Optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of lidar technology, and provides an optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module, including a substrate, an optical chip, an electrical chip, and a main control circuit. The optical chip is integrated on the substrate, the electrical chip is packaged on the side of the optical chip away from the substrate, and the main control circuit is integrated on the substrate. The main control circuit and the optical chip are spaced apart and electrically connected. The direct integration of the optical chip and the electrical chip significantly reduces the number of wires and the overall size. The short and consistent trace distance between the optical chip and the electrical chip not only reduces signal attenuation and interference during transmission but also improves signal integrity and transmission efficiency. It helps eliminate signal delay and phase mismatch caused by differences in trace length, solving the technical problems of large size, high trace resistance, and poor consistency between different channels in existing optical phased array lidar optoelectronic modules. This reduces packaging costs and complexity, and improves packaging reliability and stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of lidar technology, and in particular to an optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module. Background Technology

[0002] LiDAR is widely used in autonomous driving, 3D printing, virtual reality, augmented reality, and intelligent transportation. With the continuous development of LiDAR technology, various types of LiDAR can acquire the position and velocity of targets by emitting laser beams. For example, LiDAR can include MEMS LiDAR, Flash LiDAR, mechanically rotating LiDAR, and OPA (Optical Phased Array) LiDAR, etc.

[0003] Optical phased array technology uses modulation to create a specific phase difference between arrayed waveguides, and beam deflection is achieved through beam combining. It is a flexible, fast, and precise non-mechanical beam-directing scanning technology with high resolution, strong anti-interference capabilities, and high security. Because optical phased arrays use lasers operating in the optical band as information carriers, they are unaffected by traditional radio wave interference. Furthermore, the narrow beam of the laser makes it difficult to detect, thus providing excellent security.

[0004] Existing optical phased array lidar optoelectronic modules include a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), an electronic integrated circuit (EIC), and a circuit board. The photonic and electronic chips are mounted on the circuit board and connected to the circuit board via wire bonding, and then controlled by external circuitry. The photonic chip can achieve angle control over a wide range and in any direction by changing its phase and incident wavelength. The electronic chip controls the phase adjustment of the photonic chip by changing its electrical parameters.

[0005] Large scanning ranges require small optical antenna spacing, while large receiving optical apertures are needed for long-distance detection. Therefore, large-scale optical phased arrays are required to meet the requirements of small antenna spacing and large optical apertures. When the array number exceeds 1000 channels, the package size of the optical chips becomes large, making packaging difficult to achieve. Generally, optical chips are connected via wire bonding through an adapter board, which then fans out wiring to connect to the circuit board. This results in large size of the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module, high trace resistance, and poor consistency across different channels. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module, which aims to solve the technical problem of the large size of existing optical phased array lidar optoelectronic modules.

[0007] This application provides an optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module, which includes a substrate, an optical chip, an electrical chip, and a main control circuit. The optical chip is integrated on the substrate, the electrical chip is packaged on the side of the optical chip away from the substrate, and the main control circuit is integrated on the substrate. The main control circuit and the optical chip are spaced apart and electrically connected.

[0008] In one embodiment, the electrical chip is packaged onto the optical chip via flip-chip bonding.

[0009] In one embodiment, the optical chip is provided with a spaced-apart mounting area and an optical antenna. The mounting area is provided with a plurality of first interconnect pins, and the electrical chip is provided with a plurality of second interconnect pins. The second interconnect pins correspond one-to-one with the first interconnect pins and are soldered to each other.

[0010] In one embodiment, the optical chip includes a first base layer, a phase shifter, and an insulating layer arranged sequentially along the thickness direction. The first interconnect pin is located on the side of the insulating layer opposite to the first base layer. The first interconnect pin is electrically connected to the phase shifter through an electrode. The electrical chip includes a second base layer and a digital-to-analog converter unit disposed on the second base layer. The second interconnect pin is disposed on the digital-to-analog converter unit.

