Light beam steering device and electronic apparatus including same

Abstract

There is provided a beam steering device including: a phase change material layer; a metal layer on the phase change material layer; the grid structure is arranged between the phase change material layer and the metal layer; and a power source connected to the metal layer and configured to supply a current to the metal layer, in which the grid structure is configured to output light traveling in the phase change material layer.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 602,488 filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on November 24, 2023, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0045568 filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on April 3, 2024, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a light beam steering device including a phase change material layer and an electronic device including the light beam steering device. Background Art

[0004] Multifunctional advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) have been commercialized. For example, the number of vehicles equipped with functions such as adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems that recognize the position and speed of other vehicles, reduce the speed if there is a risk of collision, and drive the vehicle within a set speed range if there is no risk of collision, and autonomous emergency braking systems (AEB) that recognize the vehicle ahead and automatically apply the brakes if there is a risk of collision but the driver does not respond or does not respond in an appropriate manner are increasing. In addition, vehicles capable of autonomous driving are expected to be commercialized in the near future.

[0005] Therefore, interest in optical measuring devices that can provide information about the surrounding environment of a vehicle is increasing. For example, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) for a vehicle can provide information about the distance, relative speed, azimuth, etc. relative to objects around the vehicle by emitting laser light to a selected area around the vehicle and detecting the reflected laser light. To this end, the LiDAR for a vehicle includes a beam steering device for scanning with light over a desired area.

[0006] Beam steering devices can be roughly divided into mechanical beam steering devices and non-mechanical beam steering devices. For example, mechanical beam steering devices may include various devices that rotate light sources, rotate mirrors that reflect light, move spherical lenses in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, etc. In addition, non-mechanical beam steering devices may include various devices that use semiconductor devices, use reflective phased arrays to electrically control the angle of reflected light, etc. Summary of the invention

[0007] One or more example embodiments provide a light beam steering device including a phase change material layer.

[0008] One or more example embodiments also provide an electronic device including a light beam steering device having a phase change material layer.

[0009] Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of one or more example embodiments.

[0010] According to one aspect of one or more example embodiments, there is provided a light beam steering device, comprising: a phase change material layer; a metal layer on the phase change material layer; a grid structure between the phase change material layer and the metal layer; and a power source connected to the metal layer and configured to supply current to the metal layer, wherein the grid structure is configured to output light traveling in the phase change material layer.

[0011] The beam steering device may further include a waveguide region and a light exit region having a grid structure.

[0012] The width of the waveguide region may be in the range of 10 μm to 50 μm, and the width of the light exit region may be in the range of 5 μm to 50 μm.

[0013] The grid structure may be on the surface of the phase change material layer.

[0014] The phase change material layer may include antimony triselenide (Sb 2 Se 3 ) or antimony trisulfide (Sb 2 S 3 ).

[0015] The metal layer may include gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), or copper (Cu).

[0016] The beam steering device may further include a dielectric layer between the phase change material layer and the metal layer, wherein the mesh structure is between the dielectric layer and the metal layer.

[0017] The dielectric layer may include silicon oxide (SiO 2 )、Alumina(Al 2 O 3 )、ZnO、TiO 2 ) or silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ).

[0018] The refractive index of the dielectric layer may be smaller than the refractive index of the phase change material layer in the amorphous state.

[0019] A difference between a refractive index of the phase change material layer and a refractive index of the dielectric layer may be greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 5.

[0020] The thickness of the phase change material layer may be in the range of 40 nm to 100 nm.

[0021] The thickness of the metal layer may be in the range of 10 nm to 1000 nm.

[0022] The beam steering device may further include a metal substrate on the phase change material layer opposite the metal layer.

[0023] According to another aspect of one or more example embodiments, there is provided an electronic device comprising: a light source configured to emit light; a beam steering device configured to adjust a direction of light emitted from the light source to an object; a photodetector configured to detect light reflected from the object; and at least one processor configured to control the beam steering device, wherein the beam steering device comprises: a phase change material layer; a metal layer on the phase change material layer; a grid structure between the phase change material layer and the metal layer; and a power source connected to the metal layer and configured to supply current to the metal layer, and wherein the grid structure is configured to output light traveling in the phase change material layer.

[0024] The beam steering device may further include a waveguide region and a light exit region having a grid structure.

[0025] The width of the waveguide region may be in the range of 10 μm to 50 μm, and the width of the light exit region may be in the range of 5 μm to 50 μm.

[0026] The grid structure may be on the surface of the phase change material layer.

[0027] The phase change material layer may include antimony triselenide (Sb 2 Se 3 ) or antimony trisulfide (Sb 2 S 3 ).

[0028] The beam steering device may further include a dielectric layer between the phase change material layer and the metal layer, wherein the mesh structure is between the dielectric layer and the metal layer.

[0029] The beam steering device may further include a metal substrate, which may be on the phase change material layer opposite the metal layer.

[0030] According to another aspect of one or more example embodiments, there is provided a beam steering device, comprising: a phase change material layer; a metal layer on the phase change material layer; a first dielectric layer between the phase change material layer and the metal layer; a grid structure between the first dielectric layer and the metal layer; a second dielectric layer on the phase change material layer opposite to the first dielectric layer; and a power source connected to the metal layer and configured to supply current to the metal layer, wherein the grid structure is configured to output light traveling in the phase change material layer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] These and / or other aspects will become clear and more easily understood from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments;

[0033] Figure 2 shows the addition of waveguide area to Figure 1 Examples of beam steering devices;

[0034] Figure 3 is a graph showing changes in wavelength and reflectivity of light according to a light output angle when a phase change material layer of a light beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments is in an amorphous state;

[0035] Figure 4 is a graph showing changes in wavelength and reflectivity of light according to a light output angle when a phase change material layer of a light beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments is in a crystalline state;

[0036] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a beam steering device according to one or more other example embodiments;

[0037] Figure 6 Shows Figure 5 The beam steering device also includes examples of dielectric substrates;

[0038] Fig. 7A is a graph showing the refractive index according to the wavelength of light for a phase change material layer in an amorphous state in a vacuum;

[0039] Figure 7B is a graph showing the refractive index according to the wavelength of light for a phase change material layer in an intermediate state between an amorphous state and a crystalline state in a vacuum;

[0040] Figure 7C is a graph showing the refractive index according to the wavelength of light for a phase change material layer in a crystalline state in a vacuum;

[0041] Fig. 8A is a graph showing the refractive index according to the wavelength of light for a phase change material layer in an amorphous state in air;

[0042] Figure 8B is a graph showing the refractive index according to the wavelength of light for a phase change material layer in an intermediate state between an amorphous state and a crystalline state in air;

[0043] Figure 8Cis a graph showing the refractive index according to the wavelength of light for a phase change material layer in a crystalline state in air;

[0044] Fig. 9 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a light beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments. out / P in ) according to the change of wavelength of light;

[0045] Fig.10 is a graph showing a change in reflectivity of a beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments as a function of input / output angle;

[0046] Fig.11 is a graph showing a change in reflectivity of a light beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments according to a light output angle for cases where a crystalline state ratio is 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%;

[0047] Fig.12 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic device according to one or more example embodiments;

[0048] Fig.13 and Fig.14 is a conceptual diagram showing a case where a LiDAR apparatus according to one or more example embodiments is applied to a vehicle;

