentially in time from one laser to, for example, an adjacent laser.

[0362] Fig. 9 A. Fig. 9 B and Fig. 9 C is a top view ( Fig. 9 A) Side view ( Fig. 9 B) and the internal interconnection of the capacitor array ( Fig. 9 C) shows that according to Figure 8 A capacitor array KA having capacitors C1 to C4 and CVDD is used in the laser module.

[0363] The capacitor array KA composed of C1 to Cn and CVDD is preferably rectangular. The contact surfaces of the discharge lines K1 'to Kn' are preferably arranged side by side along the first edge of the rectangle on the upper side (see Fig. 9 A). The distance from the center of a contact surface for connecting a discharge line to the center of a contact surface for connecting the next discharge line preferably corresponds to the distance of the corresponding laser (see Figure 6 The distance between the geometrical centers of gravity of the lasers (D1 to Dn) in FIG. Therefore, the contact surfaces of the laser and the capacitor array KA preferably have the same spacing = the distance from center to center. Fig. 9 In the example of , the distance is illustratively 500 μm.

[0364] The contact surface of the virtual node KG′ of the supply voltage VDD, which corresponds to the first connection terminal of the auxiliary capacitor CVDD, extends along a second edge of the rectangle opposite to the first edge of the rectangle.

[0365] Preferably, the contact surface of the virtual node KG' of the supply voltage VDD extends along the entire second edge of the rectangle. Fig. 9 In the example shown, the length of the extension is slightly less than 2000 μm.

[0366] Therefore, the possibly n contact surfaces for connecting the discharge lines K1' to Kn' occupy only a section along the first edge of the rectangle which is less than 1 / n of the length of the first edge of the rectangle. Fig. 9 In the example shown, this extension is only 375 μm. The area of ​​these contacts is Fig. 9In the example, 0.17 mm 2 .

[0367] The extension of the optionally n contact surfaces of the discharge lines K1' to Kn' along the third and fourth edges of the rectangle (450 μm in the present example) is therefore typically longer than the extension of the contact surface of the virtual node KG' of the supply voltage VDD (100 μm in the present example). The size of the contact surface of the virtual node KG' of the supply voltage VDD is approximately 0.2 mm. 2 .

[0368] Capacitor array KA (see Fig. 9 The lower contact KR of B) forms a common contact for connecting a common reference potential GND.

[0369] The material between the contact surfaces of the nodes K1 'to Kn' and KG' forms the dielectric of the capacitor array KA. One of the capacitors C1 to Cn and CVDD is then formed between each contact surface of the nodes K1 'to Kn' and KG' and the lower contact KR.

[0370] To make it clearer, Fig. 9 The example of (like other examples in this specification) is for n=4, but this should in no way be construed as limiting.

[0371] Fig.10 The structure of a single proposed driver IC is shown in top view. The structure is greatly simplified and limited to only essential features.

[0372] As already mentioned elsewhere in this description, for the sake of a better overview, the number n of lasers D1 to Dn of a module is exemplarily limited to n=4. The principles of this description can be applied correspondingly to other numbers n of lasers. Here n is used instead of the number 4, even if n=4 is shown in the figure. Here, n is always to be understood as a positive integer.

[0373] On the upper side of the driver IC there are four contact surfaces for the backside contacts of the exemplary four lasers D1 to D4 of the laser module. Each of the four contact surfaces is connected to a first star point DisC. Of course, a single contact surface instead of four separate contact surfaces is also conceivable.

[0374] about Fig.10 In the illustrated orientation of the driver IC in FIG. 1 , there is a contact surface GND connected to the reference potential GND below the contact surface DisC. The capacitor array KA is placed on this contact surface. This connects the lower contact KR of the capacitor array KA to the reference potential GND.

[0375] Likewise with regard to the illustrated orientation of the driver IC, below the contact surface GND there is a contact surface VDD for a bonding wire, via which a first terminal of an auxiliary capacitor CVDD of the capacitor array KA is connected to a supply voltage VDD, the first terminal being a virtual node KG′ of the supply voltage VDD.

[0376] Below the contact surface VDD (again with respect to the illustrated orientation of the driver IC) there are n bonding surfaces (here by way of example n=4) for the outputs of the driver circuits B1 to Bn (here n=4). From there, capacitors C1 to Cn serving as energy storage for the lasers D1 to Dn (here n=4) are charged via the driver circuits B1 to Bn by means of long bonding wires representing charging lines K1 to Kn (here n=4).

[0377] exist Fig.10 In the example of , the proposed driver IC requires a plurality of supply voltages via a plurality of supply voltage contacts VDDA, GNDA, VDDD, GNDD, VDDP, GNDP, VDDH, GNDH. When developing the invention, it was recognized that it is advantageous to feed the supply voltages to the driver ICs with low resistance via the edge of the driver IC opposite the laser, since each driver IC can thereby have its own low-ohmic supply line.

[0378] Furthermore, it has been recognized that a signal which is applied to a driver IC with high resistance can also circulate laterally through the IC. Fig.10 In the example of , this is for example a reset signal RST, which is horizontally connected to a corresponding connection terminal on the opposite side of the driver IC. Fig.10 The SPI data bus is shown as an example of a data bus in the example of FIG. The input MOSI of the SPI data bus and the output MISO of the SPI data bus as well as the clock SCK of the SPI data bus have counterparts on the opposite side of the driver IC. The select signal (English: Chip-Select CS) also circulates through. The start signal for emitting the laser pulse is delivered to the connection terminal TRIG on one side of the driver IC and circulates to the other side without change.

[0379] The module's laser fires using the edge of this start signal.

[0380] Another alternative example of a signal which is supplied to all driver ICs and which is likewise circulated is applied to the connection Pulse. For example, this signal can be a diagnostic signal of a diagnostic interface.

[0381] Fig.11 Shows Fig.10 Multiple laser modules are arranged side by side at the driver IC level.

[0382] The contact surfaces on the long sides of two adjacent driver ICs are connected to each other by bonding wires. Obviously, this structure ensures a low-ohmic supply of power to all laser modules, since the control signals are circulated through.

[0383] Fig.12 Shows Fig.11 The laser modules are oriented along the curve KL. The advantage of this is that the generation of the laser beam fan is greatly simplified. First, the laser module can be oriented perpendicular to the curve KL. Secondly, within a laser module, the laser can be oriented along the curve KL, so that ultimately all lasers of all modules are oriented along the curve KL. The curve KL can be convex or concave. The laser beam of each laser of each laser module has a laser beam axis. If only the laser module is oriented along the curve KL and the curve KL is a circular arc segment, the laser beam axes of each first laser D1 of all laser modules intersect at a common point in space. This common point can also be located behind the laser.

[0384] If the lasers D1 to Dn of a laser module are oriented along the curved circle line KL, the laser beam axes of the lasers D1 to Dn of the laser module intersect at one point.

[0385] If the lasers D1 to Dn of all laser modules are oriented along a common curved circle line KL, the laser beam axes of the lasers D1 to Dn of all laser modules intersect at one point.

[0386] It should not be excluded that only some of the lasers and / or only some of the laser modules are oriented along the curve KL.

[0387] The present invention is not limited to a parallel or serial arrangement of multiple optical modules, for example, each optical module has four laser diode dies. Figure 8 , Fig.11 and Fig.12 The arrangement of at least four light modules shown in FIG. 1 can also be realized by a single light module, whereupon the laser diode dies are arranged on the light module along a straight line or along a curve KL (see FIG. 1 ). Fig.13 ). Along the outer edge of such a light module of greater size, connection fields for the above-mentioned signals and voltages are arranged, which are to be applied to one or more light modules. The overall light module can have a common and therefore large-area capacitor array KA or a plurality of capacitor subarrays.

[0388] Fig.14An exemplary Powell lens is shown. The surface is curved on a first surface OF1 about a first axis A1 and on a second surface OF2 about a second axis A2. The two axes are oriented perpendicularly to each other. ME denotes the xy center plane at the center of the lens in relation to the z extension (extension in the direction of the optical axis) of the lens.

[0389] Fig.15 An exemplary arrangement of a transmitting system with a transmitting lens and a receiving system with a receiving lens is shown. A laser diode (array) row LDZ with n=4 laser diodes, as described above by way of example, and a sensor S with n=4 rows, each row having, for example, 256 pixels, are shown in an exploded view and in a schematic manner. For example, if four laser modules are used, such as Figure 8 , Fig.11 and Fig.12 As shown, a laser diode row LDZ with 16 laser diodes and a photosensor with 16 rows, for example 256 pixels, are obtained.

[0390] Fig.16 A real measurement result of a point cloud in an exemplary Cartesian coordinate system as target coordinate system is shown with n=16 lasers and m=256 photodetectors in photodetector rows.

[0391] Fig.17 A drone according to the invention is shown, which is equipped with a LiDAR system according to the invention. The LiDAR system according to the invention can be used very well in a drone, since it is particularly light and has no mechanical parts such as an oscillating mirror.

[0392] Other solutions from the prior art are not as compact and cannot provide this information at the same time as this low weight and low power consumption.

[0393] However, the proposed LiDAR system can also be used in other vehicles, floating bodies, missiles, rail vehicles as scanners in automation technology, etc. Advantageously, the vehicle performs an oscillating pitching movement, so that the "gaps" in the range image caused by the distance between adjacent photodetector rows of the sensor can be scanned, whereby the image resolution can be increased. A complete range image is recorded for each pitch angle, and the information from the photodetector rows is then combined to form a complete image. This means that information is also obtained about the areas of the range image that would have been imaged onto the gaps between adjacent photodetector rows of the sensor without performing a pitching movement.

[0394] Fig.18Possible inhomogeneities in the intensity distribution of the laser light within the illumination stripe should be noted. In the horizontal direction, the imaging of the laser diode beam after passing through the transmitter optical element SLE is shown as a rectangle. The light beam from a laser diode typically has an elliptical cross section. If the intensity is now determined along the main axis of this cross-sectional ellipse or this cross-sectional egg and plotted into an xy diagram with the position along this main axis as the x-axis and the radiation intensity as the y-axis, the laser diode typically exhibits a Gaussian intensity distribution here. The laser beam of the laser diode is now expanded in one direction by means of the optics, so that ideally in the far field a rectangular homogeneous illumination area should be obtained on the projection surface perpendicular to the optical axis of the expansion lens and the laser. However, due to imaging errors, this is not the case. Fig.18 The vertical lines are shown in FIG. The surface of a rectangular block located in one of the horizontal rectangles between each two vertical lines should always receive the same amount of light for different rectangular blocks when illuminated by the laser belonging to this rectangle. Therefore, in an ideal case, all rectangular blocks should be identical and Fig.18 However, in real situations, there are errors in the optics and the laser beam cross section exhibits a Gaussian intensity distribution over the cross section rather than a rectangular intensity distribution.

[0395] Figures 18 to 22 Each of shows only the upper left quadrant of the projection field of the transmitter optical element SLE, which projection field is rectangular and therefore has four quadrants separated by two mutually perpendicular axes of symmetry.

[0396] A camera with photodetectors images the illumination point onto n photodetector rows, each with q photodetectors. Figures 18 to 22 In the example of , it is assumed that the photodetector array has n = 16 rows and q = 256 pixels. Each of the n lasers of the laser module illuminates one row here. The optics then expand the laser beam of the jth laser of the n lasers according to the width of the row, where 1 ≤ j ≤ n = 16. Therefore, the laser beam of the jth laser expands in the horizontal direction. Fig.18 The density or spacing of the vertical lines represents the expected energy density in the far field. Each of the n lasers of the laser module thus illuminates a row of the image which is then scanned by the rows of the photodetector array, here exemplarily a photodetector array with 16 photodetector rows, each with 256 photodetectors. Due to the Gaussian intensity distribution within the laser beam cross section, the normal intensity distribution on the uncorrected row is likewise Gaussian. Solving this problem is the task of the optics described here.

[0397] exist Figures 18 to 22In the example of , exactly one laser is assigned to each of the n photodetector rows.

[0398] However, in contrast, each of the n lasers can also illuminate r photodetector rows by defocusing with the aid of reflections in the vehicle environment. The number of possible photodetector rows is then r+n. It therefore makes sense to use (n+r)×q photodetectors in this case, which are organized in r+n photodetector rows. Each of the n lasers is then assigned exactly r photodetector rows.

[0399] Instead of defocusing, a multi-segment lens can also be used.

[0400] The n lasers are preferably arranged in a one-dimensional laser array perpendicular to the extension plane of the photodetector rows within the laser module.

[0401] For the sake of completeness it should be mentioned that, for reasons of space, elsewhere in this document it is assumed that each laser module has, by way of example, n=4 lasers in order to simplify the presentation.

[0402] Fig.19 The first lens without the correction polynomial is shown. Only the parameters B2 and B3 are not 0. Therefore, the equation is:

[0403] z=ROY-Sign(ROY)*Sqrt(ROY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |and z=-d.

[0404] As based on Fig.19 It can be seen that the energy distribution at the edge and especially at the corner deviates significantly from Fig.18 The expected distribution of .