[0011] In one embodiment, a plurality of first functional pins are provided on opposite sides of the optical chip, and a plurality of second functional pins are provided on the substrate. The second functional pins correspond one-to-one with the first functional pins and are connected by gold wire bonding or flip-chip bonding.

[0012] In one embodiment, the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module further includes a signal processing module;

[0013] The signal processing module is packaged and fixed on the optical chip, and is used to send the processed signal to the optical chip and output it to the substrate through the first functional pin and the second functional pin; or, the signal processing module is packaged and fixed on the substrate, and is electrically connected to the optical chip through the substrate.

[0014] In one embodiment, the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module further includes a laser for generating a laser signal, and the optical chip is optically coupled to the laser to receive the laser signal.

[0015] In one embodiment, the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module further includes an optical fiber array, one end of which is coupled to the laser package and the other end of which is coupled to the optical chip package.

[0016] In one embodiment, the optical chip and the laser are connected via a coupling structure optical path.

[0017] In one embodiment, the electrical chip includes one or more of a digital-to-analog converter integrated chip, a transimpedance amplifier chip, and a digital signal processing chip.

[0018] In one embodiment, the substrate is a ceramic substrate or an organic substrate.

[0019] The beneficial effects of the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module provided by this invention are as follows: the electrical chip is directly packaged into the optical chip to form an optoelectronic chip, which is then integrated onto the substrate. The optical chip and the electrical chip directly interact with each other, eliminating the need for signal transmission through adapter boards and wire bonding. This significantly reduces the number of wires and the overall size, solving the technical problem of the large size of existing optical phased array lidar optoelectronic modules. The short and consistent trace distance between the optical chip and the electrical chip not only reduces signal attenuation and interference during transmission but also improves signal integrity and transmission efficiency. It helps to eliminate signal delay and phase mismatch caused by differences in trace length, reduces packaging costs and complexity, and improves packaging reliability and stability. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a partial schematic diagram of an optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the electrical chip of the optoelectronic module of the optical phased array lidar provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the optical chip of the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the separate setup of electrical and optical chips in related technologies;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the optical chip in the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module provided in the embodiment, which is mounted on the substrate via an adapter plate.

[0027] Figure 7 This is another perspective view of the optical chip being mounted on the substrate via an adapter plate in the embodiment;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated connection between optical and electrical chips in the optoelectronic module of an optical phased array lidar.

[0029] Figure 9 This is another structural schematic diagram of the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Another perspective view;

[0031] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the optical chip structure in the embodiment;

[0032] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the optical chip and the electrical chip in the embodiment.

[0033] The following are the labeling elements in the figure:

[0034] 1. Adapter board; 10. Substrate; 11. Second functional pin; 20. Electrical chip; 201. Second base layer; 202. Digital-to-analog converter unit; 21. Second interconnect pin; 22. Output function module; 23. Control function module; 30. Optical chip; 301. Mounting area; 302. First interconnect pin; 303. First functional pin; 304. First base layer; 305. Phase shifter; 306. Insulating layer; 307. Electrode; 308. 309. Beam splitter structure; 31. Phase adjustment structure; 32. Optical detection module; 33. Optical path functional device; 34. Optical antenna; 35. Transimpedance amplifier chip; 40. Optical input terminal; 50. Laser; 60. Coupling structure; 61. Tube shell; 62. Optical window; 71. Receiving cavity; 72. Heat sink; 73. TEC module; 74. Collimating lens; 75. Second isolator; 91. Gold wire; 92. Main control circuit; 93. Signal processing module. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0036] Throughout this specification, references to "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in some embodiments" appear in various places throughout the specification, and not all refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner.

[0037] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0038] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0039] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic of the structure of the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module provided in the embodiment. The optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module includes a substrate 10, an optical chip 30, an electrical chip 20, and a main control circuit 91. The optical chip 30 is integrated on the substrate 10, the electrical chip 20 is packaged on the side of the optical chip 30 away from the substrate 10, and the main control circuit 91 is integrated on the substrate 10. The main control circuit 91 and the optical chip 30 are spaced apart and electrically connected.