[0049] Fig.15 is a schematic block diagram of a configuration of an electronic device according to one or more example embodiments;

[0050] Fig.16 Is set in Fig.15 A schematic block diagram of a configuration of a camera module in an electronic device;

[0051] Fig.17 Is set in Fig.15 A schematic block diagram of a configuration of a three-dimensional (3D) sensor in an electronic device;

[0052] Fig.18 is a schematic block diagram of a configuration of an electronic device according to one or more other example embodiments; and

[0053] Fig.19 Is set in Fig.18 A schematic block diagram of the configuration of an eye tracking sensor in an electronic device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] Now with reference to embodiment in detail, examples of embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference numerals throughout the accompanying drawings refer to similar elements. In this regard, embodiments may have different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the description set forth herein. Therefore, embodiments are described below only by reference to the accompanying drawings to illustrate various aspects. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the items listed in association. Statements such as "at least one of..." modify the entire element list when following the list of elements, rather than modifying the individual elements in the list. For example, the statement "at least one of a, b, and c" should be understood to include only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, or all of a, b, and c.

[0055] Hereinafter, a beam steering device and an electronic device having the beam steering device according to various embodiments are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals represent similar elements, and the sizes of the components in the accompanying drawings may be exaggerated for ease of description and for clarity. Terms such as "first" and "second" are used herein only to describe various constituent elements, but the constituent elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used for the purpose of distinguishing one constituent element from another constituent element.

[0056] As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to also include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In addition, unless otherwise specified, when a component can "include" a certain constituent element, it should not be interpreted as excluding another constituent element, but can be interpreted as also including other constituent elements. In addition, for the sake of clarity, the size or thickness of each constituent element shown in the drawings may be exaggerated. In addition, when a material layer is described as being present on another layer, the material layer may be directly present on the other layer, or a third layer may be between them. Since the materials forming each layer in the following embodiments are exemplary, other materials may be used for it.

[0057] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a beam steering device 100 according to one or more example embodiments.

[0058] The light beam steering device 100 may include a phase change material layer 110 , a metal layer 120 disposed above the phase change material layer 110 , and a mesh structure 117 disposed between the phase change material layer 110 and the metal layer 120 .

[0059] The phase change material layer 110 may include a material having a phase that changes according to temperature. When heated to a crystallization temperature, the phase change material layer 110 may have a crystalline phase, and when heated to a melting point and then rapidly cooled, the phase change material layer 110 may have an amorphous phase. According to heating time, heating temperature, etc., the phase change material layer 110 may have an amorphous phase, a crystalline phase, and a phase in an intermediate state between the amorphous phase and the crystalline phase. The refractive index of the phase change material layer 110 may change with the change of the phase of the phase change material layer 110. For example, the phase change material layer 110 may have different refractive indices according to the amorphous phase ratio or the crystalline phase ratio.

[0060] The phase change material layer 110 may include, for example, antimony triselenide (Sb 2 Se 3 ) and antimony trisulfide (Sb 2 S 3 ). The phase change material layer 110 may include GST containing germanium (Ge), antimony (Sb), and tellurium (Te). For example, the phase change material layer 110 may include germanium antimony telluride (Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 and Ge 3 Sb 2 Te 6 ) at least one of the following.

[0061] A power supply 125 for supplying current may be connected to the metal layer 120. The metal layer 120 may operate as an electrode and simultaneously operate as a heater for applying heat to the phase change material layer 110. According to the voltage applied to the metal layer 120, the temperature of the metal layer 120 may change, and the temperature of the phase change material layer 110 may change. Therefore, the refractive index of the phase change material layer 110 may change. The metal layer 120 may include at least one of gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), and copper (Cu). However, the metal layer 120 is not limited thereto, and may include various low-loss metals with low light absorption. The metal layer 120 may include a semi-infinite metal. The thickness of the metal layer 120 may have a range of 10nm to 1000nm.

[0062] The grid structure 117 may be disposed between the phase change material layer 110 and the metal layer 120. The grid structure 117 may be disposed directly on the phase change material layer 110. In addition, the grid structure 117 may be disposed on the entire surface of the phase change material layer 110. The region where the grid structure 117 is disposed may include the light exit region 115. The grid structure 117 may have a nanometer size of nanometer scale. For example, the thickness d of the grid structure 117 may be 10nm to 30nm, the spacing T may be 250nm to 500nm, and the width W may have a value of 10% to 90% of the spacing T. The grid structure 117 may have a size smaller than the wavelength of the light L output from the light source 105. The size of the grid structure 117 may be at least one of the thickness d, the width W, and the spacing T of the grid structure 117. The grid structure 117 may perform the operation of an output coupler that outputs light propagating along the phase change material layer 110 to the outside of the phase change material layer 110. The grid structure 117 may operate as a leaky surface plasmon metasurface or a leaky wave antenna. Leaky-wave antennas can have wide bandwidth, wide directivity, and relatively high radiation efficiency.

[0063] The grid structure 117 may have, for example, a stripe pattern structure or a matrix pattern structure. The grid structure 117 may have a uniform thickness and a uniform spacing along the phase change material layer 110. However, the grid structure 117 is not limited thereto, and, for example, in order to reduce the divergence of the output light beam, the thickness, width or spacing of the grid structure 117 may be adjusted differently.

[0064] The light source 105 may include a laser diode (LD) or a light emitting diode (LED) that emits visible light or near infrared light in a wavelength band of about 800 nm to about 1500 nm. The light source 105 may emit a laser beam having a wavelength of, for example, about 900 nm to 1000 nm. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0065] The light L emitted from the light source 105 may be directly incident on the phase change material layer 110 without intervention of other devices. The light source 105 may be arranged adjacent to the side surface of the phase change material layer 110. The light L emitted from the light source 105 may propagate in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the phase change material layer 110 and be incident on the phase change material layer 110. According to one or more example embodiments, the light L may not be incident on the beam steering device 100 in a direction inclined relative to the beam steering device 100, but may be incident on the beam steering device 100 in a direction parallel to the phase change material layer 110 in a lateral direction of the beam steering device 100. The light L may propagate along the inside of the phase change material layer 110. When a voltage or current is applied to the metal layer 120, as the temperature of the metal layer 120 changes, the temperature of the phase change material layer 110 changes, so that the refractive index of the phase change material layer 110 may change. The light L is guided and propagated by the phase change material layer 110, and is reflected by the grid structure 117 to be output to the outside of the beam steering device 100. The light wave can be released to the outside of the beam steering device 100 by the grating vector added by the grid structure 117. The grid structure 117 can define the effective refractive index n of the waveguide mode. eff In addition, by adding grating vectors, the grid structure 117 can couple the light to the outside of the beam steering device 100 and adjust the coupling degree. eff and the pitch T of the mesh structure 117 determine the angle θ at which light is emitted into free space (refractive index = 1), and satisfy the following Formula 1.

[0066] sinθ=n eff +mλ / T (m is an integer) <Formula 1>

[0067] Here, λ is the wavelength of the light L, and m is an integer which allows the value of sinθ to be within the range of ±1.

[0068] The effective refractive index n of the waveguide mode eff The grating vector increases as the pitch T decreases. The coupling degree decreases as the groove depth d of the grid decreases. When the coupling degree decreases, the length of the light exit region 115 required for coupling increases, and the beam divergence decreases.