[0405] Fig. 20 A lens according to the parameters of the first lens is shown, where AR2 = 0.01, AR3 = 0.0006, PB2 = -0.0085, PB3 = 0.0008, PB4 = 0, PB6 = 0, PC2 = 0, PC3 = 0. The equation is therefore now:

[0406] z=RY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |-Sign(RY)*Sqrt(RY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |, where RY = ROY + AR2*x 2+AR3*|x 3 |, and z = -d.

[0407] Fig.21 A lens according to the parameters of the second lens is shown, where AR2 = 0.01, AR3 = 0.0005, PB2 = -0.015, PB3 = 0.0015, PB4 = -0.000024, PB6 = 0, PC2 = 0, PC3 = 0. Therefore, the equation is now: z = RY + AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |-Sign(RY)*Sqrt(RY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |+PB4*x 4 , where RY = ROY + AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |, and z = -d.

[0408] The distribution of energy is already almost optimal.

[0409] Fig. 22 A lens according to the parameters of the third lens is shown, where AR2=0.028, AR3=-0.0028, PB2=-0.0115, PB3=0.00038, PB4=-0.000034, PB6=0.00000013, PC2=0.028, PC3=-0.0032. Therefore the equation is now:

[0410] z=RY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |-Sign(RY)*Sqrt(RY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |+PB4*x 4 +PB6*x 6 +PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |, where RY = ROY + AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |, and z = -(d + PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |).

[0411] from Fig. 22 It can be seen that the distribution is now almost optimal and the error is negligible in real cases.

[0412] In various technical applications, laser diodes or light-emitting diodes are controlled by driver circuits, typically with the aid of short, high-current pulses. In the case of short switching times, high currents flow in the driver circuits. The high-current CMOS transistors with low drain-source resistance used in the driver circuits extend over large surfaces, which limits the switching speed since the propagation speed of the gate signal is limited. LiDAR systems are mentioned as an application example.

[0413] In a self-similar structure of a driver circuit of the type described above according to the invention, the task is solved according to the invention in that the driver circuit and the pre-driver are divided into blocks, each of which contains a small part of the driver transistor together with the corresponding pre-driver. The dimensions of the driver circuit and the pre-driver in the block are determined so that the desired switching time is achieved within the block. In order to achieve the desired driver current intensity, a plurality of blocks are interconnected and further pre-driver stages are added. This interconnection of the individual blocks is carried out in a self-similar structure according to the invention, as explained below. Here, the gate signal is directed to the sub-blocks in a balanced manner to achieve simultaneous switching. The proposed architecture based on the self-similar sub-structure enables large-scale scalable high-current switching while maintaining high switching speeds through the nesting of hierarchically constructed pre-drivers and driver circuits and the direct connection of all critical networks on the chip side and balanced signal routing.

[0414] The subdivision of the driver circuit into individual blocks (hereinafter referred to as basic structures) and the combination of these basic structures into self-similar structures will be explained in more detail based on the drawings. For simpler display, the driver circuit and pre-driver are no longer distinguished below, and only the driver is mentioned for simplicity.

[0415] This basic structure in the descriptive sense represents a structure that is repeated in a similar way at different scales and nestings in self-similar structures.

[0416] The nesting of the inventive concept of interconnecting each output of a single driver circuit of one level with the input of a single driver circuit of the next level in a design that is always the same (and both at the layout level and at the circuit level) has the following advantages: the length of the circuit path from the input of the single driver circuit of the first level to the output of each single driver circuit of the last level is always the same. The direction and structure of these signal paths are also similar or symmetrical or group-symmetrical point-symmetrical, so that the same parasitic effects, such as parasitic inductances and parasitic ohmic resistances and possible parasitic capacitances, are generally generated. All this ensures that the relatively large control electrode field of the power transistor is supplied with control signals simultaneously in a large number of individual sub-areas, which control signals themselves are preferably generated digitally and are electrically stable in each sub-area of ​​the control electrode surface due to the large number of stages. This is ensured in particular by realizing the single driver circuit as a digital inverter circuit.

[0417] The concept proposed here includes self-similarity at the circuit level and self-similarity at the layout level. Both types of self-similarity are claimed here separately and jointly.

[0418] Fig.24 The basic concept of the self-similarity of the circuit architecture on which the present invention is based is simplified based on a circuit diagram and a circuit layout. Fig.24 Including six Fig.24 (a) to 24(f), which will be explained below. The three figures on the left Fig.24 (a) to 24(c) are simplified illustrations of the concept of self-similar structures in terms of circuit diagrams. The three Fig.24 (d) to 24(f) illustrate in simplified form the concept of self-similar structures in terms of corresponding layouts.

[0419] Fig.24(a) shows an exemplary circuit diagram of the first structure B0'. The first structure B0' has a first connection terminal S0 of the first structure B0', a second connection terminal G0 of the first structure B0', and a third connection terminal GND0 of the first structure B0'. The first structure B0' includes a first part I0 of the first driver and a first part M0 of the first field effect transistor. The first part I0 of the first driver has a first and a second connection terminal. The first part M0 of the first field effect transistor has a gate connection terminal, a drain connection terminal, and a source connection terminal. The first connection terminal S0 of the first basic structure B0' is conductively connected to the drain connection terminal of the first part M0 of the first field effect transistor. The third connection terminal GND0 of the first structure B0' is conductively connected to the source connection terminal of the first part M0 of the first field effect transistor. The second connection terminal G0 of the first structure B0' is conductively connected to the first connection terminal of the first part I0 of the first driver. The second connection terminal of the first part I0 of the first driver is conductively connected to the gate connection terminal of the first part M0 of the first field effect transistor.

[0420] therefore, Fig.24 (d) shows a simplified layout diagram of the first structure B0'. The first part M0 of the first field effect transistor and the first part I0 of the first driver are shown as adjacent rectangles.

[0421] Fig.24 (b) shows Fig.24 The n structures B0' of (a) are exemplarily combined into a first basic structure B1'. The variable n here represents a natural number greater than 1. n is preferably equal to 4. The first basic structure B1' has a first connection terminal S1 of the first basic structure B1' and a second connection terminal G1 of the first basic structure B1' and a third connection terminal GND1 of the first basic structure B1'. The first basic structure B1' includes n structures B0'. The n first connection terminals S0<1;n> of the n structures B0' are conductively connected to the first connection terminal S1 of the first basic structure B1'.

[0422] n third connection terminals GND0 of n structures B0′<l;n> The third terminal GND1 is conductively connected to the first basic structure B1 ′.

[0423] The first basic structure B1' comprises a first part I1 of the second driver. The first part I1 of the second driver has a first connection end and a second connection end.

[0424] The first terminal of the first part I1 of the second driver is conductively connected to the second terminal G1 of the first basic structure B1'. The second terminal of the first part I1 of the second driver is conductively connected to the n second terminals G0<1;n> of the n structures B0'.

[0425] Fig.24(e) shows a simplified layout diagram of the first basic structure B1'. Here, the first basic structure B1' includes four structures B0' and a first part I1 of the second driver. The adjacent positioning of the parts of the first driver forms another part of the first driver or the entire first driver. The adjacent positioning of the parts of the first field effect transistor forms another part of the first field effect transistor or the entire first field effect transistor.

[0426] Fig.24 (c) shows Fig.24 (b) The n first basic structures B1' are combined into a first self-similar structure B2'. The variable n here represents a natural number greater than 1. n is preferably equal to 4. The first self-similar structure B2' has a first connection terminal S2 of the first self-similar structure B2', a second connection terminal G2 of the first self-similar structure B2' and a third connection terminal GND2 of the first self-similar structure B2'. The first self-similar structure B2' includes n first structures B1'. The n first connection terminals S1<1;n> of the n first basic structures B1' are conductively connected to the first connection terminal S1 of the first self-similar structure B2'. The n third connection terminals GND1<1;n> of the n first basic structures B1' are conductively connected to the third connection terminal GND2 of the first self-similar structure B2'.

[0427] The first self-similar structure B2' comprises a first part I2 of the third driver. The first part I3 of the third driver has a first connection end and a second connection end.

[0428] The first connection end of the first part I2 of the third driver is conductively connected to the second connection end G2 of the first self-similar structure B2'. The second connection end of the first part I3 of the third driver is conductively connected to the n second connection ends G1<1;n> of the n first basic structures B1'.

[0429] Fig.24 (f) shows a simplified layout diagram of the first self-similar structure B2'. Here, the first self-similar structure B2' comprises four first basic structures B1' and a first part I2 of the third driver. The further part of the first driver or the entire first driver is formed by the adjacent positioning of the respective parts of the first driver. The further part of the first field effect transistor or the entire first field effect transistor is formed by the adjacent positioning of the respective parts of the first field effect transistor.

[0430] The first self-similar structure B2 ′ and its minimum self-similar unit (ie, the first basic structure B1 ′) can be arbitrarily expanded to a larger self-similar structure.

[0431] As the layout illustration is further simplified, the self-similarity of the structure and the subdivision of drivers and transistors into distinct blocks become clearer.

[0432] Fig.25 (a) On the left side the basic structure of a self-similar structure according to the invention is shown as a simplified illustrated layout of a rod layout. Fig.25 (b) shows how further basic structures can be combined to finally produce a self-similar structure according to the invention.

[0433] exist Fig.25 In the diagram, the driver components are shown simplified as black dots. A driver component in the sense of the invention means a part of a driver that is capable of operating independently. Thus, the driver can be divided into a plurality of driver components that are spatially separated from one another, which together produce the same function as a spatially non-separated driver due to their arrangement in the self-similar structure according to the invention. In this description, the terms "driver component" and "part of a driver" are used synonymously.

[0434] The various parts of a field effect transistor Fig.25 (b) is shown in simplified form as a rectangular dashed surface F1, F2, F3, F4. A field effect transistor component in the sense of the present invention represents a part of a field effect transistor that can work independently. Therefore, a field effect transistor can be divided into a plurality of field effect transistor components that may be separated from each other in space, and these field effect transistor components jointly produce the same function as a spatially undivided field effect transistor due to their arrangement in a self-similar structure according to the present invention. In this specification, the terms "field effect transistor component" and "a portion of a field effect transistor" are used synonymously.

[0435] First describe Fig.25 (a) shows the basic structure. The first driver component T1 is conductively connected to the second line L2 via the first line L1. The first line L1 and the second line L2 extend at right angles to each other. The connection point between the first line L1 and the second line L2 is located at the midpoint of the section of the second line L2. The second line L2 conductively connects the second driver component T2 and the third driver component T3 to each other. The second driver component T2 and the third driver component T3 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the connection point between the first line L1 and the second line L2.

[0436] The first driver component T1 is conductively connected to the fourth line L4 via the third line L3. In this example, the third line L3 and the fourth line L4 extend at right angles to each other. The connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4 is located at the midpoint of the section of the fourth line L4. The fourth line L4 conductively connects the fourth driver component T4 and the fifth driver component T5 to each other. The fourth driver component T4 and the fifth driver component T5 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4.

[0437] The first driver component T1 is therefore located at the center point of an imaginary rectangle, and the second and third driver components T2 and T3 as well as the fourth and fifth driver components T4 and T5 are placed at the corners of the imaginary rectangle.

[0438] The basic structure described can be continued as follows, where more and more such basic structures are generated. This will be based on Fig.25 (b) is explained. The fifth driver component T5 of the described basic structure is located in the geometric center of the other basic structure. The fifth driver component T5 is conductively connected to the sixth line L6 via the fifth line L5. The fifth line L5 and the sixth line L6 are arranged at right angles to each other. The connection point of the fifth line L5 and the sixth line L6 is located at the midpoint of the sixth line L6. The sixth line L6 conductively connects the sixth driver component T6 and the seventh driver component T7 to each other. The sixth driver component T6 and the seventh driver component T7 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the connection point of the fifth line L5 and the sixth line L6.

[0439] The fifth driver component T5 is conductively connected to the eighth line L8 via the seventh line L7. The seventh line L7 and the eighth line L8 are arranged at right angles to each other. The connection point of the seventh line L7 and the eighth line L8 is located at the midpoint of the eighth line L8. The eighth line L8 conductively connects the eighth driver component T8 and the ninth driver component T9 to each other. The eighth driver component T8 and the ninth driver component T9 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the connection point of the seventh line L7 and the eighth line L8.

[0440] Thus, in this new basic structure, the fifth driver component T5 is now located in the center of a rectangle, and the sixth and seventh driver components T6 and T7 as well as the eighth and ninth driver components T8 and T9 are placed at the corners of the rectangle. Correspondingly, each other driver component located at the corner of such a rectangle can also be the center of a further basic structure. The first driver component T1 can also be located at the corner of such a rectangle of a further basic structure (not shown).

[0441] In addition, each driver component located at the corner of such a rectangle, i.e., the second driver component T2 or the third driver component T3 or the fourth driver component T4 or the fifth driver component T5 or the sixth driver component T6 or the seventh driver component T7 or the eighth driver component T8 or the ninth driver component T9 in the example shown, is conductively connected to four field effect transistor components.

[0442] exist Fig.25In (b), this is shown based on the second driver component T2. The second driver component T2 is conductively connected to the first field effect transistor component F1 and the second field effect transistor component F2 as well as the third field effect transistor component F3 and the fourth field effect transistor component F4. Here, the first field effect transistor component F1 is located above the third field effect transistor component F3 and on the left side of the second field effect transistor component F2. The fourth field effect transistor component F4 is located below the second field effect transistor component F2 and on the right side of the third field effect transistor component F3. The second driver component T2 is therefore located in the center of the rectangle formed by the four field effect transistor components F1, F2, F3, F4.