[0041] Based on this, the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 are directly packaged together to form an optoelectronic chip, which is then integrated onto the substrate 10. The optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 interact directly with each other, eliminating the need for signal transmission through the adapter board 1 and wire bonding. This significantly reduces the array size of the gold wires 75 on the substrate 10, and the substrate 10 does not need to be enlarged to maintain the spacing of a large number of gold wires 75, thus greatly reducing the package size.

[0042] Figure 2 A partial schematic diagram of the optoelectronic module of the optical phased array lidar provided in the embodiment is shown. Figure 2 As shown, firstly, the electrical chip 20 and the optical chip 30 no longer need to transmit signals indirectly through the adapter board 1 and the substrate 10, thus achieving the shortest routing path in the package and significantly reducing communication loss; secondly, the consistent routing distance between the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 helps to eliminate signal delay and phase mismatch caused by differences in routing length, reducing packaging costs and complexity, while improving the reliability and stability of the package.

[0043] Figure 5 The diagram illustrates that in related technologies, the optical chip 30 is connected to the substrate 10 circuit via wire bonding, and then electrically connected to the electrical chip 20 with the main control circuit 91 via the substrate 10. Wire bonding is a relatively low-cost method when the array size is small or medium. However, when the array size exceeds 1000 channels, there are many parasitic parameters between the lines, the package size is large, and the packaging becomes difficult to achieve.

[0044] Figure 6 and Figure 7 The diagram illustrates the structure of the optical chip 30 mounted on the substrate 10 via an adapter plate 1 in the related technology. When the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 are set separately, signal transmission between the electrical chip 20 and the optical chip 30 requires gold wire 75 connection. This results in numerous interconnections between the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20, leading to a large number of output channels and densely packed pads. Therefore, the adapter plate 1 needs to have its spacing increased (e.g., from 100μm to 400μm) to facilitate gold wire bonding. However, the addition of the adapter plate 1 firstly increases the size of the substrate 10 and the LiDAR receiving and emitting module; secondly, the signal transmission through multi-level traces results in high trace resistance and poor consistency between different transmission channels; thirdly, a large number of connectors are needed between the electrical chip 20 and the optical chip 30, leading to complex connections and high wiring costs; and finally, the applicable OPA array size is limited.

[0045] In this embodiment, the optical chip 30 can be selected from LiDAR chips such as silicon-based optical chips and glass-based chips, and no specific limitation is made here. The optical chip 30 may include chips such as OPA chips and optical switch chips, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0046] In this embodiment, the optical chip 30 can be integrated onto the substrate 10 through electrical packaging processes such as wire bonding, BGA, flip-chip, and surface mount technology, without any specific limitations.

[0047] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 8 The electrical chip 20 is packaged onto the optical chip 30 via flip-chip bonding, achieving integration and modularity. The output pins of the electrical chip 20 and the phase control pins of the optical chip 30 are directly interconnected, significantly reducing the number of wires required. During the flip-chip bonding process, the electrical chip 20 and the optical chip 30 can be directly and precisely connected, resulting in high-quality electrical connections. This reduces the need for intermediate adapter boards 1, achieves the shortest routing path within the package, reduces errors during the packaging process, simplifies the manufacturing process, lowers production costs, and also reduces connection instability and signal loss caused by wire bonding.

[0048] In one embodiment, combined Figure 3 and Figure 4 The optical chip 30 has spaced mounting areas 301 and optical antennas 33. The mounting areas 301 have several first interconnect pins 302, and the electrical chip 20 has several second interconnect pins 21. The second interconnect pins 21 and the first interconnect pins 302 correspond one-to-one and are soldered together. The layout of the second interconnect pins 21 of the electrical chip 20 and the first interconnect pins 302 of the optical chip 30 is one-to-one, with consistent trace lengths. This improves consistency across different paths, helps eliminate signal delay and phase mismatch caused by differences in trace lengths, and enhances the consistency and reliability of each beam channel.