[0069] Output direction of light L θ out The direction of light output from the beam steering device 100 can be controlled by the refractive index of the phase change material layer 110. The output direction of light θ out The angle θ may be indicated by the angle θ between the axis (Y axis) perpendicular to the phase change material layer 110 and the direction of the light. The angle θ may indicate the input angle θ of the light. in / Output angle θ out, or beam steering angle. The angle θ may have a range of -20° to +20°.

[0070] As described above, the light beam steering device 100 according to one or more example embodiments may electrically control the light exit angle when light guided in the phase change material layer 110 exits as a collimated light beam to a free space. Figure 2 and Figure 1 The difference is that the beam steering device 100A includes a waveguide region 112 and a light exit region 115 .

[0071] With Figure 1 Similar elements with the same reference numerals in the beam steering device 100 are substantially the same elements, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0072] The light beam steering device 100A may include a waveguide region 112 without a grid structure and a light exit region 115 with a grid structure 117. In the waveguide region 112, the phase change material layer 110 may have a flat structure without a grid structure from a side surface of the phase change material layer 110 to a certain distance where the light L output from the light source 105 is incident. In the light exit region 115, the grid structure 117 may be provided in the phase change material layer 110.

[0073] In the waveguide region 112, the light L may propagate through total internal reflection inside the phase change material layer 110. In the light exit region 115, while propagating through the phase change material layer 110, the light L may be output to the outside of the phase change material layer 110 by the mesh structure 117. The width W2 of the waveguide region 112 may have a range of 10 μm to 50 μm. The width W3 of the light exit region 115 may have a range of 5 μm to 50 μm.

[0074] In the related beam steering device, both the incident light and the outgoing light propagate into the free space, and in order to provide different light phases according to the position, the direction of the light is controlled by synthesizing the light phase changes caused by multiple light modulators. Therefore, since a voltage corresponding to each of the multiple light modulators is applied, the electrode structure may be complicated. In contrast, the beam steering device 100A according to one or more example embodiments is formed by a single module, and can cooperate with the refractive index change and the grid structure of the phase change material layer 110 to control the direction of the light. For example, the beam steering device 100A is not provided for each of a plurality of unit pixels, and the direction of the light is not controlled by electrically controlling each of the plurality of unit pixels, but has only one power supply connected to the metal layer 120, and can control the propagation direction of the output light according to the refractive index change of the phase change material layer 110. Therefore, the beam steering device 100A according to one or more example embodiments can have a simpler electrode structure.

[0075] Since Joule heat is generated by supplying electric current to the metal layer 120, the phase change material layer 110 can be changed from an amorphous state to a crystalline state. The refractive index of the phase change material layer 110 can be indicated by a complex refractive index having a real part and an imaginary part. The imaginary part of the complex refractive index can represent energy loss, and the real part of the complex refractive index can be defined by the ratio of the phase velocity in the free space to the phase velocity in the medium, and can represent the effective refractive index of the phase change material layer 110 in the waveguide mode. The phase change material layer 110 can include a material having a smaller imaginary part of the refractive index and a larger range of variation of the real part of the refractive index in the corresponding operating band. When the phase change material layer 110 changes from an amorphous state to a crystalline state, the effective refractive index of the phase change material layer 110 can increase.

[0076] Figure 3 and Figure 4 The results of reflectivity simulation are shown to obtain the Sb 2 S 3 The phase change material layer is changed from amorphous (a-Sb 2 S 3 ) state changes to a crystalline (c-Sb 2 S 3 ) is the input / output angle θ of light in the state.

[0077] exist Figure 3 and Figure 4 In the graph shown, the horizontal axis represents the input / output angle θ of light, the left vertical axis represents the wavelength of light, and the right vertical axis represents the reflectivity. Figure 3 The wavelength and reflectivity of the beam steering device 100A with respect to the input / output angle θ of light according to one or more example embodiments are shown. The input / output angle θ of light shows an angle at which the reflectivity according to the wavelength and incident angle of light becomes minimum. Light traveling in a corresponding waveguide mode may be coupled into an outgoing light wave in the light exit region 115 and emitted. The minimum reflection angle may indicate an input / output angle in a waveguide mode. A waveguide mode may refer to an intrinsic state in which a light wave passing through a grid maintains a waveform while traveling in the +x direction, and the waveguide mode has a speed compared to the speed of light in a vacuum due to the effective refractive index n. eff The input / output angle θ is the effective refractive index n in free space and in the waveguide mode. eff The corresponding angle satisfies the following formula 2.

[0078] θ = sin -1 (n eff -λ / T×m)<Formula 2>

[0079] Here, m is an integer.

[0080] When the external input light is coupled into the waveguide mode, the reflectivity of the external light becomes minimum, and the angle in this state is called the minimum reflection angle. According to the reciprocity principle, the minimum reflection angle is the same as the input / output angle.

[0081] The angle at which the reflectivity according to each wavelength becomes minimum indicates that the incident light wave is coupled into the waveguide mode and dissipated. The angle at which the reflectivity according to each wavelength becomes minimum may indicate that the incident light wave traveling in the waveguide mode is coupled into the outgoing light wave and emitted. For example, the minimum reflection angle may refer to the input / output angle in the waveguide mode. Figure 3 The input / output angle of light relative to the wavelength of light when the phase change material layer 110 is in the amorphous state is shown. Figure 4 1 shows the input / output angle of light relative to the wavelength of light when the phase change material layer 110 is in a crystalline state. Figure 3 In the amorphous state, the input / output angle (minimum reflection angle) can be about 35° for light with a wavelength of 1050 nm, and Figure 4 As shown, when the phase change material layer 110 changes to a crystalline state, the input / output angle may change to about 10°. The beam steering device 100 (100A) may have a beam steering angle ranging from -20° to +20°, for example.

[0082] Therefore, the light beam steering device 100 ( 100A) according to one or more example embodiments may adjust the output angle of light according to the refractive index change of the phase change material layer 110 and the grid structure 117 .

[0083] Figure 5 A beam steering device 200 is shown according to one or more other example embodiments.

[0084] The beam steering device 200 may include a phase change material layer 210 , a dielectric layer 220 on the phase change material layer 210 , and a metal layer 230 on the dielectric layer 220 .

[0085] The phase-change material layer 210 may have a planar structure including a planar (flat) surface. The phase-change material layer 210 may include, for example, Sb 2 Se 3 and Sb 2 S 3 At least one of the following. The phase change material layer 210 may include GST containing Ge, Sb, and Te. For example, the phase change material layer 210 may include Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 and Ge 3 Sb 2 Te 6 At least one of .

[0086] The dielectric layer 220 may include, for example, silicon oxide (SiO2 )、Alumina(Al 2 O 3 )、ZnO、TiO 2 ) or silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ). The dielectric layer 220 may include a grid structure 227 on a boundary surface with the metal layer 230. The grid structure 227 may be provided on the entire boundary surface between the dielectric layer 220 and the metal layer 230. However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and for example, the grid structure 227 may be provided on a portion of the boundary surface between the dielectric layer 220 and the metal layer 230. The beam steering device 200 may include a waveguide region 222 without a grid structure and a light exit region 225 with a grid structure 227. Although Figure 5 The light beam steering device 200 is shown to include a waveguide region 222 and a light exit region 225 , but the light beam steering device 200 may include the light exit region 225 without the waveguide region 222 .