[0443] The four field effect transistor components F1, F2, F3, F4 together form a field effect transistor as a common functional unit. In order to avoid the field effect transistor with low drain-source resistance from being extended to a large surface, the field effect transistor is correspondingly divided into four field effect transistor components F1, F2, F3, F4. Similarly, the driver is divided into the described driver components.

[0444] Fig.26 A simplified illustration of the self-similarity of the circuit arrangement on which the invention is based is shown. The driver components are shown simplified as black dots. The parts of the field effect transistor are shown simplified as rectangular dashed surfaces. Fig.26 Now it is shown that Fig.25 The basic structures described in compose more extensively into larger self-similar structures. Fig.25 According to the principle described in , such a basic structure can be added again to each driver component, and the self-similar structure shown can be continued as desired. The field effect transistor components are shown here only as an example for the basic structure and can also be added to other basic structures.

[0445] Fig.26 A top view of the layout of the self-similar structure according to the invention is shown. It can be seen here that only one metallization layer is required, since all conductive connections are located in the same plane. The signal is fed in at the first signal connection terminal DP. The first signal connection terminal DP is preferably conductively connected to a driver component, which is located in the geometric center of the self-similar structure. In this way, balanced signal routing caused by the symmetry of the basic structure or self-similar structure is utilized.

[0446] This self-similar structure of the driver circuit, in which the drivers and transistors are nestedly divided, allows, at least in some implementations, to increase the maximum achievable switching speed compared to circuits with discrete components and compared to integrated circuits with non-nested and / or non-self-similarly structured drivers. Thus, the self-similar structure of the driver circuit according to the invention can be used in all applications that benefit from short switching times at high currents. The nested drivers and pre-drivers can be manufactured in a CMOS process on a bare die, which enables a monolithic driver IC with additional CMOS common functions (digital configuration, integrated pulse shaping and diagnostic circuits). Compared to CMOS architectures with separate driver and pre-driver blocks, the nested architecture according to the invention can be better scaled, wherein faster rise times and more compact system solutions are achieved than using discrete constructions.

[0447] However, the advantages are not limited thereto. In particular, the driver circuit described above is not limited to pulse operation for light emitting diodes or laser diodes, or, for example, is not limited to the application of such pulse operation in LiDAR devices. Thus, the pulse operation of the transistor can also be used in switching power supplies, DC-DC converters, and anywhere a steep rising edge of an electrical signal is generated.

[0448] The driver circuit has been explained above based on terms such as "driver component" and "field effect transistor component". These terms are equivalent to a single driver circuit (as a driving part) and a single transistor (as a field effect transistor component). Fig.26 In the figure, GSA represents the transistor T dis The overall control connection terminal has an overall control connection terminal surface GF, which is regularly subdivided into dis Four of these control connection individual planes or four individual control connections ESA are respectively assigned to four outputs of the individual driver circuits T1 to T9 (see for example Fig.26 The single driver circuits T2 and T9 in the embodiment have their output terminals connected to four single transistors F1 to F4 respectively).

[0449] For example, in Fig.25 The penultimate stage of the driver circuit is shown in (a). Fig.25 (b) shows the last stage of the driver circuit, and is only for the driver circuit structure from T5, which corresponds to Fig.26 The lower right corner area.

[0450] In particular, based on Fig.26 Seen, Fig.26The driver circuit shown in FIG. 1 has four stages, wherein the dot connected to the connection terminal DP shows a single driver circuit of the first stage, and the single driver circuits corresponding to dots T6, T7, T8 and T9 (see also FIG. 1 ) are shown in FIG. Fig.25 ) shows the single driver circuit of the last stage. Fig.25 and Fig.26 In the embodiment of the invention, the H-shaped structure decreases from stage to stage. The advantage of this regular arrangement of self-similar structures is that the signal propagation paths starting from the connection terminal DP to the single driver circuit of the fourth stage are always constructed with the same length and always have the same or similar circuit design. This is Fig.26 The illustration is based on two dashed lines which lead from terminal DP to the different individual driver circuits of the fourth stage.

[0451] By means of a special design of the nesting of the individual driver stages of the driver circuit, a large number of digital outputs can be provided for the driver circuit implemented in digital circuit technology, which are now evenly distributed on the relatively large electrodes of the power transistor implemented in analog circuit technology, and when a signal is applied to the input of the driver circuit, digital output signals are output at the same time at these digital outputs. Each digital output signal now "supplies" a single face of the control connection of a single transistor, wherein all the single transistors now switch simultaneously, so that the overall transistor quickly and efficiently generates a high-energy current pulse, which causes the laser to generate a powerful light pulse.

[0452] The present invention has at least one or several of the following feature groups, or one or several features of one or more of the following feature groups:

[0453] 1. Laser module

[0454] - having a linear laser array consisting of n lasers,

[0455] - having a linear capacitor array consisting of n capacitors,

[0456] -With control switch,

[0457] - having n charging circuits,

[0458] -where n is a positive integer greater than 2, and

[0459] - wherein the capacitors of the capacitor array have a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal, and - wherein one of the n charging circuits can selectively charge one of the n capacitors (hereinafter referred to as the capacitor assigned to the charging circuit) by means of a charging line inductance assigned to the charging circuit and the capacitor and the first connection terminal of the capacitor, and

[0460] wherein each of the n capacitors is assigned one of the n lasers as the laser assigned to the capacitor, and

[0461] wherein the control switch discharges the charged capacitor inductance of the n capacitors via a laser assigned to the capacitor and a discharge line arranged between the laser and the first connection terminal of the capacitor and assigned to the capacitor and the laser, and

[0462] wherein the assigned laser then accordingly only emits a laser pulse when the capacitor assigned to the laser is charged and the control switch connects the laser to the reference potential, and

[0463] - wherein the value of the charging line inductance assigned to the capacitor is greater than the value of the discharging line inductance assigned to the capacitor, and - wherein the inductance value between the laser and the control switch and the inductance value between the control switch and the reference potential is smaller than the charging line inductance value and smaller than the discharging feed line inductance value.

[0464] 2. According to the laser module of number 1,

[0465] -Having integrated circuits,

[0466] - wherein the cathodes of the n lasers of a linear laser array consisting of n lasers are connected together without bonding wires to a star point, and

[0467] - wherein the control switch is part of the integrated circuit, and

[0468] The control switch is connected to the star point without a bonding line.

[0469] 3. A laser module according to one or more of the preceding numbers,

[0470] - having an integrated circuit in a monolithic crystal with an active surface,

[0471] - wherein the n charging circuits are part of the active surface of the integrated circuit, and

[0472] - wherein a linear capacitor array consisting of n capacitors is mounted parallel to one another on the active surface of a monolithic crystal of the integrated circuit in parallel with the linear laser array consisting of n lasers, and - wherein first connection ends of the capacitors of the linear capacitor array are connected to anodes of the lasers of the linear laser array assigned to the capacitors by means of multiple bonds having a first bond wire length, and - wherein second connection ends of the n capacitors of the capacitor array are connected together to a second star point, and - wherein the second star point is connected to a reference potential contact on the active surface of the crystal of the integrated circuit by means of a plurality of bond wires having a second bond wire length, and

[0473] - wherein the first connection terminal of the capacitor is connected to a charging circuit assigned to the capacitor via a bonding wire having a third bonding wire length, the bonding wire having the third bonding wire length intersecting the second star point, and - wherein the third bonding wire length is longer than the second bonding wire length, and

[0474] - wherein the second bonding wire length is longer than the first bonding wire length.

[0475] 4. LiDAR system,

[0476] - having a linear laser array consisting of n lasers, and

[0477] - having a linear photodetector array consisting of m photodetectors, and

[0478] - having control circuits for n lasers, and

[0479] - having receiving circuits for m photodetectors, and

[0480] - an evaluation circuit with measurement signals for the m receiving circuits, and

[0481] - having a Powell lens or a functionally equivalent optical device, said functionally equivalent optical devices are also included below in the term Powell lens,

[0482] - having a second optical device, hereinafter referred to as a receiving lens,

[0483] - wherein each laser emits a laser beam when an electric current is passed through it, and

[0484] - wherein the Powell lens expands such a laser beam into a light fan having a light fan plane and a fan origin, and - wherein n lasers generate n laser beams, the n light fans of the n laser beams being inclined perpendicularly to their respective fan planes about a substantially common fan origin,

[0485] - wherein the receiving lens deforms the m receiving lobes of the m photodetectors into m receiving fans, each receiving fan having a receiving fan plane, and

[0486] - wherein each of the receiving fan planes is not parallel to the laser fan plane, and - wherein in particular, each of the receiving fan planes is perpendicular to the laser fan plane,

[0487] - wherein the control circuit causes one of the n lasers to emit a laser pulse at an emission moment, and - wherein the m photodetectors and their corresponding receiving circuits detect the corresponding reflected light of the corresponding laser pulse and the corresponding receiving moment in its corresponding receiving sector, and

[0488] - wherein the respective receiving circuit forwards the respective measured value of the reception time of the respective laser pulse at the respective photodiode to the evaluation circuit, and

[0489] - wherein the evaluation circuit creates a three-dimensional pixel cloud as a function of the angle of the laser fan of the respective laser pulse and the angle of the respective reception fan of the respective photodetector and the respective reception instant of the respective laser pulse at the respective photodetector with respect to the respective emission instant.

[0490] 5. Based on the LiDAR system in the previous figure,

[0491] - where the n surface normals of the n light fans have an angular distance (a 1,2 , a 2,3 , a 3,4 to a n-2,n-1 , a n-1,n ), these angular distances are essentially the same between every two adjacent light fans.

[0492] 6. A LiDAR system according to one or more of the first two digits, having a laser module according to one or more of digits 1 to 3.

[0493] 7. Driver circuit, where

[0494] - drivers I0, I1, I2 and transistors M0, T to T9 are divided into blocks B0', B1', B2', and

[0495] - The interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' is a self-similar structure.

[0496] 8. Driver circuit, where

[0497] - drivers I0, I1, I2 and transistors M0, T to T9 are divided into blocks B0', B1', B2', and

[0498] - The interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' is a self-similar structure at the circuit level.

[0499] 9. Driver circuit, where

[0500] - drivers I0, I1, I2 and transistors M0, T to T9 are divided into blocks B0', B1', B2', and

[0501] - The interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' is a self-similar structure at the layout level.

[0502] 10. Driver circuit, including

[0503] - a first driver component T1, and

[0504] - a second driver component T2, and

[0505] - a third driver component T3, and

[0506] - a fourth driver component T4, and

[0507] - a fifth driver component T5, and

[0508] - a first line L1, and

[0509] - a second line L2, and

[0510] - a third line L3, and

[0511] - a fourth line L4, and

[0512] - wherein the first driver component T1 is electrically conductively connected to the second line L2 via the first line L1, and - wherein the first line L1 and the second line L2 are perpendicular to each other, and wherein the connection point between the first line L1 and the second line L2 is located at the midpoint of the section of the second line L2, and

[0513] - wherein the second line L2 electrically conductively connects the second driver component T2 and the third driver component T3 to each other, and - wherein the second driver component T2 and the third driver component T3 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a connection point between the first line L1 and the second line L2, and

[0514] - wherein the first driver component T1 is conductively connected to the fourth line L4 via the third line L3, and - wherein the third line L3 and the fourth line L4 are perpendicular to each other, and

[0515] - wherein the connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4 is located at the middle point of the section of the fourth line L4, and - wherein the fourth line L4 electrically conductively connects the fourth driver component T4 and the fifth driver component T5 to each other, and - wherein the fourth driver component T4 and the fifth driver component T5 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4, and

[0516] - wherein each driver component T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 can be conductively connected to a transistor component, and - wherein each driver component T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 can also be part of another driver circuit of the same structure at the same time, so that the combination of these driver circuits is a self-similar structure.

[0517] 11. A LiDAR system, wherein the LiDAR system comprises at least one driver circuit according to one or more of 1 to 4 for controlling at least one laser diode or light emitting diode LD.

[0518] 12. Integrated circuits, having

[0519] - drivers I0, I1, I2, and

[0520] - transistors N0, T1 to T9,

[0521] - wherein the drivers I0, I1, I2 and the transistors N0, T1 to T9 are subdivided into individual interconnected blocks B0', B1', B2', and the interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' forms a self-similar structure.

[0522] 13. The integrated circuit according to item 12, wherein the interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' forms a self-similar structure at the circuit level.

[0523] 14. The integrated circuit according to item 12, wherein the interconnections of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' form a self-similar structure at the layout level.