[0049] Figure 9 and Figure 10 This illustration shows a specific embodiment of an optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module. The optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module includes a housing 60, a substrate 10, and the housing 60 forming a sealed cavity 62. A light window 61 is provided on one side of the housing 60. The electrical chip 20, optical chip 30, and main control circuit 91 are all located within the cavity 62. The housing 60 provides a physical barrier and electromagnetic shielding layer for the internal electrical chip 20, optical chip 30, and main control circuit 91, effectively preventing the influence of external environmental factors such as dust, moisture, and vibration on the internal precision components, thus improving the reliability and durability of the entire lidar receiving and receiving module. The electrical chip 20, optical chip 30, and main control circuit 91 are all fixedly mounted on the substrate 10, with their positions precisely fixed. The optical antenna 33 transmits and receives light beams through the light window 61.

[0050] Figure 10The diagram illustrates the connection between the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 in this embodiment. The optical chip 30 has a first base layer 304, a phase shifter 305, and an insulating layer 306 sequentially disposed along its thickness direction. A first interconnect pin 302 is located on the insulating layer 306 away from the first base layer 304, and is electrically connected to the phase shifter 305 via an electrode 307. The electrical chip 20 includes a second base layer 201 and a digital-to-analog converter unit 202 disposed on the second base layer 201. The digital-to-analog converter unit 202 has a second interconnect pin 21, which is directly soldered to the first interconnect pin 302 for electrical connection.

[0051] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the optical chip 30 in the embodiment. The optical chip 30 includes a beam splitting structure 308, a phase adjustment structure 309, and an optical antenna 33. The beam splitting structure 308 couples the laser generated by the laser 40, splitting the light into n branch channels. The phase adjustment structure 309 has an independent phase shifter 305 for each branch channel. The electrical chip 20 adjusts the beam phase of the branch channel by changing the voltage applied across the phase shifter 305. The optical antenna 33 is used to emit the laser from the n branch channels. Since the emitted light has a stable wavefront, it becomes a light spot at a distance. The electrical chip 20 generates an equal phase difference Δφ between adjacent antennas. The electrical chip 20 achieves beam scanning by changing the magnitude of Δφ. The light and light paths are inversely related.

[0052] Figure 12 The diagram illustrates the connection between the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 in this embodiment. The optical chip 30 has a first base layer 304, a phase shifter 305, and an insulating layer 306 sequentially disposed along its thickness direction. A first interconnect pin 302 is located on the insulating layer 306 away from the first base layer 304, and is electrically connected to the phase shifter 305 via an electrode 307. The electrical chip 20 includes a second base layer 201 and a digital-to-analog converter unit 202 disposed on the second base layer 201. The digital-to-analog converter unit 202 has a second interconnect pin 21, which is directly soldered to the first interconnect pin 302 for electrical connection.

[0053] In this embodiment, the optical chip 30 can be selected from LiDAR chips such as silicon-based optical chips, glass-based chips, liquid crystal chips, and MEMS chips, without specific limitations. The optical chip 30 may include LiDAR optical chips such as OPA chips and optical switch chips, without specific limitations.

[0054] In this embodiment, the substrate 10 can be an organic substrate, a ceramic substrate, etc., and no specific limitation is made here.

[0055] In some embodiments, the substrate 10 is a ceramic substrate with internal wiring. One end of the wiring is electrically connected to the optical chip 30 and the main control circuit 91, respectively. The wiring inside the ceramic substrate allows the electrical connections to be hidden within the substrate, simplifying the packaging structure. The ceramic substrate provides good electromagnetic shielding for the internal wiring, improving the electromagnetic compatibility of the lidar receiving and transmitting module. The other end of the wiring extends outwards from the receiving cavity 62, which facilitates the airtightness of the cavity 62 and makes the connection between the lidar receiving and transmitting module and external circuits more flexible and convenient.