[0087] The refractive index of the phase change material layer 210 may be greater than the refractive index of the dielectric layer 220. The refractive index of the dielectric layer 220 may be less than the refractive index of the phase change material layer 210 in an amorphous state. Since the refractive index of the phase change material layer 210 is greater than the refractive index of the dielectric layer 220, the light wave can be focused on the phase change material layer 210 of a relatively high refractive index material and propagate. The refractive index difference Δ between the dielectric layer 220 and the phase change material layer 210 may have a range of 0.5≤Δ≤5. As the refractive index difference Δ between the phase change material layer 210 and the dielectric layer 220 increases, the optical loss rate may be reduced, and the focusing of the light passing through the phase change material layer 210 may be increased. The dielectric layer 220 may cause the coupling to occur relatively slowly, which may increase the distance or area over which the light is emitted in the waveguide mode. As a result, the beam divergence may be reduced, so that the resolution may be increased.

[0088] The metal layer 230 may operate as an electrode and may also operate as a heater for applying heat to the phase change material layer 210. The metal layer 230 may include at least one of gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), and copper (Cu).

[0089] The thickness of the dielectric layer 220 may be in the range of 20 nm to 40 nm, and the thickness of the phase change material layer 210 may be in the range of 40 nm to 100 nm. For example, the dielectric layer 220 may be SiO2 with a thickness of 20 nm. 2 layer, and the phase change material layer 210 may be Sb having a thickness of 40 nm. 2 Se 3 layer.

[0090] then, Figure 6 Shown in Figure 5 The beam steering device 200 further includes a beam steering device 200A having a metal substrate 240 .

[0091] The beam steering device 200A may include a metal substrate 240 below the phase change material layer 210. The metal substrate 240 may include a material that is the same as or different from the material of the metal layer 230. The metal substrate 240 may include at least one of Au, Ag, Al, W, and Cu. The metal substrate 240 may operate as an electrode, a heater, and a coupler. The metal substrate 240 may operate as an electrode so as to operate as a path through which current flows. In addition, the metal substrate 240 may operate as a heater that generates Joule heat as current flows therein so as to change the phase of an adjacent phase change material. In addition, the metal substrate 240 may operate as a coupler that outputs light to free space in a waveguide mode through a grid structure 227 formed as an array of ridges and grooves.

[0092] To illustrate the operation of the beam steering device, the following describes the operation of the phase change material layer 210 formed as Sb 2 Se 3 The refractive index changes when the layer is

[0093] Fig. 7A , Figure 7B and Figure 7C is a graph showing the Sb in vacuum 2 Se 3 A graph of the real and imaginary parts of the complex refractive index of the phase change material layer 210. In the graph, n represents the real part of the refractive index, and k represents the imaginary part of the refractive index. The real part of the refractive index represents the effective refractive index, and the imaginary part of the refractive index represents the energy loss. Therefore, the smaller the imaginary part of the refractive index, the less energy loss can be obtained. Fig. 7A Shows Sb 2 Se 3 The refractive index change of the phase change material layer 210 according to the wavelength before annealing, Figure 7B Shows Sb 2 Se 3 The refractive index of the phase change material layer 210 changes according to the wavelength when heated to 200°C, and Figure 7C Shows Sb 2 Se 3 The phase change material layer 210 changes its refractive index according to wavelength when heated to 350°C. Fig. 7A Shows Sb 2 Se 3 The phase change material layer 210 is in an amorphous state. Figure 7B Shows Sb 2 Se3 The phase change material layer 210 is in an intermediate state between an amorphous state and a crystalline state, and Figure 7C Shows Sb 2 Se 3 The phase change material layer 210 is in a crystalline state.

[0094] Here, Sb 2 Se 3 The thickness of the phase change material layer 210 is 60 nm, and the dielectric layer 220 is SiO with a thickness of 5 nm. 2 Layer. Fig. 7A As shown, when Sb 2 Se 3 When the phase change material layer 210 is in an amorphous state, the imaginary part of the refractive index is relatively very low (about 10 -5 or smaller), and if Figure 7B and Figure 7C As shown, when Sb 2 Se 3 When the phase change material layer 210 is in the intermediate state and the crystalline state, the imaginary part of the refractive index remains very low (about 0.147). Fig. 7A , Figure 7B and Figure 7C , the real part of the refractive index in the 940 nm band is n10, n20, and n30, and the difference between n10 and n30 (eg, the variation width of the real part of the refractive index) is about 0.9, indicating that the refractive index variation width is wide.

[0095] Fig. 8A , Figure 8B and Figure 8C The Sb in air 2 Se 3 The real part and the imaginary part of the complex refractive index of the phase change material layer 210. Fig. 8A Shows Sb 2 Se 3 The refractive index change of the phase change material layer 210 according to the wavelength before annealing, Figure 8B Shows Sb 2 Se 3 The phase change material layer 210 is heated to 200°C, and Figure 8C Shows Sb 2 Se 3 The phase change material layer 210 is at 350°C. Fig. 8A , Figure 8B and Figure 8C, the real part of the refractive index in the 940nm band is n11, n21 and n31, and the difference between n11 and n31 (ie, the variation width of the real part of the refractive index in air) is greater than or equal to about 0.9 or more, indicating that the refractive index variation width is relatively large.

[0096] The phase-change material layer may include a phase-change material having a relatively low imaginary part of a refractive index, a relatively high real part of a refractive index, and a relatively large refractive index change width according to temperature.

[0097] Fig. 9 The intermediate state between the amorphous state and the crystalline state is shown, where the horizontal axis represents the wavelength of light and the vertical axis represents the optical efficiency, for example, the output light intensity P out With the input light intensity P in The ratio of out / P in ) remains at about 35% or greater.

[0098] Fig.10 The horizontal axis represents the input / output angle θ, and the left vertical axis represents the output light intensity P out , and the right vertical axis represents a graph of reflectivity. A is an output light intensity graph, and B is a reflectivity graph. Fig.10 It is shown that the angle at which the reflectivity becomes minimum substantially coincides with the angle at which the output light intensity becomes maximum. Fig.11 The change of light reflectivity with respect to the input / output angle θ for each case when the ratio of the crystalline state changes from 0% (i.e., completely amorphous state) to 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% (i.e., completely crystalline state) is shown. When the ratio of the crystalline state is 0%, it is assumed that the input / output angle at which the reflectivity becomes the minimum is θ5, when the ratio of the crystalline state is 25%, it is assumed that the input / output angle at which the reflectivity becomes the minimum is θ4, when the ratio of the crystalline state is 50%, it is assumed that the input / output angle at which the reflectivity becomes the minimum is θ3, when the ratio of the crystalline state is 75%, it is assumed that the input / output angle at which the reflectivity becomes the minimum is θ2, and when the ratio of the crystalline state is 100%, it is assumed that the input / output angle at which the reflectivity becomes the minimum is θ1, and there is a relationship such that θ5>θ4>θ3>θ2>θ1. The larger the ratio of the crystalline state of the phase change material layer, the smaller the input / output angle. Therefore, the input / output angle can be controlled according to the ratio of the crystalline state in the phase change material layer. The light output angle can be controlled within the range of -20° to +20°.