[0524] 15. An integrated circuit according to any one of numbers 12 to 14, wherein the self-similar structure comprises a first driver component T1 having an input terminal and an output terminal, a second driver component T2 having an input terminal and an output terminal, a third driver component T3 having an input terminal and an output terminal, a fourth driver component T4 having an input terminal and an output terminal, and a fifth driver component T5 having an input terminal and an output terminal, and a first line L1 extending from the output terminal of the first driver component T1 as a straight line, a second line L2 extending perpendicularly to the first line L1 as a straight line, a third line L3 extending from the output terminal of the first driver component T1 in a direction opposite to the extension direction of the first line L1 as a straight line, and a fourth line L4 extending perpendicularly to the third line L3 and thus parallel to the second line L2 as a straight line,

[0525] - wherein the first line L1 is connected to the second line L2 and their connection point is located at the middle point of the section of the second line L2, - wherein the second line L2 connects the input terminals of the second driver component T2 and the third driver component T3 to each other, whereby the second driver component T2 and the third driver component T3 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the connection point between the first line L1 and the second line L2,

[0526] - wherein the third line L3 is connected to the fourth line L3 and their connection point is located at the middle point of the section of the fourth line L4, - wherein the fourth line L4 connects the input terminals of the fourth driver component T4 and the fifth driver component T5 to each other, whereby the fourth driver component T4 and the fifth driver component T5 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4, and

[0527] - wherein the first driver component T1 is located in the middle between the connection point of the first line L1 and the second line L2 and the connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4.

[0528] 16. An integrated circuit according to number 15, wherein the first line L1 is constructed as two first line segments extending parallel to each other, two second line segments extending from the first line segment in opposite directions, one first line segment and one second line segment connecting the output of the first driver component T1 to the input of the second driver component T2, and another first line segment and another second line segment connecting the output of the first driver component T1 to the input of the third driver component T3, and the third line is constructed as two third line segments parallel to each other, two fourth line segments extending from the two third line segments in opposite directions, one third line segment and one fourth line segment connecting the output of the first driver component T1 to the input of the fourth driver component T4, and another third line segment and another fourth line segment connecting the output of the first driver component T1 to the input of the fifth driver component T5.

[0529] 17. An integrated circuit according to number 15 or 16, wherein each of the second, third, fourth and fifth driver components T2, T3, T4, T5 is connected to at least one transistor component M0, T1 to T9 or to a group of transistor components M0, T1 to T9 arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the driver components T2, T3, T4, T5.

[0530] 18. An integrated circuit according to number 15 or 16, wherein each of the second, third, fourth and fifth driver components T2, T3, T4, T5 can constitute the first driver component of another group of five driver components T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and 4 lines L1, L2, L3, L4, which are constructed, arranged and connected according to number 4.

[0531] 19. LiDAR system, including

[0532] - at least one diode in the form of a laser or a light emitting diode, and

[0533] - a driver circuit for pulsating at least one diode,

[0534] - wherein the driver circuit is constructed according to one or more of the preceding numerals.

[0535] 20. Laser module,

[0536] - having a linear laser array consisting of n lasers, where n is a positive integer,

[0537] - having a linear capacitor array consisting of n capacitors with controlled switches,

[0538] - having n charging circuits,

[0539] -where n is a positive integer greater than 2, and

[0540] - wherein the capacitors of the capacitor array have a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal, and - wherein one of the n charging circuits can selectively charge one of the n capacitors (hereinafter referred to as the capacitor assigned to the charging circuit) by means of a charging line inductance assigned to the charging circuit and the capacitor and the first connection terminal of the capacitor, and

[0541] wherein each of the n capacitors is assigned one of the n lasers as the laser assigned to the capacitor, and

[0542] wherein the control switch discharges a charged capacitor among the n capacitors via a laser assigned to the capacitor and a discharge line inductance arranged between the laser and the first connection terminal of the capacitor and assigned to the capacitor and the laser, and

[0543] wherein the assigned laser then accordingly only emits a laser pulse when the capacitor assigned to the laser is charged and the control switch connects the laser to the reference potential, and

[0544] - wherein the value of the charging line inductance assigned to the capacitor is greater than the value of the discharging line inductance assigned to the capacitor, and - wherein the inductance value between the laser and the control switch and the inductance value between the control switch and the reference potential is smaller than the charging line inductance value and smaller than the discharging feed line inductance value.

[0545] 21. Laser module according to the previous figure,

[0546] -Having integrated circuits,

[0547] - wherein the cathodes of the n lasers of a linear laser array consisting of n lasers are connected together without bonding wires to a star point, and

[0548] - wherein the control switch is part of the integrated circuit, and

[0549] The control switch is connected to the star point without a bonding line.

[0550] 22. A laser module according to one or more of the first two digits,

[0551] - having an integrated circuit in a monolithic crystal with an active surface,

[0552] - wherein the n charging circuits are part of the active surface of the integrated circuit, and

[0553] - wherein a linear array of n capacitors parallel to a linear array of n lasers are mounted parallel to each other on the active surface of a monolithic crystal of said integrated circuit, and

[0554] - wherein first connection ends of the capacitors of the linear capacitor array are connected to anodes of the lasers of the linear laser array assigned to the capacitors by means of a multiple bond with a first bond wire length, and - wherein second connection ends of the n capacitors of the capacitor array are connected together to a second star point, and - wherein the second star point is connected to a reference potential contact on the active surface of the crystal of the integrated circuit by means of a plurality of bond wires with a second bond wire length, and

[0555] - wherein a first connection end of the capacitor is connected to a charging circuit assigned to the capacitor by a bonding wire having a third bonding wire length, the bonding wire having the third bonding wire length crosses the second star point, and - wherein the third bonding wire length is longer than the second bonding wire length, and

[0556] - wherein the second bonding wire length is longer than the first bonding wire length.

[0557] 23. Laser module,

[0558] - having a linear laser array composed of n lasers, where n is a positive integer,

[0559] - wherein the n lasers are mounted on a module carrier and / or a driver IC, and

[0560] - wherein each laser beam of each laser has a laser beam axis, and

[0561] - all laser beam axes and / or at least two laser beam axes intersect at a point.

[0562] 24. A combination of p laser modules, where p is a positive integer,

[0563] - wherein each laser module has a linear laser array composed of n lasers, where n is a positive integer, and - wherein the lasers of each module can be numbered in the same way, and

[0564] - wherein each laser beam of each laser has a laser beam axis, and

[0565] - wherein all the laser beam axes of the k-th lasers (0 < k ≤ n) of all p laser modules intersect at a point, and / or

[0566] - wherein the laser beam axes of the k-th lasers (0 < k ≤ n) of at least two of the p laser modules intersect at a point.

[0567] 25. A combination of p laser modules, where p is a positive integer,

[0568] - wherein each laser module has a linear laser array composed of n lasers, where n is a positive integer, and - wherein each laser beam of each laser of each module has a laser beam axis, and

[0569] - wherein all the p×n laser beam axes of all the p×n lasers of all p laser modules intersect at a point, and / or

[0570] - at least two laser beam axes of at least two lasers among the p×n lasers of all p laser modules intersect at a point.

[0571] 26. A driver IC for a laser module according to one or more of numbers 20 to 23 or for a combination of laser modules according to numbers 24 or 25,

[0572] - wherein the driver IC has a rectangular shape,

[0573] - wherein the driver IC has two narrow sides and two long sides as edges,

[0574] - wherein the driver IC has, on a first edge of its rectangular shape formed by one narrow side, a plurality of contacts or a contact DisC which is intended and suitable for contacting one or more backside contacts of the laser,

[0575] - wherein the IC has contacts VDDA, GNDA, VDDD, GNDD, VDDP, GNDP, VDDH, GND on a second edge of its rectangular shape formed by another narrow side, which contacts are used to supply energy to the driver IC and / or the lasers D1 to Dn and / or the energy storage devices C1 to Cn belonging to the lasers, and - wherein the first edge is opposite to the second edge.

[0576] 27. According to the driver IC of Figure 26,

[0577] wherein the driver IC has at least one transmission contact for a signal on a third edge, which is a longer side, of the driver IC, which signal can be forwarded to other driver ICs, and

[0578] - wherein the driver IC has a further transmission contact on a fourth edge of the driver IC which is a longer side and which is electrically connected to the transmission contact.

[0579] 28. The driver IC according to item 27, wherein one of the transmission contacts is a contact for a reset signal RES which puts the driver IC into a defined state.

[0580] 29. Driver IC according to item 27, wherein one of the transmission contacts is a contact for a trigger signal TRIG which causes the driver IC to cause its lasers D1 to Dn to fire in a predetermined signal state, provided this is prescribed based on the system state.

[0581] 30. According to the driver IC of Figure 27,

[0582] - wherein one or more transmission contacts are defined for contacting signals of a data bus, and - wherein one or more transmission contacts on an edge of the driver IC which is a long side are directly electrically connected to one or more corresponding transmission contacts on an opposite edge of the driver IC, the opposite edge being an opposite long side, or

[0583] -Wherein the signals of one or more transmission contacts on the edge of a long side of the driver IC are processed in a sub-device of the driver IC, in particular in a data bus interface, before being forwarded to one or more corresponding transmission contacts on the opposite edge of the opposite long side of the driver IC.

[0584] 31. Combination of laser modules, especially LiDAR systems,

[0585] - having a plurality but at least two laser modules, namely a first laser module and a second laser module,

[0586] - wherein the laser module has a rectangular shape with two short sides and two long sides, and

[0587] - wherein the laser modules are arranged side by side with their long sides, and

[0588] - wherein the laser modules each have a driver IC according to one or more of the numbers 17 to 30, and - wherein the driver ICs of the laser modules have an identical design with regard to the transmission contacts used by their driver ICs, - wherein the transmission contacts of the driver IC of a first laser module are respectively electrically connected to corresponding transmission contacts of the driver IC of a second laser module by means of a unique bonding wire paired with each such transmission contact.

[0589] 32. LiDAR system,

[0590] - having a linear laser array consisting of n lasers, and

[0591] - having a linear photodetector array consisting of m photodetectors, and

[0592] - having control circuits for n lasers, and

[0593] - having receiving circuits for m photodetectors, and

[0594] - an evaluation circuit with measurement signals for the m receiving circuits, and

[0595] - having a Powell lens or a functionally equivalent optical device, said functionally equivalent optical devices are also included below in the term Powell lens,

[0596] - having a second optical device, hereinafter referred to as a receiving lens,

[0597] - wherein each laser emits a laser beam when an electric current is passed through it, and

[0598] - wherein the Powell lens expands such a laser beam into a light fan having a light fan plane and a fan origin, and - wherein n lasers generate n laser beams, the n light fans of the n laser beams being inclined perpendicularly to their respective fan planes about a substantially common fan origin,

[0599] - wherein the receiving lens deforms the m receiving lobes of the m photodetectors into m receiving fans, each receiving fan having a receiving fan plane, and

[0600] - wherein each of the receiving fan planes is not parallel to the laser fan plane, and - wherein in particular, each of the receiving fan planes is perpendicular to the laser fan plane,

[0601] - wherein the control circuit causes one of the n lasers to emit a laser pulse at an emission instant, and - wherein the m photodetectors and their respective receiving circuits detect the corresponding reflected light of the respective laser pulse and the respective reception instant within their respective receiving sectors, and

[0602] - wherein the respective receiving circuit forwards the respective measured value of the reception time of the respective laser pulse at the respective photodiode to the evaluation circuit, and

[0603] - wherein the evaluation circuit creates a three-dimensional pixel cloud as a function of the angle of the laser fan of the respective laser pulse and the angle of the respective reception fan of the respective photodetector and the respective reception instant of the respective laser pulse at the respective photodetector relative to the respective emission instant.

[0604] 33. A LiDAR system according to the previous figure, wherein the n surface normals of the n light fans have an angular distance a 1,2 , a 2,3 , a 3,4 to a n-2,n-1 , a n-1,n , these angular distances are substantially the same between every two adjacent light fans.

[0605] 34. A LiDAR system according to one or more of the preceding two numbers,

[0606] - a combination of a laser module according to one or more of numbers 20 to 23 and / or a laser module according to numbers 24 and / or 25 and / or 31 and / or a driver IC according to one or more of numbers 26 to 30.

[0607] 35. A capacitor array for a laser module, in particular a laser module according to one or more of numerals 20 to 23 and / or for a combination of laser modules according to numerals 24 and / or 25 and / or 31 and / or for use with one or more driver ICs according to numerals 26 to 30,

[0608] - wherein the capacitor array is rectangular, and

[0609] - wherein the capacitor array has an upper side and a lower side, and

[0610] - wherein the capacitor array has n contacts K1' to Kn' on the upper side of the capacitor array, which are arranged along the first edge of the rectangle, and

[0611] wherein the capacitor array has a further contact KG′ on the upper side of the capacitor array extending along a second edge of the rectangle, and

[0612] - wherein the second edge of the rectangle is opposite to the first edge of the rectangle, and

[0613] - wherein the extension section of the additional contact portion KG' along the third and fourth edges is shorter than the extension section of the contact portion of the n contact portions K1' to Kn' that is closest to the third edge of the rectangle along the third edge of the rectangle, and - wherein the extension section of the additional contact portion KG' along the third and fourth edges is shorter than the extension section of the contact portion of the n contact portions K1' to Kn' that is closest to the fourth edge of the rectangle along the fourth edge of the rectangle, and - wherein the capacitor array has a back contact portion KR covering the lower side of the capacitor array, and - wherein each of the n contact portions K1' to Kn' forms a capacitor C1 to Cn with the back contact portion KR, and - wherein the additional contact portion KG' forms an additional capacitor CVDD with the back contact portion KR, and wherein the capacitors Ca to Cn and CVDD have a common dielectric that extends between the n contact portions K1' to Kn' and the additional contact portion KG' on one side and the back contact portion KR on the other side. 36.