[0056] In one embodiment, the ports with traces outside the housing 62 are of type BGA (Ball Grid Array) or QFP (Quad Flat Package). BGA packaging, with its bottom-arrayed solder balls, achieves higher pin density, improves overall integration, and facilitates miniaturization of the LiDAR receiving and emitting modules. Furthermore, the solder ball array provides a wider heat dissipation area, allowing heat from the optical chip 30, electrical chip 20, and main control circuit 91 to be more effectively transferred to the external environment, maintaining a stable temperature inside the housing 62.

[0057] The QFP package, with its four-sided pin arrangement, can accommodate a large number of pins with a small pin pitch, which helps reduce parasitic capacitance and inductance, facilitating the miniaturization design of the LiDAR receiving and emitting modules. Furthermore, the large contact area between the bottom of the QFP package and the substrate 10 helps dissipate heat from the optical chip 30, the electrical chip 20, and the main control circuit 91.

[0058] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 4 The optical chip 30 has several first functional pins 303 on opposite sides, and the substrate 10 has several second functional pins 11. The second functional pins 11 correspond one-to-one with the first functional pins 303 and are connected by gold wires 75. Since the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 are directly integrated, data transmission between them does not require gold wires 75 to be arranged on the substrate 10, which greatly reduces the array size of the gold wires 75. The first functional pins 303 of the optical chip 30 only need to be responsible for signal transmission with the main control circuit 91, which greatly reduces the number of first functional pins 303. Correspondingly, the connection area required for the optical chip 30 is small, and there is no need for the adapter board 1. The number of second functional pins 11 on the substrate 10 is also greatly reduced, which is beneficial for using a smaller array of gold wires 75 for connection operations.

[0059] It is understood that in other embodiments, the optical chip 30 is fixed to the substrate 10 by flip-chip bonding. That is, flip-chip bonding directly solders the pads of the optical chip 30 to the corresponding pads on the substrate 10, forming a more robust and reliable connection, eliminating additional packaging layers, and further reducing the package size.

[0060] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 1 The optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module also includes a signal processing module 92. In one possible example, the signal processing module 92 is packaged and fixed on the optical chip 30. The signal processing module 92 is used to send the processed signal to the optical chip 30 and output it to the substrate 10 through the first functional pin 303 and the second functional pin 11.

[0061] In another possible example, the signal processing module 92 is packaged and fixed to the substrate 10, and is electrically connected to the optical chip 30. The signal processing module 92 is packaged on the substrate 10, simplifying the manufacturing process. This integrated design of the signal processing module 92 makes the entire lidar optoelectronic module more compact, reducing external connections and wiring, thereby reducing system complexity and cost. This design reduces manufacturing steps and required equipment, lowering both production costs and time.

[0062] Optionally, the signal processing module 92 is electrically connected to the optical chip 30 via an optical fiber array.

[0063] In one embodiment, combined Figure 2 and Figure 3 The electrical chip 20 integrates an output function module 22 and a control function module 23. Based on this, on the one hand, integrating the output and control functions of the main control circuit 91 into the electrical chip 20 simplifies the main control circuit 91 and reduces its size. On the other hand, by integrating the output and control functions into the electrical chip 20, the electrical chip 20 has certain logical motion functions and can directly exchange data with the optical chip 30 without having to send data back to the main control circuit 91, thus reducing latency, power consumption, and data transmission lines.

[0064] Figure 5 The optical detection module 31 and optical path functional device 32 are separately arranged from the optical chip 30, resulting in low integration and requiring more transmission lines. In one embodiment, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 9 The optical chip 30 integrates a photodetector module 31 and an optical path functional device 32. The optical chip 30 is directly electrically mounted on the substrate 10 without the need for additional packaging layers or connectors, thereby improving the integration of the entire system and reducing signal loss.

[0065] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 9 and Figure 10 The optical chip 30 integrates a transimpedance amplifier chip 34, which converts the optical signal into an electrical signal and amplifies it. This allows the optical chip 30 to process the optical signal more effectively and reduces losses during signal conversion and transmission. With the integrated transimpedance amplifier chip 34, the optical chip 30 can directly output the amplified electrical signal without additional transmission lines to an external amplifier. This not only reduces the number and length of transmission lines but also lowers power consumption.