[0099] In a beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments, since light is directly input to the side surface of the phase change material layer, there is no need for an additional device that is required when light is obliquely input to the front surface of the beam steering device, and the beam steering device can be miniaturized. In a beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments, since light traveling inside the phase change material layer is output when incident on the grid structure, and the input / output angle of the light is controlled according to the refractive index change of the phase change material layer, there is no need to arrange multiple light modulators as in the case of steering light using phase modulation of light. Therefore, in a beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments, since a single phase change material layer is provided and a single electrode pair for applying current to the phase change material layer is provided, the electrode and electrode wiring structure can be further simplified.

[0100] The beam steering device may be applied to various fields, for example, LiDAR equipment, a three-dimensional (3D) depth camera that obtains distance information for each direction, etc. The beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments described above may be used in vehicles, smart phones, etc. to increase sensing accuracy.

[0101] In addition to LiDAR for vehicles, the beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments can also be used for the following: LiDAR for robots, LiDAR for drones, intruder detection systems for security, subway screen door obstacle detection systems, depth sensors, sensors for user face recognition on mobile phones, augmented reality (AR), operation recognition and object analysis in televisions or entertainment devices, etc.

[0102] For example, Fig.12 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic device 1000 according to one or more example embodiments.

[0103] refer to Fig.12 According to one or more example embodiments, the electronic device 1000 may include a light source 1110 that emits light, a beam steering device 1100 that adjusts a direction of light output from the light source 1110, a photodetector 1120 that detects light emitted from the beam steering device 1100 and reflected from an object, and a controller 1130 that controls the beam steering device 1100.

[0104] The light source 1110 may include, for example, a laser diode (LD) or a light emitting diode (LED) emitting visible light or near infrared light in a wavelength band of about 800 nm to about 1500 nm. The light source 1110 may emit, for example, a laser beam having a wavelength in a range of 900 nm to 1000 nm.

[0105] The beam steering device 1100 may include a reference Figures 1 to 11The beam steering device 1100 can adjust the traveling direction of the light beam by changing the refractive index of the phase change material layer via at least one of input voltage, current, heat, temperature and magnetic field. Fig.12 An example is shown in which the light source 1110 is provided separately from the light beam steering device 1100, but the light source 1110 may be provided inside the light beam steering device 1100. The light emitted from the light source 1110 is not incident on the light beam steering device 1100 obliquely, but is incident on the light beam steering device 1100 in a direction parallel to the light beam steering device 1100. For example, the light may be directly incident on the phase change material layer ( Figure 1 On the side surface of 110).

[0106] The controller 1130 may control the operations of the beam steering device 1100, the light source 1110, and the photodetector 1120. For example, the controller 1130 may control the on / off operations of the light source 1110 and the photodetector 1120, and the beam scanning operation of the beam steering device 1100. In addition, the controller 1130 may calculate (obtain) information related to the object based on the measurement result of the photodetector 1120.

[0107] The electronic device 1000 may periodically emit light to various nearby areas by using the beam steering device 1100 to obtain information related to objects located at a plurality of nearby locations.

[0108] The controller 1130 may include an operation part that obtains and operates data, and a driving part that drives the beam steering device 1100. In addition, the controller 1130 may also include a power supply, a memory, and the like.

[0109] The beam steering device according to one or more of the above-described example embodiments can be applied to various electronic devices. As an example, the beam steering device according to one or more of the example embodiments can be applied to a LiDAR device. The LiDAR device can be a phase-shift type device or a time-of-flight (TOF) type device. The LiDAR device can be applied to autonomous vehicles, flying objects (e.g., drones, etc.), mobile devices, small walking devices (e.g., bicycles, motorcycles, strollers, skateboards, etc.), robots, auxiliary devices for humans / animals (e.g., canes, helmets, accessories, clothes, watches, bags, etc.), Internet of Things (IoT) devices / systems, safety devices / systems, etc.

[0110] Fig.13 and Fig.14 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a case where a LiDAR apparatus 1600 including a beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments is applied to a vehicle 1500 . Fig.13 is a side view, and Fig.14 It is a top view.

[0111] refer to Fig.13 , the LiDAR device 1600 may be applied to the vehicle 1500, and information related to the object 1700 may be obtained by using the LiDAR device 1600. The vehicle 1500 may be a vehicle having an autonomous function. The object 1700 (e.g., an object or a person) located in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1500 may be detected by using the LiDAR device 1600. In addition, the distance to the object 1700 may be measured by using information related to the time difference between the transmission signal and the detection signal, etc. In addition, as Fig.14 As shown, information about an object 1700 located nearby and an object 1800 located far away can be obtained within the optical scanning range. Fig.14 An example in which only one LiDAR device 1600 is installed in the vehicle is shown, but a plurality of LiDAR devices 1600 may be installed at various positions in the vehicle as needed, thereby obtaining information on objects 1700 and 1800 in all directions around the vehicle.

[0112] The beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments may be applied to various electronic devices other than LiDAR. For example, when using the beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments, since three-dimensional information of space and objects can be obtained by scanning, the beam steering device may be applied to three-dimensional image acquisition devices, three-dimensional cameras, and the like. In addition, the beam steering device may be applied to holographic display devices and structured light generating devices. In addition, the beam steering device may be applied to various optical devices, such as hologram generating devices, optical coupling devices, variable focus lenses, depth sensors, and the like. In addition, the beam steering device may be applied to various fields using metasurfaces or metastructures. In addition, the beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments and the electronic device including the beam steering device may be applied to optical and electronic devices in various fields for various purposes.

[0113] Fig.15 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic device 2201 according to one or more example embodiments.

[0114] refer to Fig.15In the network environment 2200, the electronic device 2201 may communicate with another electronic device 2202 through a first network 2298 (short-range wireless communication network, etc.), or communicate with another electronic device 2204 and / or a server 2208 through a second network 2299 (long-range wireless communication network, etc.). The electronic device 2201 may communicate with the electronic device 2204 through the server 2208. The electronic device 2201 may include a processor 2220, a memory 2230, an input device 2250, an audio output device 2255, a display device 2260, an audio module 2270, a sensor module 2210, an interface 2277, a haptic module 2279, a camera module 2280, a power management module 2288, a battery 2289, a communication module 2290, a subscriber identification module 2296, and / or an antenna module 2297. In the electronic device 2201, some constituent elements (display device 2260, etc.) may be omitted, or another constituent element may be added. Some of these constituent elements may be implemented as one integrated circuit. For example, the fingerprint sensor 2211 , the iris sensor, the illumination sensor, etc. of the sensor module 2210 may be implemented by being embedded in the display device 2260 (display, etc.).

[0115] The processor 2220 can control one or more other constituent elements (hardware or software constituent elements, etc.) of the electronic device 2201 by executing software (program 2240, etc.) and perform various data processing or operations. As part of the data processing or operation, the processor 2220 can load commands and / or data received from other constituent elements (sensor module 2210, communication module 2290, etc.) into the volatile memory 2232, process the commands and / or data stored in the volatile memory 2232, and store the result data in the non-volatile memory 2234. The processor 2220 may include a main processor 2221 (central processing unit, application processor, etc.) and an auxiliary processor 2223 (graphics processing unit, image signal processor, sensor hub processor, communication processor, etc.) that can operate independently or together. The auxiliary processor 2223 may consume less power than the main processor 2221 and may perform a specialized function.