[0615] - a laser module according to one or more of numerals 20 to 23, and / or

[0616] - a combination of laser modules according to one or more of numbers 24 and / or 25 and / or 31, and / or - a driver IC according to one or more of numbers 26 to 30, and / or

[0617] - Use of a LiDAR system according to one or more of the settings 32 to 34 and / or a capacitor array according to number 35 in a mobile device, wherein the mobile device can in particular be a robot or a missile or a space missile or a ship or a water vehicle or a vehicle or a rail vehicle or an aircraft or a spacecraft. 37.

[0619] - a laser module according to one or more of numerals 20 to 23, and / or

[0620] - a combination of laser modules according to one or more of numbers 24 and / or 25 and / or 31, and / or - a driver IC according to one or more of numbers 26 to 30, and / or

[0621] - use of a LiDAR system according to one or more of the arrangements 32 to 34 and / or a capacitor array according to number 35 in a device for detecting the shape of an object or a building, or

[0622] Use in equipment for automating a process, or

[0623] Use in a device for three-dimensionally detecting the shape of a three-dimensional body.

[0624] 38. Lenses for use in LiDAR systems,

[0625] - wherein the LiDAR system comprises a laser module, and

[0626] - wherein the laser module comprises a linear laser array consisting of n lasers, wherein n is a positive integer greater than 1, and

[0627] - wherein each of the n lasers can emit a laser beam having an elliptical or circular intensity cross section, and - wherein each laser beam has a laser beam axis, and

[0628] - wherein the laser beam axes are substantially located in a common laser beam axis plane having an optical axis, and - wherein the lens expands each laser beam in a direction perpendicular to the laser beam axis plane such that for each of the n laser beams a light fan is generated in a light fan plane perpendicular to the beam axis plane, and - wherein the LiDAR system comprises a photodetector array and an imaging optic, and - wherein the photodetector array has n photodetector rows, each photodetector row having m photodetector pixels, wherein m is a positive integer, and

[0629] - wherein the imaging optical device re-images the projection of the beam fan in the far field onto an ideally uniformly white and / or essentially ideally diffusely uniformly and uniformly reflecting projection plane in the form of a projection image of the beam fan onto n photodetector rows as a projection image of the laser beam fan, the projection plane being perpendicular to the optical axis, and - wherein the lens is shaped so that, given the imaging optical device, the illumination intensity value of a first segment to which the imaging of the projection of the first laser beam fan belongs on a first arbitrary photodetector pixel of the photodetector array differs from the illumination intensity value of a second segment to which the imaging of the projection of the second laser beam fan belongs on a second arbitrary photodetector pixel of the photodetector array by no more than 10% and / or no more than 5% and / or no more than 2%, and - wherein the first segment is different from the second segment, and

[0630] - wherein the first laser beam fan may be different from the second laser beam fan, but need not be, and - the first photoelectric pixel is different from the second photoelectric pixel, and

[0631] - wherein the lens has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and

[0632] - where the first surface is a function of the form

[0633] z=RY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |-Sign(RY)*Sqrt(RY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |+PB4*x 4 +PB6*x 6 +PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |

[0634] Description, where RY = ROY + AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |, and

[0635] - where the second surface is z = -(d + PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |) form, and

[0636] - where parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero, and

[0637] - wherein at least two of the parameters AR2 and / or AR3 and / or PB4 and / or PB6 and / or PC2 and / or PC3 are non-zero.

[0638] 39. According to the lens of number 38,

[0639] - where parameters AR2 and AR3 are non-zero, and

[0640] - wherein at least two of the parameters PB4 and / or PB6 and / or PC2 and / or PC3 are non-zero.

[0641] 40. According to the lens of number 39,

[0642] - where parameters PB4 and PB6 are non-zero, and

[0643] - wherein at least two of the parameters PC2 and / or PC3 are non-zero.

[0644] 41. A lens according to number 40, wherein parameters PC2 and PC3 are not zero.

[0645] Glossary

[0646] Powell lens

[0647] Powell lenses are used to produce a line-shaped beam profile from an elliptical or oval Gaussian beam (i.e. with a Gaussian-shaped intensity distribution). A uniform intensity distribution is preferably produced along the line, while the Gaussian profile of the laser light remains perpendicular to the line. Line optics can be manufactured with aperture angles from a few degrees to over 90°.

[0648] However, the Powell function is only a secondary task of these lenses within the scope of the technical teaching described here. The primary task is to focus all laser beams in the vertical direction. Optical devices that achieve this function have been called Powell lenses within the meaning of this document and are included in the claims. The focusing of all laser beams in the vertical direction is achieved, for example, by Fig.14 and Figures 19 to 22 The other side of the lens shown is implemented. The Powell function is not necessary, since a Gaussian distribution in the horizontal direction is also acceptable for the purposes described here. In this case, the measuring range of the device in the forward direction will be larger than the measuring range in the lateral direction, which may actually be desirable depending on the application. Both functions can be integrated into one surface. The other side of such a lens is then flat if necessary. The lens is also included in the claims. Therefore, such a lens within the meaning of the invention is characterized by vertical focusing. In the case of such a lens, it can therefore also be referred to as a "scanning lens" instead of a Powell lens, which is of course also included in the present invention.

[0649] Reference numerals list

[0650] A1 First Axis

[0651] A2 Second Axis

[0652] Connection field of AF charging circuit

[0653] B0' first structure

[0654] B1 is a first charging circuit for the first capacitor C1, which supplies electrical energy to the first laser D1 to generate light pulses.

[0655] B1' First basic structure

[0656] B2 A second charging circuit for a second capacitor C2, which supplies power to a second laser D2 to generate light pulses

[0657] B2' first self-similar structure

[0658] B3 A third charging circuit of a third capacitor C3, said third capacitor supplies electrical energy to a third laser D3 to generate light pulses

[0659] BD1 first bonding wire

[0660] BD2 second bonding wire

[0661] BD3 third bonding wire

[0662] Bn is used for the nth charging circuit of the nth capacitor Cn, which, if necessary, supplies the nth laser Dn with electrical energy in the case of light pulse generation.

[0663] Buf amplifies the pre-pulse signal PL into a pulse signal G dis Drive

[0664] C1 is the first capacitor, which serves as an energy storage device for the first laser D1

[0665] C2 is the second capacitor, which serves as an energy reserve for the second laser D2.

[0666] The third capacitor C3 is used as an energy reserver for the third laser D3.

[0667] Cn is the nth capacitor, serving as an energy storage device for the nth laser Dn

[0668] CS selection signal

[0669] CTR is a control circuit that controls n charging circuits B1 to Bn and generates a pre-pulse signal PL. The control circuit causes one of the n charging circuits to charge one of the n capacitors, typically before one of the n lasers generates a light pulse, and then preferably turns off all the charging circuits or preferably switches the charging output terminals of all the charging circuits to high ohms, and then closes the control switch T dis, thereby starting the generation of light pulses. The control circuit repeats this process until all n lasers have preferably emitted exactly one light pulse, and then starts the next round from the beginning again

[0670] CVDD is an auxiliary capacitor used to stabilize the operating voltage VDD.

[0671] D1 first laser

[0672] D1D Laser Diode Bare Die

[0673] D2 second laser

[0674] D3 third laser

[0675] D4 fourth laser

[0676] First connection field of DAF1 laser diode die

[0677] DAF2 Second connection field for laser diode die

[0678] The cathodes of the lasers D1 to Dn are preferably connected to the first star point. dis When it arrives, the first star point is controlled by switch T dis Connected to reference potential GND. If one of the capacitors C1 to Cn has been previously charged, this capacitor is then discharged via the corresponding laser, which then emits a light pulse.

[0679] DisK second star point, serving as the common connection point for capacitors C1 to Cn

[0680] Dn nth laser

[0681] DP first signal connection terminal

[0682] DR UAV

[0683] EL receiving lens

[0684] ESA single control connection for a single transistor

[0685] F1 first field effect transistor component

[0686] F2 second field effect transistor component

[0687] F3 third field effect transistor component

[0688] F4 fourth field effect transistor component

[0689] G0 The second connection end of the first structure B0'

[0690] G1 The second connection end of the first basic structure B1'

[0691] G0<l;n> n second connection terminals of n structures B0'

[0692] G1<l;n> n second connection terminals of n first basic structures B1'

[0693] G dis Pulse signal

[0694] GF control connection end overall surface

[0695] GFE control connection end single face

[0696] GND reference potential, contact surface for reference potential

[0697] GNDA Analog reference potential

[0698] GNDD Digital reference potential

[0699] GNDH Reference potential for high supply voltage

[0700] Reference potential for the GNDP interface

[0701] GND0 The third connection terminal of the first structure B0'

[0702] GND1 The third connection terminal of the first basic structure B1'

[0703] GND2 The third connection terminal of the first self-similar structure B2'

[0704] GND0<l;n> n third connection terminals of n structures B0'

[0705] GND1<l;n> n third connection terminals of the n first basic structures B1'

[0706] GSA transistor overall control connection

[0707] GT dis Control connection of transistor

[0708] HV first reference potential

[0709] I Driver Circuit

[0710] I0 The first part of the first driver

[0711] I1 Second drive part 1

[0712] I2 Third Drive Part I

[0713] L1 First Line

[0714] L2 Second Line

[0715] L3 third line

[0716] L4 Fourth Line

[0717] L5 Fifth Line

[0718] L6 Line 6

[0719] L7 Line 7

[0720] L8 Line 8

[0721] LD Laser Diode

[0722] M Field Effect Transistor

[0723] M0 The first part of the first field effect transistor

[0724] K1 is the first charging circuit. Before the first laser D1 generates a light pulse, the first charging circuit B1 charges the first capacitor C1 through the charging circuit.

[0725] K1' is the first discharge circuit, when the control switch T dis Through the pulse signal G dis When closed, the first laser D1 discharges the first capacitor C1 through the discharge circuit.

[0726] K2 is the second charging circuit. Before the second laser D2 generates a light pulse, the second charging circuit B2 charges the second capacitor C2 through this charging circuit.

[0727] K2' is the second discharge circuit, when the control switch T dis Through the pulse signal G dis When closed, the second laser D2 discharges the second capacitor C2 through the discharge circuit.

[0728] K3 is the third charging circuit. Before the third laser D3 generates a light pulse, the third charging circuit B3 charges the third capacitor C3 through this charging circuit.

[0729] K3' is the third discharge circuit, when the control switch T dis Through the pulse signal G dis When closed, the third laser D3 discharges the third capacitor C3 through the discharge circuit.

[0730] KA capacitor array

[0731] KG' is a virtual node for the supply voltage VDD

[0732] KL Optional curve along which the laser module and / or its lasers are oriented.

[0733] Kn is the nth charging circuit, through which the nth charging circuit Bn charges the nth capacitor Cn before the nth laser Dn generates a light pulse.

[0734] Kn'nth discharge circuit, when the control switch T dis Through the pulse signal G dis When closed, the nth laser Dn discharges the nth capacitor Cn through the discharge circuit.

[0735] Bottom contact of KR capacitor array

[0736] L LiDAR system

[0737] First connection field of LAF1 charge storage component

[0738] Second connection field of LAF2 charge storage component

[0739] LC1 is the inductance of the line connecting the second contact of the first capacitor C1 to the reference potential.

[0740] LC2 is the inductance of the line connecting the second contact of the second capacitor C2 to the reference potential.

[0741] LC3 is the inductance of the line connecting the second contact of the third capacitor C3 to the reference potential.

[0742] LCn is the inductance of the line connecting the second contact of the nth capacitor Cn to the reference potential.

[0743] The line inductance LF1 between the second connection terminal of the LCV auxiliary capacitor CVDD and the reference potential GND is the first optical fan of the first laser D1.

[0744] LF2 second laser D2 second light fan

[0745] LF3 third laser D3 third fan

[0746] LF4 Fourth laser D4 fourth fan

[0747] LDZ Laser Diode Line

[0748] Conduction path of LPF transistor

[0749] The first end region of the LPF1 conduction path

[0750] The second end region of the LPF2 conduction path

[0751] LSBT charge storage device

[0752] The inductance of the first charging circuit K1 of LZ1 is used by the first charging circuit B1 to charge the first capacitor C1 before the first laser D1 generates a light pulse.

[0753] LZ2 is the inductance of the second charging circuit K2. Before the second laser D2 generates a light pulse, the second charging circuit B2 charges the second capacitor C2 through the second charging circuit.

[0754] The inductance of the third charging circuit K3 of LZ3 is used to charge the third capacitor C3 through the third charging circuit before the third laser D3 generates a light pulse.

[0755] LZn is the inductance of the nth charging circuit Kn. Before the nth laser Dn generates a light pulse, the nth charging circuit Bn charges the nth capacitor Cn through the nth charging circuit.

[0756] Line inductance of the feeder from LZV to the auxiliary capacitor CVDD

[0757] Central plane of the ME lens

[0758] MOSI SPI data bus input terminal

[0759] MISO SPI data bus output

[0760] OF1 first lens surface

[0761] OF2 second lens surface

[0762] PL Powell Lens

[0763] Example signal sent by Pulse to all modules

[0764] R1 An exemplary first local radius vector of the curvature of the first surface OF1 about the exemplary first axis A1 R2 An exemplary second local radius vector of the curvature of the second surface OF2 about the exemplary second axis A2 PL Pre-pulse signal

[0765] RC1 is the resistance of the line connecting the second contact of the first capacitor C1 to the reference potential.