[0066] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 9 and Figure 10 The optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module also includes a laser 40, which generates laser signals. An optical chip 30 is optically coupled to the laser 40 to receive these signals. Specifically, the laser 40 generates laser light, and the optical chip 30 splits the laser light generated by the laser 40 into multiple beams, performs phase adjustment on each beam, and emits a detection laser beam outward through an opening 61. The detection laser beam is reflected by an external object, forming an echo signal, which then returns to the optical chip 30 through the opening 61. An electrical chip 20 is electrically connected to the optical chip 30 and controls the phase difference adjustment of the laser beam by the optical chip 30, enabling the beam to be scanned as needed.

[0067] Specifically, one end of the optical chip 30 is provided with an optical input terminal 35 for receiving laser signals sent by the laser 40.

[0068] Specifically, the optical chip 30 and the laser 40 are optically connected through the coupling structure 50, which simplifies the connection operation between the optical chip 30 and the laser 40. The coupling structure 50 can efficiently couple the laser generated by the laser 40 to the optical chip 30, reducing the loss in the optical input process.

[0069] In some embodiments, the coupling structure 50 includes a docking coupling structure. The docking coupling structure enables the laser generated by the laser 40 to be physically coupled to the optical chip 30 more directly, efficiently, and without gaps, reducing energy loss such as scattering and reflection during laser transmission, reducing losses during optical input, and reducing optical signal deviations caused by complex or unstable optical paths, thus making the optical transmission path stable and reliable.

[0070] In other embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the coupling structure 50 includes a coupling lens. The optical chip 30 and the laser 40 adopt spatial optical coupling, which reduces the instability of fiber optic connections in traditional two-step end-face coupling packaging and reduces optical loss and signal instability caused by factors such as fiber optic connections, end-face contamination or damage.

[0071] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 1and Figure 2 As shown, the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module also includes a collimating lens 73, which is disposed between the laser 40 and the coupling lens. The collimating lens 73 collimates the beam emitted by the laser 40, that is, it converts the diverging beam into a parallel beam or a near-parallel beam. By optimizing the shape and direction of the beam, the coupling efficiency of the laser to the optical chip 30 is improved.

[0072] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the optoelectronic module of the optical phased array lidar also includes a first isolator, which is located between the laser 40 and the collimating lens 73. The first isolator allows only unidirectional light beam passage, effectively preventing reflected or stray light from returning to the laser 40 and being remixed into the laser generated by the laser 40 and coupled into the optical chip 30, thus preventing reflected or stray light from interfering with the laser 40 and the optical chip 30. The first isolator also ensures that the light beam emitted from the laser 40 has consistent quality and direction, reducing beam loss during transmission and improving beam utilization and detection efficiency.

[0073] In one specific embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module also includes a second isolator 74, which is located between the coupling lens and the collimating lens 73. The second isolator 74 prevents reflected or stray light from entering the collimating lens 73, and prevents reflected or stray light from interfering with the collimating lens 73 and the optical chip 30, thus ensuring the stability and consistency of the beam during transmission.

[0074] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 The optical chip 30 and laser 40 are positioned at the same height, reducing the height difference and shortening the optical path. This makes the optical path between them more direct and efficient, helping to reduce light loss during transmission and improve optical coupling efficiency. Furthermore, the equal height of the optical chip 30 and laser 40 helps to reduce mechanical stress or vibration problems caused by positional differences.

[0075] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2The lidar receiving and emitting module also includes a heat sink 71 and a TEC module 72. The laser 40 is fixed to one side of the heat sink 71, and the other side of the heat sink 71 is fixed to the cold end of the TEC module 72. The hot end of the TEC module 72 is fixed to the substrate 10. The laser 40 generates a large amount of heat during operation. If this heat cannot be dissipated in time, the laser 40's temperature will rise, affecting its performance and stability. The heat sink 71 can quickly absorb and disperse the heat generated by the laser 40. The TEC module 72 utilizes the Peltier effect of thermoelectric materials to actively carry away the heat from the heat sink 71 and discharge it to the substrate 10 or the external environment through its hot end, thus forming an efficient heat dissipation channel.