[0116] The auxiliary processor 2223 may replace the main processor 2221 when the main processor 2221 is in an inactive state (sleep state), or control functions and / or states related to some constituent elements (display device 2260, sensor module 2210, communication module 2290, etc.) of the electronic device 2201 together with the main processor 2221 when the main processor 2221 is in an active state (application execution state). The auxiliary processor 2223 (image signal processor, communication processor, etc.) may be implemented as a part of other functionally related constituent elements (camera module 2280, communication module 2290, etc.).

[0117] The memory 2230 may store various data required by the constituent elements (processor 2220, sensor module 2210, etc.) of the electronic device 2201. The data may include, for example, software (program 2240, etc.), and input data and / or output data regarding commands related thereto. The memory 2230 may include a volatile memory 2232 and / or a nonvolatile memory 2234. The nonvolatile memory 2234 may include an internal memory 2236 and an external memory 2238.

[0118] The program 2240 may be stored as software in the memory 2230 , and may include an operating system 2242 , middleware 2244 , and / or an application 2246 .

[0119] The input device 2250 may receive commands and / or data to be used in constituent elements (processor 2220, etc.) of the electronic device 2201 from outside (user, etc.) of the electronic device 2201. The input device 2250 may include a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, and / or a digital pen (stylus, etc.).

[0120] The audio output device 2255 can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device 2201. The audio output device 2255 can include a speaker and / or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes such as multimedia playback or recording playback, and the receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. The receiver can be combined as part of the speaker, or implemented as an independent separate device.

[0121] The display device 2260 can visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 2201. The display device 2260 may include a display, a holographic device or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling such a device. The display device 2260 may include a touch circuit configured to sense a touch and / or a sensor circuit (pressure sensor, etc.) configured to measure the strength of the force generated by the touch.

[0122] The audio module 2270 can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa, convert an electrical signal into sound. The audio module 2270 can obtain sound through the input device 2250, or output sound through the audio output device 2255 and / or a speaker and / or earphone of another electronic device (electronic device 2202, etc.) connected to the electronic device 2201 in a wired or wireless manner.

[0123] The sensor module 2210 can sense the operating state (power, temperature, etc.) or the external environment state (user state, etc.) of the electronic device 2201, and generate an electrical signal and / or data value corresponding to the sensed state. The sensor module 2210 may include a fingerprint sensor 2211, an acceleration sensor 2212, a position sensor 2213, a 3D sensor 2214, etc., and also include an iris sensor, a gyroscope sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and / or an illumination sensor. The 3D sensor 2214 can sense the shape, movement, etc. of an object by emitting light to the object and analyzing the light reflected from the object, and may include any one of the beam steering devices according to one or more of the above-mentioned example embodiments.

[0124] The interface 2277 may support one or more designated protocols to be used to connect the electronic device 2201 to another electronic device (the electronic device 2202, etc.) in a wired or wireless manner. The interface 2277 may include a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, and / or an audio interface.

[0125] The connection terminal 2278 may include a connector for physically connecting the electronic device 2201 to another electronic device (electronic device 2202, etc.). The connection terminal 2278 may include an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, and / or an audio connector (headphone connector, etc.).

[0126] The haptic module 2279 may convert the electrical signal into mechanical stimulation (vibration, motion, etc.) or electrical stimulation that can be sensed by the user through tactile or kinesthetic sense. The haptic module 2279 may include a motor, a piezoelectric device, and / or an electrical stimulation device.

[0127] The camera module 2280 may capture still images and videos. The camera module 2280 may include a lens assembly including one or more lenses, an image sensor, an image signal processor, and / or a flash. The lens assembly of the camera module 2280 may collect light emitted from an object as a target of image capture, and the lens assembly may include any one of the beam steering devices according to one or more of the above-described example embodiments.

[0128] The power management module 2288 may manage power supplied to the electronic device 2201. The power management module 2288 may be implemented as a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0129] The battery 2289 can supply power to constituent elements of the electronic device 2201. The battery 2289 may include a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, and / or a fuel cell.

[0130] The communication module 2290 can establish a wired communication channel and / or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device 2201 and another electronic device (electronic device 2202, electronic device 2204, server 2208, etc.), and support communication through the established communication channel. The communication module 2290 can operate independently of the processor 2220 (application processor, etc.), and can include one or more communication processors that support wired communication and / or wireless communication. The communication module 2290 may include a wireless communication module 2292 (cellular communication module, short-range wireless communication module, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module, etc.) and / or a wired communication module 2294 (local area network (LAN) communication module, power line communication module, etc.). Among the above-mentioned communication modules, the corresponding communication module can communicate with another electronic device through a first network 2298 (a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi Direct or Infrared Data Association (IrDA)) or a second network 2299 (a long-range communication network such as a cellular network, the Internet or a computer network (LAN, WAN, etc.)). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into one constituent element (single chip, etc.), or may be implemented as a plurality of separate constituent elements (a plurality of chips). The wireless communication module 2292 may verify and authenticate the electronic device 2201 in a communication network such as the first network 2298 and / or the second network 2299 by using subscriber information (International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) etc.) stored in the subscriber identification module 2296.

[0131] The antenna module 2297 can send signals and / or power to the outside (another electronic device, etc.), or receive signals and / or power from the outside. The antenna may include a transmitter formed as a conductive pattern on a substrate (printed circuit board (PCB), etc.). The antenna module 2297 may include one or more antennas. When the antenna module 2297 includes multiple antennas, the communication module 2290 may select an antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network such as the first network 2298 and / or the second network 2299 from the antenna. Signals and / or power can be sent or received between the communication module 2290 and another electronic device through the selected antenna. Other components (RFIC, etc.) other than the antenna may be included as part of the antenna module 2297.

[0132] Some constituent elements may be connected to each other through a communication method between peripheral devices (bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), etc.), and may exchange signals (commands, data, etc.) with each other.

[0133] Commands or data may be sent or received between the electronic device 2201 and the external electronic device 2204 through the server 2208 connected to the second network 2299. The electronic devices 2202 and 2204 may be electronic devices of the same or different types as the electronic device 2201. All or part of the operations performed in the electronic device 2201 may be performed in one or more of the electronic devices 2202 and 2204 and the server 2208. For example, when the electronic device 2201 needs to perform an operation or service, the electronic device 2201 may request one or more other electronic devices to perform part or all of the function or service instead of performing the function or service by itself. The one or more electronic devices that receive the request may perform additional functions or services related to the request and send the results of the execution to the electronic device 2201. To this end, cloud computing, distributed computing and / or client-server computing technologies may be used.

[0134] Fig.16 It shows the settings in Fig.15 2 is a schematic block diagram of a configuration of a camera module 2280 in an electronic device 2201. For example, the camera module 2280 may be employed in a smart phone.

[0135] refer to Fig.16 , the camera module 2280 may include a lens assembly 2310, a flash 2320, an image sensor 2330, a depth sensor 2335, an image stabilizer 2340, a memory 2350 (buffer memory, etc.) and / or an image signal processor 2360. The lens assembly 2310 may collect light emitted from an object that is a target of image capture. The lens assembly 2310 may include one or more refractive lenses and one or more phase modulators. The phase modulator may be designed as a lens having a specific phase profile and having a compensating structural phase to reduce phase discontinuity. The lens assembly 2310 including such a phase modulator may achieve desired optical performance and have a short optical path length. The depth sensor 2335 may include a beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments.