[0766] RC2 is the resistance of the line connecting the second contact of the second capacitor C2 to the reference potential.

[0767] RC3 is the resistance of the line connecting the second contact of the third capacitor C3 to the reference potential.

[0768] RCn is the resistance of the line connecting the second contact of the nth capacitor Cn to the reference potential.

[0769] RCV is a line resistance RST between the second connection terminal of the auxiliary capacitor CVDD and the reference potential GND to reset the signal

[0770] RZ1 is the resistance of the first charging circuit K1, through which the first charging circuit B1 charges the first capacitor C1 before the first laser D1 generates a light pulse.

[0771] RZ2 is the resistance of the second charging circuit K2. Before the second laser D2 generates a light pulse, the second charging circuit B2 charges the second capacitor C2 through the second charging circuit.

[0772] RZ3 is the resistance of the third charging circuit K3. Before the third laser D3 generates a light pulse, the third charging circuit B3 charges the third capacitor C3 through the third charging circuit.

[0773] Line resistance of the feeder line from RZV to the auxiliary capacitor CVDD

[0774] RZn is the resistance of the nth charging circuit Kn. Before the nth laser Dn generates a light pulse, the nth charging circuit Bn charges the nth capacitor Cn through the nth charging circuit S photoelectric sensor

[0775] S0 First connection end of the first structure B0′ S1 First connection end of the first basic structure B1′ S2 First connection end of the first self-similar structure B2′ S0<l;n> n first connection terminals S1 of n structures B0'<l;n> The n first connection terminals SCK of the n first basic structures B1' are the clock signals of the SPI data bus

[0776] SL Emitting Lens

[0777] SLE Transmitter Optics

[0778] TAF1 first conduction path connects the field

[0779] TAF2 second conduction path connects the field

[0780] T dis Control switch, preferably designed as a transistor TR carrier

[0781] TRIG start signal connection terminal

[0782] TRO carrier upper side

[0783] T1 first driver component

[0784] T2 Second Driver Component

[0785] T3 Third Drive Components

[0786] T4 Fourth Driver Components

[0787] T5 Fifth Drive Components

[0788] T6 Sixth Driver Components

[0789] T7 seventh driver components

[0790] T8 eighth driver components

[0791] T9 Ninth Driver Components

[0792] VDD supply voltage and supply voltage interface VDDA analog supply voltage

[0793] VDD digital supply voltage

[0794] VDDH high supply voltage

[0795] Supply voltage of VDDP interface

[0796] ZL cylindrical lens

[0797] Reference list

[0798] DE-A-195 14 062

[0799] DE-C-195 46 563

[0800] DE-A-199 14 362

[0801] DE-B-10 2006 036 167

[0802] DE-A-10 2008 021 588

[0803] DE-A-10 2008 062 544

[0804] DE-A-10 2009 060 873

[0805] DE-A-10 2014 105 482

[0806] DE-A-10 2016 116 368

[0807] DE-A-10 2016 116 369

[0808] DE-A-10 2016 116 875

[0809] DE-A-10 2017 100 879

[0810] DE-A-10 2017 121 713

[0811] DE-A-10 2018 106 860

[0812] DE-A-10 2018 106 861

[0813] EP-A-2 002 519

[0814] EP-A-3 301 473

[0815] EP-A-3 660 574

[0816] US-A-2018 / 0045882

[0817] US-A-2020 / 0264426

[0818] US-B-6 697 402

[0819] US-B-9 115 146

[0820] US-B-9 185 762

[0821] US-B-9 368 936

[0822] US-B-10 193 304

[0823] WO-A-2008 / 035983

[0824] WO-A-2018 / 154139。

Claims

1. An optical module, comprising a carrier (TR) provided with an upper side (TRO) in which a circuit die with an integrated circuit is arranged, - wherein the circuit die has an upper side, - A transistor (T dis ), - wherein the transistor (T dis ) has a switchable conduction path (LPF) that is turned on or off, the conduction path having a first end region (LPF1) and a second end region (LPF2), wherein the first end region (LPF1) is electrically connected to a first conduction path connection field (TAF1) and the second end region (LPF2) is electrically connected to a second conduction path connection field (TAF2), the first conduction path connection field and the second conduction path connection field are both exposed on the upper side (TRO) of the carrier (TR), and wherein the transistor (T dis ) has a control connection (GT) for switching the conduction path (LPF) on and off dis ), - a light-emitting diode die (D1D) having a light-emitting diode or a laser diode, comprising a lower side having a first connection field (DAF1) and an upper side having a second connection field (DAF2), The light-emitting diode die (D1D) is arranged with its first connection field (DAF1) lying on the transistor (T dis ), and the two connection fields are electrically connected to each other, a charge storage element (LSBT) having a charge storage (C1-Cn), the charge storage element comprising a lower side having a first connection field (LAF1) and an upper side having a second connection field (LAF2), - the charge storage element (LSBT) is arranged with its first connection field (LAF1) lying on the transistor (T dis ), and the two connection fields are electrically connected to each other, at least one first bonding wire (BD1) electrically connecting the second connection field (DAF1) of the light-emitting diode die (D1D) to the second connection field (LAF2) of the charge storage component (LSBT), a charging circuit (B1-Bn) integrated in the circuit die and having an output for charging the charge storage means (LSBT), and - a control circuit (CTR) integrated in the circuit die for controlling the transistor (T dis ) and the charging circuit (B1-Bn), - wherein a charging connection field (AF) is assigned to the charging circuit (B1-Bn), which charging connection field is exposed on the upper side (TRO) of the carrier (TR) and is electrically connected to the output of the charging circuit (B1-Bn), - wherein the charging connection field (AF) of the charging circuit (B1-Bn) is electrically connected to the second connection field (LAF2) of the charge storage component (LSBT) via at least one second bonding wire (BD2), and - wherein the control circuit (CTR) controls the charging circuit (B1-Bn) to charge the charge storage element (LSBT) to the charge level required for the light pulse to be generated by the light emitting diode die (D1D), and then controls the transistor (T dis ) to switch on its conduction path (LPF).

2. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transistor (T dis ) is a power transistor.

3. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: - at least one first bonding wire (BD1) has a first parasitic inductance and a first parasitic ohmic resistance, - at least one second bonding wire (BD2) has a second parasitic inductance and a second parasitic ohmic resistance, - a first connection field (DAF1) of the LED die (D1D) and the transistor (T dis ) has a third parasitic inductance and a third parasitic ohmic resistance, and - a first connection field (LAF1) of the charge storage element (LSBT) and the transistor (T dis ) has a fourth parasitic inductance and a fourth parasitic ohmic resistance, - the electrical connection of the output of the charging circuit (B1-Bn) to the charging connection field (AF) assigned to the charging circuit (B1-Bn) has a fifth parasitic inductance and a fifth parasitic ohmic resistance, - wherein the sum of the first parasitic inductance, the third parasitic inductance and the fourth parasitic inductance is smaller than the sum of the third parasitic inductance and the fifth parasitic inductance.

4. The optical module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The sum of the first parasitic inductance, the third parasitic inductance and the fourth parasitic inductance is smaller than 1 / 2, 1 / 4 or 1 / 5 of the sum of the third parasitic inductance and the fifth parasitic inductance.

5. The optical module according to claim 3, characterized in that: The sum of the first parasitic ohmic resistance, the third parasitic ohmic resistance and the fourth parasitic ohmic resistance is smaller than the sum of the third parasitic ohmic resistance and the fifth parasitic ohmic resistance.

6. The optical module according to claim 5, characterized in that: The sum of the first parasitic ohmic resistance, the third parasitic ohmic resistance and the fourth parasitic ohmic resistance is smaller than 1 / 2, 1 / 4 or 1 / 5 of the sum of the third parasitic ohmic resistance and the fifth parasitic ohmic resistance.

7. The optical module according to claim 3 or 5, characterized in that: - components electrically connected to each other, namely the light emitting diode die (D1D), the charge storage component (LSBT), the at least one first bonding wire (BD1) and the transistor (T dis ) together with its conducting path (LPF) forms a discharge loop having a first parasitic inductance and a first parasitic ohmic resistance, and the charge storage element (LSBT) and its electrical connection to the output of the charging circuit (B1-Bn) via at least one second bonding wire (BD2) form a charging loop having a second parasitic inductance and a second parasitic ohmic resistance, - wherein the first parasitic inductance is smaller than the second parasitic inductance.

8. The optical module according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first parasitic inductance is smaller than 1 / 2, smaller than 1 / 4, or smaller than 1 / 5 of the second parasitic inductance.

9. The optical module according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first parasitic ohmic resistance is smaller than the second parasitic ohmic resistance.

10. The optical module according to claim 9, characterized in that: The first parasitic ohmic resistance is smaller than 1 / 2, smaller than 1 / 4, or smaller than 1 / 5 of the second parasitic ohmic resistance.

11. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that A plurality of first bonding wires (BD1) and a plurality of second bonding wires (BD2).

12. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: - a plurality of light emitting diode dies (D1D) and a plurality of charge storage components (LSBT), - wherein each light emitting diode die (D1D) is assigned a charge storage element (LSBT), - the upper side (TRO) of the carrier (TR) has, for each light-emitting diode die (D1D), a transistor (T dis ) of the conductive path (LPF) and having an exposed first conductive path connection field (TAF1) electrically connected to a first end region (LPF1) of the conductive path (LPF) of the transistor (T dis ) of the conductive path (LPF) is electrically connected to the exposed second conductive path connection field (TAF2), - wherein a charging circuit (B1-Bn) assigned to each charge storage element (LSBT) is integrated in the circuit die, and an exposed charging connection field (AF) is arranged for each charging circuit (B1-Bn) on the upper side (TRO) of the carrier (TR), wherein each light-emitting diode die (D1D) is arranged with its first connection field (DAF1) lying on the transistor (T dis ), and the two connection fields are electrically connected to each other, wherein each charge storage element (LSBT) is arranged with its first connection field (LAF1) lying on the transistor (T dis ), and the two connection fields are electrically connected to each other, - wherein the second connection field (DAF2) of each light-emitting diode die (D1D) is connected by means of at least one first bonding wire (BD1) to the second connection field (LAF2) of the charge storage element (LSBT) assigned to the respective light-emitting diode die (D1D), - wherein the charging connection field (AF) of each charging circuit (B1-Bn) is connected by means of at least one second bonding wire (BD2) to a second connection field (LAF2) of a charge storage element (LSBT) assigned to the respective charging circuit (B1-Bn), and - wherein the control circuit (CTR) sequentially controls the charging circuits (B1-Bn) to charge the respective charge storage elements (LSBT) to a charge level required for generating a light pulse by the light emitting diode die (D1D) assigned to the respective charge storage elements (LSBT), and controls the transistors (T1D) before controlling the next charging circuit (B1-Bn) dis ) to switch on its conduction path (LPF).

13. The optical module according to claim 12, characterized in that: The first conducting path connecting field is configured as a sub-region of a single common first conducting path connecting field and / or the second conducting path connecting field is configured as a sub-region of a single common second conducting path connecting field.

14. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one of the light emitting diode dies (D1D) is implemented as a laser diode die having a laser diode configured as an edge emitter.

15. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that A first supply voltage connection field for a supply voltage potential (VDD) exposed on the upper side (TRO) of the carrier (TR) is provided, wherein a connection can be made between the transistor (T dis ), or, if there are multiple such second conduction path connection fields, to all of these second conduction path connection fields of the transistor, or to a second conduction path connection field common to all of these second conduction path connection fields, applying a supply voltage reference potential (GND).

16. The optical module according to claim 15, characterized in that A buffer capacitor component forming a buffer capacitor (CVDD) has a bottom side and an upper side, a first connection field being arranged on the bottom side and a second connection field being arranged on the upper side, wherein the buffer capacitor component is arranged with its first connection field lying on one or more of the second conduction path connection fields or on a second conduction path connection field common to all of these second conduction path connection fields, and the connection fields on both sides are connected to each other, and wherein the second connection field of the buffer capacitor component is electrically connected to the first supply voltage connection field via at least one third bonding wire (BD3).

17. The optical module according to claim 12, characterized in that: The light emitting diode die (D1D) and the charge storage components (LSBT) are respectively arranged continuously along two side-by-side lines, wherein each light emitting diode die (D1D) and each charge storage component (LSBT) assigned to the light emitting diode die (D1D) are arranged opposite to each other to minimize the length of the first bonding wire (BD1) of the second connection field electrically connecting them.

18. The optical module according to claim 17, characterized in that: Each light emitting diode die (D1D) defines an optical axis along which a light beam emitted from the light emitting diode die (D1D) in question is directed, wherein the line along which the light emitting diode dies (D1D) are arranged in succession - extends in the shape of a circular arc around a central point, with the optical axis of the light-emitting diode die (D1D) extending radially relative to this line, or - extends in a straight line, and the optical axis of the light emitting diode die (D1D) is perpendicular to the line.

19. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the charge storage components (LSBT) has a charge storage capacitor (C1-Cn).

20. The optical module according to claim 16, characterized in that: One or more of the charge storage components (LSBT) and the buffer capacitor components are constructed as a common component (KA), the common component comprising a lower side with a common lower side connection field and an upper side with at least one first upper side connection field and a second upper side connection field, and a dielectric between the lower side connection field on the one hand and at least one first upper side connection field and a second upper side connection field on the other hand, wherein the buffer capacitor is formed between a subregion of the second upper side connection field and the lower side connection field located below the second upper side connection field, and each charge storage capacitor is formed between a corresponding first upper side connection field and a subregion of the lower side connection field located below the corresponding first upper side connection field.

21. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The carrier (TR) has a casting compound in which a lead frame having a plurality of conductor tongues and a circuit die electrically connected to the conductor tongues are embedded, wherein the conductor tongues have connection fields exposed at an upper side (TRO) of the carrier (TR).

22. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: - the transistor (T dis ) is designed therein as a voltage-controlled monolithic transistor implemented in analog circuit technology, having an integral control connection (GSA) and an integral conduction path for conducting a current through the integral conduction path and for blocking the current, - wherein the overall control connection terminal (GSA) extends on the overall control connection terminal surface (GF) of the circuit die, the control circuit (CTR) has a driver circuit implemented in digital circuit technology for controlling the global control connection terminal (GSA) of the global transistor to conduct and cut off current, or the circuit die has a driver circuit implemented in digital circuit technology and controllable by the control circuit for controlling the global control connection terminal (GSA) of the global transistor to conduct and cut off current, - wherein the overall transistor is divided into a plurality of individual transistors implemented in analog circuit technology or has a plurality of such individual transistors, - each individual transistor has an individual control connection (ESA) and the individual control connection (ESA) of each individual transistor extends over an individual control connection surface of the circuit die, the individual control connection surfaces being of equal size or evenly distributed over the overall control connection surface (GF) of the overall transistor, - wherein the driver circuit comprises a plurality of single driver circuits (T1-T9), each single driver circuit having one input terminal and u output terminals, where u is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2, and the single driver circuits are hierarchically divided into different stages, where the output terminal of the single transistor circuit of the i-th stage is connected to the input terminals of the u single driver circuits of the (i+l)-th stage, where i is equal to 1 to v, and v is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2, - wherein the arrangement of the single driver circuit of the i-th stage and the single driver circuit of the (1+1)-th stage forms a self-similar structure, the input terminal of the single driver circuit of the (i+1)-th stage is connected to the output terminal of the single driver circuit of the i-th stage, - where the area of ​​the self-similar structure of level i is greater than the area of ​​the self-similar structure of level (i+1), and the self-similar structure of level i+1 is nested with the self-similar structure of level i that generates it, and - wherein the outputs of the individual driver circuits (T1-T9) of the vth stage are connected to the control connection individual planes (GFE) of the individual transistors.

23. The optical module according to claim 22, characterized in that: Each single driver circuit (T1-T9) has an input terminal and four output terminals, and each single driver circuit (T1-T9) of the i-th level and the four single driver circuits (T1-T9) of the i+1-th level, together with the electrical connection between the four output terminals of the single driver circuit (T1-T9) of the i-th level and the input terminals of the four single driver circuits (T1-T9) of the (i+1)-th level, form an H-type structure, wherein the single driver circuit (T1-T9) of the i+1-th level is arranged at the four ends of the H-type structure, and the single driver circuit (T1-T9) of the i-th level is arranged at the center between the four ends, and the H-type structure has the same orientation for different levels.

24. The optical module according to claim 23, characterized in that: Each single driver circuit has an input terminal and two output terminals, and each single driver circuit of the i-th level is arranged at the center between the two single driver circuits of the (i+1)-th level, and together with the electrical connection between the two output terminals of the single driver circuit of the i-th level and the input terminals of the two single driver circuits of the (i+l)-th level, a straight line structure is formed, and the self-similar structure is rotated 90° with respect to each other for different levels.

25. The optical module according to any one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that The individual driver circuits (T1-T9) are designed as inverter circuits and the individual transistors are designed as power transistors.

26. The optical module according to claim 25, characterized in that: The power transistor is a MOSFET.

27. The optical module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper side (TRO) of the carrier (TR) has a rectangular shape with two longitudinal edges and two lateral edges shorter than the longitudinal edges, wherein the transistor (T dis ) is arranged on one of the two lateral edges, and on the other lateral edge a connection field for supplying energy to the control circuit (CTR), at least one of the charging circuits (B1-Bn), at least one of the charge storage components (LSBT) and at least one of the light emitting diode chips (DID) is arranged.

28. The optical module according to claim 27, characterized in that: One of the two transmission signal connection fields of at least one pair of transmission signal connection fields is arranged on each longitudinal edge of the upper side (TRO) of the carrier (TR), and the transmission signal connection fields are electrically connected to each other and are used to convey transmission signals determined for the circuit bare chip, wherein when multiple optical modules are arranged side by side, the transmission signals can be forwarded from one optical module to an adjacent optical module respectively or from one optical module to an adjacent optical module respectively after being processed in its circuit bare chip.

29. The optical module according to claim 28, characterized in that The transmission signal includes a reset signal, a diagnostic signal, a bus communication signal, and a trigger signal for triggering at least one of the light emitting diode dies to generate a light pulse.

30. A light module device comprising a plurality of light modules according to any one of claims 1 to 29, characterized in that: The light modules are arranged next to each other, wherein the upper longitudinal edges of the light modules are arranged adjacent to each other, wherein the transmission signal connection fields of the same pair of transmission signal connection fields of two respectively adjacent light modules are electrically connected to each other.

31. The optical module device according to claim 30, characterized in that: The longitudinal edges are oriented in parallel.

32. The optical module device according to claim 30, characterized in that: The light emitting diode dies (D1D) of all the light modules arranged side by side are arranged on a common arc-shaped bending line or on a straight line.

33. A LiDAR device for optically scanning a space and recording a range image representing said space, comprising: at least one light module, said light module being a light module according to claim 12, wherein when the light emitting diode die (D1D) concerned is controlled, a light beam having an elliptical or oval beam cross section or a light beam having a circular cross section is emitted from each light emitting diode die (D1D) of each light module, said elliptical or oval beam cross section having a first semi-axis and a second semi-axis which is longer than the first semi-axis, - a transmitter optical element (SLE) for expanding the light beam of each LED die into a beam fan with a linear and / or slit-shaped cross section directed to the space to be scanned by stretching the elliptical or oval beam cross section along the second semi-axis and compressing the beam cross section along the first semi-axis or vice versa, or expanding the light beam of each LED die into a beam fan with a linear and / or slit-shaped cross section directed to the space to be scanned by stretching the circular beam cross section, - wherein a conical light beam generated by light emitting diode dies (D1D) arranged side by side enters the space as a beam fan at different angles, a photoelectric sensor (S) having a plurality of photodetectors arranged in the same number of rows or columns as the total number of light emitting diode dies (D1D) of the at least one photomodule, wherein each row or each column has the same number of photodetectors, - a receiving optical element (EL) for directing the potentially reflected light from the space to be scanned onto the photoelectric sensor (S), wherein the potentially generated reflected light is projected onto another row or column of the plurality of rows or columns of photodetectors of the photoelectric sensor due to a corresponding beam fan, and An evaluation unit for evaluating the signals of the photodetector to determine distance information and / or to determine a distance image of the space to be scanned.

34. The LiDAR device according to claim 33, characterized in that The receiving optical element has an imaging lens.

35. The LiDAR device according to claim 33 or 34, characterized in that The transmitter optical element has a cylindrical lens and a Powell lens, or the transmitter optical element has a lens combining the functions of a cylindrical lens and a Powell lens.

36. The LiDAR device according to claim 33, characterized in that At least two light modules, wherein the light emitting diode dies of each light module are arranged side by side along a circular arc extending at a predetermined angle, and adjacent light modules are arranged rotated by a predetermined angle relative to each other.

37. The LiDAR device according to claim 33, characterized in that At least two optical modules, wherein the LED dies of each optical module are arranged side by side along a straight line, and adjacent optical modules are arranged rotated by an angle relative to each other, so that the optical axes of the LED dies of the optical modules arranged at the same position in a continuous sequence of the LED dies (D1D) of each optical module intersect at a common point.

38. The LiDAR device according to claim 33 or 34, characterized in that A tilting motion device for tilting at least one of the light modules or for tilting the arrangement of a plurality of light modules or for tilting the photoelectric sensor, wherein the signal of the photodetector of the photoelectric sensor is evaluated according to the respective tilting angles taken by the light emitting diode die or the light module to emit light and / or by the photoelectric sensor to receive reflected light.

39. The LiDAR device according to claim 33 or 34, characterized in that - each light emitting diode die (D1D) emits a light beam as a scanning light beam having an elliptical or oval or circular beam cross section, - the emitter optical element (SLE) expands the scanning light cone into a scanning light fan, the scanning light fan being located in a light fan plane, - the scanning light fans of the scanning light beams of all LED dies (D1D) are offset relative to each other by an angular offset, the reflected radiation emanates substantially in the form of a reflected light cone from a scanning point in the space to be scanned which is illuminated by the scanning light fan, and The receiving optical element (EL) images the reflected light cone emitted from the scanning point in the space to be scanned, which is illuminated by the scanning light fan, onto the photodetector columns or photodetector rows of the photosensor.

40. The LiDAR device according to claim 39, characterized in that - the LED dies (D1D) are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photosensor (S), and Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the row of photodetectors of the photoelectric sensor (S).

41. The LiDAR device according to claim 39, characterized in that - the LED dies (D1D) are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector row of the photosensor (S), and Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the row of photodetectors of the photoelectric sensor (S).

42. The LiDAR device according to claim 39, characterized in that - the LED dies (D1D) are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photosensor (S), and Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photoelectric sensor (S).

43. The LiDAR device according to claim 39, characterized in that - the LED dies (D1D) are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector row of the photosensor (S), and Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photoelectric sensor (S).

44. The LiDAR device according to claim 39, characterized in that the emitter optical element (SLE) has a lens with an optical axis and with a thickness, a height and a width oriented in the extension of the optical axis and with a first main side and a second main side facing away from the first main side, the optical axis passing through the first main side and the second main side, respectively, - wherein the first main side has a flat surface, wherein the second main side has a surface which is constructed as a superposition of convex elevations and concave depressions, the concave depression being arranged in the center of the width extension of the lens, - wherein the protrusion extends around an imaginary first axis located outside the lens, and the recess extends around a second axis also located outside the lens, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.

45. The LiDAR device according to claim 44, characterized in that The first axis is located in a half-space adjacent to the first main side of the lens, and the second axis is located in a half-space adjacent to the second main side of the lens.

46. ​​The LiDAR device of claim 39, wherein: the emitter optical element (SLE) has a lens having an optical axis and having a thickness, a height and a width oriented in the extension of the optical axis and having a first main side and a second main side facing away from the first main side, the optical axis passing through the first main side and the second main side, respectively, wherein the first main side is constructed as a superposition of a flat surface and a concave first depression arranged in the center of the width extension of the lens and a curvature of the lens directed toward the second main side, the curvature being oriented toward the second main side in the regions on both sides of the first depression, wherein the second main side is designed as a superposition of a convex first elevation and a convex second elevation, the convex second elevation being arranged in the center of the width extension of the lens, - wherein the first protrusion extends around an imaginary first axis arranged outside the lens, - wherein the second protrusion extends around an imaginary second axis which is also arranged outside the lens, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis, and - wherein the first recess extends around an imaginary third axis which is also arranged outside the lens, the third axis being oriented parallel to the second axis.

47. The LiDAR device according to claim 46, characterized in that The first axis, the second axis and the third axis are located in a half space adjacent to the first main side of the lens, and the curved portion of the lens in the area on both sides of the recess on the first main side extends around a fourth axis, which extends parallel to the second axis and the third axis and is located in a second half space adjacent to the second main side.

48. The LiDAR device of claim 44, wherein: The first master side has a function of the form z=RY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |-Sign(RY)*Sqrt(RY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |+PB4*x 4 +PB6*x 6 +PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 | Defined surface, in RY=ROY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |, Sign() is the sign function of the function parameter. Sqrt() is the root of the function parameter. x represents a point along the width of the lens, y represents the point along the lens height, z represents a point along the thickness of the lens and hence along the optical axis of the lens, starting from the xy center plane of the lens, ROY is the radius of curvature of the lens, The second master side has a function of the form z=-(d+PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |) Defined surface, Where d is the lens thickness at the optical center, - where parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero, and - At least two of the parameters AR2, AR3, PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are not zero.

49. The LiDAR device according to claim 48, characterized in that - parameters AR2 and AR3 are not zero, and - At least two of the parameters PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are not zero.

50. The LiDAR device according to claim 49, characterized in that - parameters PB4 and PB6 are not zero, and - At least one of the parameters PC2 and PC3 is non-zero.