[0076] The lidar receiving and emitting module integrates the laser 40, heat sink 71, and TEC module 72, optimizing their structural layout, reducing space occupation, and improving the module's integration and compactness.

[0077] Specifically, the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 are not mounted on the heat sink 71 or the TEC module 72. If the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 were directly mounted on the heat sink 71 or the TEC module 72, they might be subject to thermal interference from the laser 40, leading to performance degradation or instability. In this application, the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 are separated from the heat sink 71 and the TEC module 72. On the one hand, this reduces unnecessary heat conduction, ensuring that the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 operate in a relatively stable temperature environment, avoiding the impact of thermal noise and temperature drift on performance. On the other hand, the optical chip 30 and the electrical chip 20 generate less heat, eliminating the need for heat sink 71 and the TEC module 72 for heat dissipation, saving heat dissipation power and heat dissipation area in the heat sink 71 and the TEC module 72, and facilitating the miniaturization design of the heat sink 71 and the TEC module 72.

[0078] In one embodiment, the lidar receiving and emitting module also includes a thermistor, which is disposed adjacent to the laser 40. The thermistor can sense the operating temperature of the laser 40 in real time and convert it into an electrical signal for transmission. By monitoring the thermistor, the temperature of the laser 40 can be controlled more precisely. Combined with the TEC module 72, a closed-loop temperature control system is formed. The TEC module 72 is adjusted based on the temperature information fed back by the thermistor, so that the temperature of the laser 40 is always kept within the optimal operating range.

[0079] In one embodiment, the thermistor and the laser 40 are electrically connected to the substrate 10 via gold wires 75, respectively.

[0080] In this embodiment, the LiDAR receiving and emitting module integrates components such as thermistor, laser 40 and TEC module 72 into the same package, and adopts standardized packaging process for assembly and testing, which can improve packaging efficiency and yield.

[0081] Specifically, the thermistor and the laser 40 are located on the same side of the heat sink 71. The temperature of the laser 40 can quickly diffuse to the surface of the heat sink 71. In addition to being close to the laser 40, the thermistor located on the same side can also obtain a more accurate temperature reading of the laser 40 by being in contact with the heat sink 71.

[0082] Furthermore, the thermistor and laser 40 are located on the same side of the heat sink 71, which simplifies the structural design of the LiDAR receiving and transmitting module, reduces the connection and wiring between components, and lowers manufacturing complexity and cost.

[0083] Specifically, the distance between the thermistor and the laser 40 is less than or equal to 20 mm. Optionally, the thermistor rests against the side of the laser 40. The laser 40 generates a significant amount of heat during operation, creating a temperature gradient around it. If the distance between the thermistor and the laser 40 is too large, the temperature measured by the thermistor may not accurately reflect the actual temperature of the laser 40 chip, because the temperature gradient causes heat loss and changes during transmission.

[0084] Large scanning range requires small optical antenna spacing, while large receiving optical aperture is needed to achieve long-distance detection. Therefore, large-scale array optical phased arrays are needed to meet the requirements of small antenna spacing and large optical aperture.

[0085] Alternatively, in addition to using a coupling structure 50 for optical coupling, a fiber array can also be used between the laser 40 and the optical chip 30. One end of the fiber array is coupled to the laser 40 package, and the other end is coupled to the optical chip 30 package. The fiber array is flexible, which makes the arrangement of the optical chip 30 and the laser 40 more flexible. They do not need to be set up directly opposite each other and can be distributed at an angle. Moreover, there is no need to use complex lens elements to achieve the turning of the optical path.

[0086] In one embodiment, the electrical chip 20 integrates a first control module and a first output module. Based on this, on the one hand, integrating the first control module and the first output module of the main control circuit 91 into the electrical chip 20 simplifies the main control circuit 91; on the other hand, integrating the output and control functions into the electrical chip 20 gives it certain logical motion capabilities, allowing it to directly exchange data with the optical chip 30 without needing to send data back to the main control circuit 91, thus reducing latency, power consumption, and data transmission lines.