[0136] The camera module 2280 may further include an actuator. The actuator may drive the position of the lens elements constituting the lens assembly 2310 and adjust the separation distance between the lens elements for purposes of, for example, zooming and / or auto focus (AF).

[0137] The camera module 2280 may include a plurality of lens assemblies 2310, and in this case, the camera module 2280 may be a dual camera, a 360° camera, or a spherical camera. Some lens assemblies 2310 may have the same lens properties (field of view, focal length, auto focus, F number, optical zoom, etc.) or other lens properties. The lens assembly 2310 may include a wide-angle lens or a telephoto lens.

[0138] The flash 2320 may emit light for enhancing light emitted or reflected from an object. The flash 2320 may include one or more light emitting diodes (red, green, blue (RGB) LEDs, white light LEDs, IR LEDs, ultraviolet (UV) LEDs, etc.) and / or xenon lamps. The image sensor 2330 may obtain an image corresponding to an object by converting light emitted or reflected from an object and sent through the lens assembly 2310 into an electrical signal. The image sensor 2330 may include one or more sensors selected from image sensors with different properties (e.g., an RGB sensor, a black and white (BW) sensor, an IR sensor, or a UV sensor). Each sensor in the image sensor 2330 may be implemented by a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor and / or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.

[0139] The image stabilizer 2340 may compensate for the negative effects caused by the movement of the camera module 2280 or the electronic device 2201 including the camera module 2280 by moving one or more lenses in the lens assembly 2310 or the image sensor 2330 in a specific direction or controlling the operating characteristics of the image sensor 2330 (controlling the readout timing, etc.). The image stabilizer 2340 may detect the movement of the camera module 2280 or the electronic device 2201 by using a gyro sensor or an acceleration sensor disposed inside or outside the camera module 2280. The image stabilizer 2340 may be implemented optically.

[0140] The memory 2350 may store part or all of the data of the image obtained by the image sensor 2330 for subsequent image processing work. For example, when a plurality of images are obtained quickly, the obtained raw data (Bayer pattern data, high-resolution data, etc.) may be stored in the memory 2350, and only a low-resolution image may be displayed, and then the raw data of the selected (user selected, etc.) image may be sent to the image signal processor 2360. The memory 2350 may be integrated with the memory 2230 of the electronic device 2201, or may be configured as a separate memory that operates independently.

[0141] The image signal processor 2360 may perform one or more image processing on the image obtained by the image sensor 2330 or the image data stored in the memory 2350. The one or more image processing may include depth map generation, three-dimensional modeling, panorama generation, feature extraction, image synthesis and / or image compensation (noise reduction, resolution adjustment, brightness adjustment, blur, sharpening, softening, etc.). The image signal processor 2360 may perform control (exposure time control, readout timing control, etc.) on the components (image sensor 2330, etc.) in the camera module 2280. The image processed by the image signal processor 2360 may be stored again in the memory 2350 for additional processing, or may be provided to external components (memory 2230, display device 2260, electronic device 2202, electronic device 2204, server 2208, etc.) of the camera module 2280. The image signal processor 2360 may be integrated with the processor 2220, or may be configured as a separate processor that operates independently of the processor 2220. When the image signal processor 2360 is configured as a separate processor relative to the processor 2220 , an image processed by the image signal processor 2360 may be displayed through the display device 2260 after additional image processing by the processor 2220 .

[0142] The electronic device 2201 may include a plurality of camera modules 2280 having different properties or functions. In this case, one of the camera modules 2280 may be a wide-angle camera, and one may be a telephoto camera. Similarly, one of the camera modules 2280 may be a front camera, and one may be a rear camera.

[0143] Fig.17 It shows Fig.15 Schematic block diagram of the configuration of the 3D sensor 2214 in the electronic device 2201.

[0144] refer to Fig.17 , the 3D sensor 2214 can sense the shape, movement, etc. of an object by emitting specific light to the object and receiving and analyzing light reflected from the object. The 3D sensor 2214 may include a light source 2420, a beam steering device 2410, a light detection portion 2430, a signal processing unit 2440, and a memory 2450. The beam steering device 100 according to the above-described embodiment may be used as the beam steering device 2410, and a target phase delay profile may be set so that the beam steering device 2410 may be used as a beam deflector or a beam shaper.

[0145] The light source 2420 emits light for analyzing the shape or position of an object. The light source 2420 may include a light source that generates and emits light of a specific wavelength. The light source 2420 may include a light source (e.g., a laser diode (LD), a light emitting diode (LED), a superluminescent diode (SLD), etc.) that emits light in a band suitable for analyzing the position and shape of an object (e.g., light of a wavelength in an infrared band). The light source 2420 may be a wavelength-variable laser diode. The light source 2420 may generate and emit light in a plurality of different bands. The light source 2420 may generate and emit pulsed light or continuous light.

[0146] The beam steering device 2410 can modulate the light emitted from the light source 2420 and send the modulated light to the object. When the beam steering device 2410 is a beam deflector, the beam steering device 2410 can deflect the incident light to a specific direction to advance toward the object. When the beam steering device 2410 is a beam shaper, the beam steering device 2410 modulates the incident light to have a distribution including a specific pattern. The beam steering device 2410 can form a structured light suitable for three-dimensional shape analysis.

[0147] The light detecting portion 2430 may receive reflected light of the light emitted to the object via the beam steering device 2410. The light detecting portion 2430 may include an array of a plurality of sensors for sensing light, or may include only one sensor.

[0148] The signal processing unit 2440 can analyze the shape of the object, etc. by processing the signal sensed by the light detection part 2430. The signal processing unit 2440 can analyze the three-dimensional shape including the depth position of the object. For the three-dimensional shape analysis, an operation of measuring the optical flight time can be performed. Various operation methods can be used to measure the optical flight time. For example, the direct time measurement method is to obtain the distance by using a timer to measure the time from projecting pulse light to the object to receiving the light reflected from the object. The related method is to measure the distance based on the brightness of the pulse light projected toward the object and reflected from the object. The phase delay measurement method is to detect the phase difference of the reflected light by projecting continuous wave light such as a sine wave toward the object and receiving the reflected light, and convert the detected phase difference into a distance.

[0149] When structured light is emitted to an object, the depth position of the object can be generated based on the pattern change of the structured light reflected from the object (i.e., the result of comparison with the incident structured light pattern). Object depth information can be extracted by tracking the pattern change for each coordinate of the structured light reflected from the object, and three-dimensional information related to the shape and movement of the object can be extracted therefrom.

[0150] Programs and other data required for the operation of the signal processing unit 2440 may be stored in the memory 2450. The operation results of the signal processing unit 2440 (i.e., information related to the shape and position of the object) may be sent to other units in the electronic device 2201 or other electronic devices. For example, the application 2246 stored in the memory 2230 may use such information. The other electronic devices to which the results are sent may be display devices or printers that output the results. In addition, the other electronic devices to which the results are sent may include autonomous driving devices (e.g., unmanned vehicles, autonomous vehicles, robots, drones, etc.), smart phones, smart watches, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, personal computers (PCs), various wearable devices, other mobile or non-mobile computing devices, and IoT devices, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0151] Fig.18 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of an electronic device 3000 according to one or more other example embodiments.