51. The LiDAR device according to claim 50, characterized in that Both parameters PC2 and PC3 are non-zero.

52. A LiDAR device for optically scanning a space and recording a range image representing said space, comprising: - a light module according to one of claims 1 to 29 or a light module arrangement according to one of claims 30 to 32 having a single light emitting diode die, wherein when activated, a light beam having an elliptical or oval beam cross section or a light beam having a circular cross section is emitted from the light emitting diode die (D1D), the elliptical or oval beam cross section having a first semi-axis and a second semi-axis that is longer than the first semi-axis, - a transmitter optical element (SLE) for expanding the light beam of the light emitting diode die (D1D) into a light beam fan with a linear and / or slit-shaped cross section directed to the space to be scanned by stretching the elliptical or oval light beam cross section along the second semi-axis and compressing the light beam cross section along the first semi-axis or vice versa, or expanding the light beam of the light emitting diode die into a light beam fan with a linear and / or slit-shaped cross section directed to the space to be scanned by stretching the circular light beam cross section, - a movable optical deflection element for deflecting the light beam fan at different angles to the space to be scanned, so as to scan the space by means of the light beam fan sweeping the space to be scanned, - a photosensor (S) having a plurality of photodiodes arranged in rows and columns, - a receiving optical element (EL) for directing potential reflected light from the space to be scanned onto said photoelectric sensor (S), - wherein the potential reflected light resulting from each beam fan deflected at a further angle into said space is projected onto a further row or column of the plurality of rows or columns of photodetectors of said photosensor (S), and An evaluation unit for evaluating the signals of the photodetector to determine distance information and / or to determine a distance image of the space to be scanned.

53. The LiDAR device according to claim 52, characterized in that The optical deflection element operates in a refractive manner, or the optical deflection element operates in a reflective manner.

54. The LiDAR device according to claim 53, characterized in that The optical deflection element is designed as a prism or a mirror.

55. The LiDAR device according to any one of claims 52 to 54, characterized in that A tilting motion device for tilting at least one of the light modules or for tilting the arrangement of multiple light modules or for tilting the photosensor, wherein the signal of the photodetector of the photosensor is evaluated according to the corresponding tilt angle taken by the light emitting diode die or the light module to emit light and / or the photosensor to receive reflected light.

56. The LiDAR device according to any one of claims 52 to 54, characterized in that - each light emitting diode die (D1D) emits a light beam as a scanning light beam having an elliptical or oval or circular beam cross section, - the emitter optical element (SLE) expands the scanning light cone into a scanning light fan, the scanning light fan being located in a light fan plane, - the scanning light fans of the scanning light beams of all LED dies (D1D) are offset relative to each other by an angular offset, the reflected radiation emanates substantially in the form of a reflected light cone from a scanning point in the space to be scanned which is illuminated by the scanning light fan, and The receiving optical element (EL) images the reflected light cone emitted from the scanning point in the space to be scanned, which is illuminated by the scanning light fan, onto the photodetector columns or photodetector rows of the photosensor.

57. The LiDAR device according to claim 56, characterized in that - the LED dies (D1D) are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photosensor (S), and Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the row of photodetectors of the photoelectric sensor (S).

58. The LiDAR device of claim 56, wherein: - the LED dies (D1D) are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector row of the photosensor (S), and Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the row of photodetectors of the photoelectric sensor (S).

59. The LiDAR device according to claim 56, characterized in that - the LED dies (D1D) are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photosensor (S), and Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photoelectric sensor (S).

60. The LiDAR device according to claim 56, characterized in that - the LED dies (D1D) are arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the LED dies being the same as the orientation of the photodetector row of the photosensor (S), and Each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, the scanning points being arranged side by side in a row, the orientation of the scanning points being identical to the orientation of the photodetector columns of the photoelectric sensor (S).

61. The LiDAR device of claim 56, wherein: the emitter optical element (SLE) has a lens with an optical axis and with a thickness, a height and a width oriented in the extension of the optical axis and with a first main side and a second main side facing away from the first main side, the optical axis passing through the first main side and the second main side, respectively, - wherein the first main side has a flat surface, wherein the second main side has a surface which is constructed as a superposition of convex elevations and concave depressions, the concave depression being arranged in the center of the width extension of the lens, - wherein the protrusion extends around an imaginary first axis located outside the lens, and the recess extends around a second axis also located outside the lens, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.

62. The LiDAR device according to claim 61, characterized in that The first axis is located in a half-space adjacent to the first main side of the lens, and the second axis is located in a half-space adjacent to the second main side of the lens.

63. The LiDAR device of claim 56, wherein: the emitter optical element (SLE) has a lens having an optical axis and having a thickness, a height and a width oriented in the extension of the optical axis and having a first main side and a second main side facing away from the first main side, the optical axis passing through the first main side and the second main side, respectively, wherein the first main side is constructed as a superposition of a flat surface and a concave first depression arranged in the center of the width extension of the lens and a curvature of the lens directed toward the second main side, the curvature being oriented toward the second main side in the regions on both sides of the first depression, wherein the second main side is designed as a superposition of a convex first elevation and a convex second elevation, the convex second elevation being arranged in the center of the width extension of the lens, - wherein the first protrusion extends around an imaginary first axis arranged outside the lens, - wherein the second protrusion extends around an imaginary second axis which is also arranged outside the lens, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis, and - wherein the first recess extends around an imaginary third axis which is also arranged outside the lens, the third axis being oriented parallel to the second axis.

64. The LiDAR device according to claim 63, characterized in that The first axis, the second axis and the third axis are located in a half space adjacent to the first main side of the lens, and the curved portion of the lens in the area on both sides of the recess on the first main side extends around a fourth axis, which extends parallel to the second axis and the third axis and is located in a second half space adjacent to the second main side.

65. The LiDAR device of claim 61, wherein: The first master side has a function of the form z=RY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |-Sign(RY)*Sqrt(RY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |+PB4*x 4 +PB6*x 6 +PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 | Defined surface, in RY=ROY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |, Sign() is the sign function of the function parameter. Sqrt() is the root of the function parameter. x represents a point along the width of the lens, y represents the point along the lens height, z represents a point along the thickness of the lens and hence along the optical axis of the lens, starting from the xy center plane of the lens, ROY is the radius of curvature of the lens, The second master side has a function of the form z=-(d+PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |) Defined surface, Where d is the lens thickness at the optical center, - where parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero, and - At least two of the parameters AR2, AR3, PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are not zero.

66. The LiDAR device according to claim 65, characterized in that - parameters AR2 and AR3 are not zero, and - At least two of the parameters PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are not zero.

67. The LiDAR device of claim 66, wherein: - parameters PB4 and PB6 are not zero, and - At least one of the parameters PC2 and PC3 is non-zero.

68. The LiDAR device according to claim 67, characterized in that Both parameters PC2 and PC3 are non-zero.

69. Use of the optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 29, the optical module device according to any one of claims 30 to 32, or the LiDAR device according to any one of claims 33 to 68, the use comprising: - detecting an object in the environment of a stationary or mobile platform or in a sub-area of ​​the environment of a stationary or mobile platform, or - detecting objects in the automation of manufacturing processes, or - non-invasive imaging of living organisms and / or biological organs of living things, or - the study of biological tissues, or - create a 3D range image of the object in the detection space, and / or -Monitor the building's environment.

70. The use according to claim 69, characterized in that The mobile platform is an autonomous mobile platform.

71. The use according to claim 70, characterized in that The autonomous mobile platform is a robot.

72. The use according to claim 69, characterized in that The platform is a stationary or moving vehicle.

73. The use according to claim 72, characterized in that The traveling vehicle is an autonomously traveling vehicle.

74. The use according to claim 69, characterized in that The mobile platform is a water, land or air vehicle used to transport people or goods.

75. An integrated circuit for switching current, the integrated circuit being used in the optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 29, the optical module device according to any one of claims 30 to 32, or the LiDAR device according to any one of claims 33 to 68, the integrated circuit comprising - Bare chips, a voltage-controlled integral transistor implemented in the die using analog circuit technology, having an integral control connection and an integral conduction path for conducting a current through the integral conduction path and for blocking the current, - wherein the integral control connection extends over the integral surface of the control connection of the die, - a driver circuit implemented in the die using digital circuit technology, for controlling the integral control connection of the integral transistor to turn on and off current, each of the individual transistors has an individual control connection and the individual control connections of the individual transistors extend in each case over an individual control connection surface of the die, the individual control connection surfaces being of equal size or uniformly distributed over the control connection surface of the overall transistor, - wherein the driver circuit has a plurality of single driver circuits, each single driver circuit having one input terminal and u output terminals, where u is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2, and the single driver circuits are hierarchically divided into different stages, where the output terminal of the single transistor circuit of the i-th stage is connected to the input terminals of the u single driver circuits of the (i+l)-th stage, where i is equal to 1 to v, and v is a natural integer greater than or equal to 2, - wherein the arrangement of the single driver circuit of the i-th stage and the single driver circuit of the (1+1)-th stage forms a self-similar structure, the input terminal of the single driver circuit of the (i+1)-th stage is connected to the output terminal of the single driver circuit of the i-th stage, - where the area of ​​the self-similar structure of level i is greater than the area of ​​the self-similar structure of level (i+1), and the self-similar structure of level i+1 is nested with the self-similar structure of level i that generates it, and - wherein the output of the individual driver circuits of the vth stage is connected to the control connection of the individual transistor in a single area.

76. The integrated circuit according to claim 75, characterized in that Each single driver circuit has an input terminal and four output terminals, and each single driver circuit of the i-th level and the four single driver circuits of the i+1-th level, together with the electrical connection between the four output terminals of the single driver circuit of the i-th level and the input terminals of the four single driver circuits of the (i+l)-th level, form an H-type structure, wherein the single driver circuit of the i+1-th level is arranged at the four ends of the H-type structure, and the single driver circuit of the i-th level is arranged at the center between the four ends, and the H-type structure has the same orientation for different levels.

77. The integrated circuit according to claim 75, characterized in that Each single driver circuit has an input terminal and two output terminals, and each single driver circuit of the i-th level is arranged in the center between the two single driver circuits of the (i+1)-th level, and together with the electrical connection between the two output terminals of the single driver circuit of the i-th level and the input terminals of the two single driver circuits of the (i+l)-th level, a straight line structure is formed, and these self-similar structures are rotated 90° with respect to each other for different levels.

78. An integrated circuit according to any one of claims 75 to 77, characterized in that The single driver circuit is designed as an inverter circuit and the single transistor is designed as a power transistor.

79. The integrated circuit according to claim 78, characterized in that The power transistor is a MOSFET.

80. An optical unit for a LiDAR device, - wherein the LiDAR device has - a light module according to one of claims 1 to 29 or a light module arrangement according to one of claims 30 to 32, - wherein each light emitting diode die (D1D) emits a light beam having an elliptical or circular cross-section, - wherein each beam has a beam axis, - wherein the beam axes lie substantially in a common beam axis plane and the beam axis plane defines the optical axis, - a lens arranged on the optical axis of the beam axis plane, said lens expanding each beam in a direction perpendicular to the laser beam axis plane, thereby obtaining a light fan for each beam in a light fan plane perpendicular to the beam axis plane, - a photosensor (S) having a photodetector array having a plurality of photodetector rows, each photodetector row having a plurality of photodetector pixels, and - imaging optics for real optical imaging of the scene illuminated by the light fan onto said optoelectronic sensor (S), - wherein the imaging optical device images the projection of the beam fan in the far field onto an ideally uniformly white and / or substantially ideally diffusely uniformly and uniformly reflecting projection plane onto the photoelectric sensor (S) as a projection image of the scene in the form of a projection image of the beam fan, the projection plane being perpendicular to the optical axis of the beam axis plane, -in - the lens is formed so that the illumination intensity value of a first segment of the image formed by the projection of a first light beam fan on a first photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photosensor (S) differs from the illumination intensity value of a second segment of the image formed by the projection of the first light beam fan on a second photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photosensor (S) different from the first photodetector pixel, or differs from the illumination intensity value of a second segment of the image formed by the projection of the second light beam fan on a second photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photosensor (S) different from the first photodetector pixel by no more than 10%, or differs from the illumination intensity value of a second segment of the image formed by the projection of the second light beam fan on a second photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photosensor (S) different from the first photodetector pixel by no more than 2%, - the lens has a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface, The first surface is composed of a function of the following form z=RY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |-Sign(RY)*Sqrt(RY 2 -y 2 )+PB2*x 2 +PB3*|x 3 |+PB4*x 4 +PB6*x 6 +PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |Definition, in RY=ROY+AR2*x 2 +AR3*|x 3 |, Sign() is the sign function of the function parameter. Sqrt() is the root of the function parameter. x represents a point along the width of the lens, y represents the point along the lens height, z represents a point along the thickness of the lens and hence along the optical axis of the lens, starting from the xy center plane of the lens, ROY is the radius of curvature of the lens, The second surface is composed of functions of the following form z=-(d+PC2*x 2 +PC3*|x 3 |) definition, Where d is the lens thickness at the optical center, - where parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero, and - At least two of the parameters AR2, AR3, PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are not zero.

81. The optical unit according to claim 80, characterized in that - parameters AR2 and AR3 are not zero, and - At least two of the parameters PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are not zero.

82. The optical unit according to claim 81, characterized in that - parameters PB4 and PB6 are not zero, and - At least one of the parameters PC2 and PC3 is non-zero.

83. The optical unit according to claim 82, characterized in that Parameters PC2 and PC3 are non-zero.

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