[0087] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2The optical chip 30 is packaged with a transimpedance amplifier chip 34, which amplifies the electrical signal after the optical signal is converted, reducing the external influence on weak signals, such as reducing the impact of noise and transmission loss, and at the same time reducing the pressure on the acquisition system to acquire electrical signals.

[0088] In contrast. Figure 5 The optical detection module 31 and optical path functional device 32 are separately arranged from the optical chip 30, resulting in low integration and requiring more transmission lines. In one embodiment, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 7 The optical chip 30 integrates a photodetector module 31 and an optical path functional device 32. The optical chip 30 is directly electrically mounted on the substrate 10 without the need for additional packaging layers or connectors, thereby improving the integration of the entire system and reducing signal loss.

[0089] In some embodiments, the electrical chip 20 includes one or more of a digital-to-analog converter integrated chip, a transimpedance amplifier chip, and a digital signal processing chip. For example, the electrical chip 20 includes a digital-to-analog converter integrated chip to perform digital-to-analog conversion of electrical signals. For example, the electrical chip 20 includes a transimpedance amplifier chip to amplify electrical signals. As another example, the electrical chip 20 includes a digital signal processing chip to process digital signals and send the processed signals to the optical chip 30.

[0090] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An optical phased array lidar opto-electronic module, characterized by: The optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module includes a substrate, an optical chip, an electrical chip, and a main control circuit. The optical chip is integrated on the substrate, the electrical chip is packaged on the side of the optical chip away from the substrate, and the main control circuit is integrated on the substrate. The main control circuit and the optical chip are spaced apart and electrically connected.

2. The optical phased array lidar opto-electronic module of claim 1, wherein: The electrical chip is packaged onto the optical chip via flip-chip bonding.

3. The optical phased array lidar opto-electronic module of claim 2, wherein: The optical chip has a spaced mounting area and an optical antenna. The mounting area has a plurality of first interconnect pins. The electrical chip has a plurality of second interconnect pins. The second interconnect pins correspond one-to-one with the first interconnect pins and are soldered to each other.

4. The optical phased array lidar opto-electronic module of claim 3, wherein: The optical chip includes a first base layer, a phase shifter, and an insulating layer arranged sequentially along the thickness direction. The first interconnect pin is located on the side of the insulating layer away from the first base layer. The first interconnect pin is electrically connected to the phase shifter through an electrode. The electrical chip includes a second base layer and a digital-to-analog converter unit disposed on the second base layer. The second interconnect pin is disposed on the digital-to-analog converter unit.

5. The optical phased array lidar opto-electronic module of claim 1, wherein: The optical chip has several first functional pins on its opposite sides, and the substrate has several second functional pins. The second functional pins correspond one-to-one with the first functional pins and are connected by gold wire bonding or flip-chip bonding.

6. The optical phased array lidar opto-electronic module of claim 5, wherein: The optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module also includes a signal processing module; The signal processing module is packaged and fixed on the optical chip. The signal processing module is used to send the processed signal to the optical chip and output it to the substrate through the first functional pin and the second functional pin; or, the signal processing module is packaged and fixed on the substrate and electrically connected to the optical chip through the substrate.

7. The optical phased array lidar opto-electronic module of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module also includes a laser, which is used to generate laser signals. The optical chip is optically coupled to the laser to receive the laser signals.

8. The optical phased array lidar opto-electronic module of claim 7, wherein: The optical phased array lidar optoelectronic module further includes an optical fiber array, one end of which is coupled to the laser package and the other end of which is coupled to the optical chip package. Alternatively, the optical chip and the laser are connected via a coupling structure optical path.

9. The optical phased array lidar opto-electronic module of claim 1, wherein: The electrical chip includes one or more of the following: a digital-to-analog converter integrated chip, a transimpedance amplifier chip, and a digital signal processing chip.

10. The optical phased array lidar opto-electronic module of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The substrate is a ceramic substrate or an organic substrate.

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