[0152] refer to Fig.18 , the electronic device 3000 may be an augmented reality (AR) device. For example, the electronic device 3000 may be a glasses-type augmented reality device. The electronic device 3000 may include a display engine 3400 , a processor 3300 , an eye tracking sensor 3100 , an interface 3500 , and a memory 3200 .

[0153] The processor 3300 can control the overall operation of the augmented reality device including the display engine 3400 by driving an operating system or an application program, and can perform processing and operations on various data including image data. For example, the processor 3300 can process image data including a left-eye virtual image and a right-eye virtual image rendered with binocular parallax.

[0154] The interface 3500 is used to input / output external data or manipulation commands, and may include, for example, a user interface operable by a user (e.g., a touch pad, a controller, a manipulation button, etc.). The interface 3500 may include a wired communication module (e.g., a USB module) or a wireless communication module (e.g., Bluetooth), and may receive user manipulation information or data of a virtual image from an interface in an external device through it.

[0155] The memory 3200 may include an internal memory (eg, a volatile memory or a nonvolatile memory). The memory 3200 may store various data, programs or applications for driving and controlling the augmented reality device, and input / output signals or data of a virtual image under the control of the processor 3300.

[0156] The display engine 3400 may be configured to receive the image data generated by the processor 3300 and generate light of a virtual image, and may include a left-eye optical engine 3410 and a right-eye optical engine 3420. Each of the left-eye optical engine 3410 and the right-eye optical engine 3420 may include a light source for emitting light, and a display panel for forming a virtual image using light output from the light source, and may be used as a compact projector. The light source may be implemented by, for example, an LED, and the display panel may be implemented by, for example, liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS).

[0157] The eye tracking sensor 3100 may be installed at a position where the pupil of the user wearing the augmented reality device can be tracked, and may send a signal corresponding to information related to the user's eyes to the processor 3300. The eye tracking sensor 3100 may detect eye information related to information such as the eye direction facing the user's eyes, the pupil position of the user's eyes, the coordinates of the center point of the pupil, etc. The processor 3300 may determine the type of eye movement based on the eye information detected by the eye tracking sensor 3100. For example, the processor 3300 may determine various types of eye movements including fixation of the eyes looking at a single point, pursuit of the eyes following a moving object, and saccade of the eyes moving quickly from one fixation point to another fixation point based on the eye information obtained from the eye tracking sensor 3100.

[0158] Fig.19 It shows Fig.18 Schematic block diagram of the configuration of the eye tracking sensor 3100 in the electronic device 3000.

[0159] The eye tracking sensor 3100 may include an illumination optical part 3110, a detection optical part 3120, a signal processing unit 3150, and a memory 3160. The illumination optical part 3110 may include a light source that emits light (e.g., infrared light) toward the position of an object (user's eye). The detection optical part 3120 may detect reflected light and include a metalens 3130 and a sensor part 3140. The signal processing unit 3150 may operate the position of the pupil of the user's eye, etc. according to the result sensed by the detection optical part 3120.

[0160] The beam steering device according to one or more of the above-described example embodiments or modified examples thereof may be used as the metalens 3130. The metalens 3130 may focus light from an object on the sensor portion 3140. In the eye tracking sensor 3100 positioned very close to the user's eye, the incident angle of the light incident on the sensor portion 3140 may be, for example, 30° or more. The metalens 3130 has a structure including a compensation area, and efficiency drop may be reduced even for light having a large incident angle. Therefore, the accuracy of eye tracking may be increased.

[0161] The electronic device 3000 may be used not only as an augmented reality device but also as a virtual reality (VR) device, so that the user's eyes may be tracked for virtual reality images provided by the virtual reality device.

[0162] A beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments may include a phase change material layer and a grid structure to adjust the direction of light. A beam steering device according to one or more example embodiments may be configured by a single element without having to include a plurality of pixel arrays, thereby simplifying the electrode structure.

[0163] An electronic device according to one or more example embodiments may include a beam steering device for scanning an object in order to obtain information related to the object.

[0164] Although one or more example embodiments have been described with reference to the drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A beam steering device, comprising: a phase change material layer; a metal layer, on the phase change material layer; A grid structure between the phase change material layer and the metal layer; as well as a power source connected to the metal layer and configured to supply current to the metal layer, Wherein, the grid structure is configured to output light traveling in the phase change material layer. 2 . The light beam steering device according to claim 1 , further comprising a waveguide region without a grid structure and a light exit region with the grid structure.

3. The beam steering device according to claim 2, wherein: The width of the waveguide region is in the range of 10 μm to 50 μm, and the width of the light exit region is in the range of 5 μm to 50 μm.

4. The beam steering device according to claim 1, wherein: The grid structure is on the surface of the phase change material layer.

5. The beam steering device according to claim 1, wherein: The phase change material layer includes antimony triselenide Sb2Se3 or antimony trisulfide Sb2S3.

6. The beam steering device according to claim 1, wherein: The metal layer includes gold Au, silver Ag, aluminum Al, tungsten W or copper Cu.

7. The beam steering device according to claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer is between the phase change material layer and the metal layer. in, The mesh structure is between the dielectric layer and the metal layer.

8. The beam steering device according to claim 7, wherein: The dielectric layer includes silicon oxide SiO2, aluminum oxide Al2O3, zinc oxide ZnO, titanium oxide TiO2 or silicon nitride Si3N4.

9. The beam steering device according to claim 7, wherein: The refractive index of the dielectric layer is lower than the refractive index of the phase change material layer in an amorphous state.

10. The beam steering device according to claim 7, wherein: A difference between a refractive index of the phase change material layer and a refractive index of the dielectric layer is greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 5.

11. The beam steering device according to claim 1, wherein: The thickness of the phase change material layer is in the range of 40 nm to 100 nm.

12. The beam steering device according to claim 1, wherein: The thickness of the metal layer is in the range of 10 nm to 1000 nm. 13 . The light beam steering device according to claim 1 , further comprising a metal substrate, the metal substrate being opposite to the metal layer on the phase change material layer.

14. An electronic device comprising: a light source configured to emit light; a beam steering device configured to adjust the direction of light emitted from the light source to the object; a photodetector configured to detect light reflected from the object; as well as at least one processor configured to control the beam steering device, Wherein, the light beam steering device comprises: a phase change material layer; a metal layer, on the phase change material layer; a grid structure between the phase change material layer and the metal layer; and a power source connected to the metal layer and configured to supply current to the metal layer, and Wherein, the grid structure is configured to output light traveling in the phase change material layer.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein: The light beam steering device further comprises a waveguide region and a light exit region having the grid structure.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein: The width of the waveguide region is in the range of 10 μm to 50 μm, and the width of the light exit region is in the range of 5 μm to 50 μm.

17. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein: The grid structure is on the surface of the phase change material layer.

18. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein: The phase change material layer includes antimony triselenide Sb2Se3 or antimony trisulfide Sb2S3.

19. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein: The beam steering device further comprises a dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer is between the phase change material layer and the metal layer. Wherein, the grid structure is between the dielectric layer and the metal layer.

20. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein: in, The light beam steering device further includes a metal substrate, which is located on the phase change material layer and opposite to the metal layer.

Images