Light source, measurement device, method for manufacturing light source, and method for manufacturing measurement device

Abstract

A light source (122) comprises: a light-emitting chip (1100) in which a surface light-emitting element (1110) is disposed, the light-emitting chip (1100) having a first surface (1102) that is electrically connected to the cathode of the surface light-emitting element (1110), and a second surface (1101) that is electrically connected to the anode of the surface light-emitting element (1110); a substrate (1200) in which a first conductive pattern (1210) and a second conductive pattern (1220) are formed; a conductive joining part (1300) that joins the first surface (1102) of the light-emitting chip (1100) and the first conductive pattern (1210); and a wire (1250) that electrically connects the second surface (1101) of the light-emitting chip (1100) and the second conductive pattern (1220). The light source (122) further comprises a non-conductive protection part (1310) that is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the joining part (1300) and that covers at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the joining part (1300).

Description

Light source, measuring device, method for manufacturing light source, and method for manufacturing measuring device

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a light source, a measurement device, a method for manufacturing a light source, and a method for manufacturing a measurement device.

[0002] With the advancement of AD (Autonomous Driving) and ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems), research and development of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is underway as one of the measurement devices used to grasp the surrounding environment and estimate the vehicle's position while driving. LiDAR includes a projector that projects (irradiates) laser light onto a measurement target, and a photoreceiver that receives the light reflected from the measurement target. LiDAR outputs information about the measurement target by measuring the distance to the measurement target based on the difference between the timing at which the projector emits the laser light and the timing at which the photoreceiver receives the reflected light. The projector includes a light source and a projection lens through which the light emitted by the light source passes (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The light-emitter has a semiconductor laser that emits laser light, and the light-receiver has a filter that passes laser light in a predetermined passband among the laser light output from the light-emitter and reflected by the measurement target, and a light-receiving element that receives the laser light that has passed through the filter (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-105613

[0005] The inventors have considered using a light source including a light-emitting chip on which a surface light-emitting element is arranged as a light source to be provided in a floodlight. This light source includes a light-emitting chip, a substrate, a conductive joint, and a wire. The light-emitting chip has a first surface electrically connected to the cathode of the surface light-emitting element and a second surface electrically connected to the anode of the surface light-emitting element. A first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern are formed on the substrate. The joint joins the first surface of the light-emitting chip to the first conductive pattern. The wire electrically connects the second surface of the light-emitting chip to the second conductive pattern.

[0006] In such light sources, there is a risk that the cathode of the surface-emitting element may be short-circuited to a conductive member, such as a wire or the anode of the surface-emitting element, via a conductive joint.

[0007] This specification discloses a technique that can solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0008] Furthermore, a specified wavelength band is generally indicated on the specification sheet of a semiconductor laser. The specified wavelength band is a range of variation that is assumed in advance for the wavelength of laser light emitted by the semiconductor laser. The specified wavelength band is specified, for example, based on manufacturing variations of the semiconductor laser. In conventional measuring devices, it is assumed that the wavelength of laser light from the semiconductor laser varies within the specified wavelength band, and the pass band of the filter of the photodetector is set to a band that includes the specified wavelength band.

[0009] However, the actual wavelength band of the laser light emitted by the semiconductor laser installed in the measurement device is only a part of the specified wavelength band. In other words, in conventional measurement devices, the passband of the filter is set to a bandwidth much wider than the wavelength band required for actual measurement. This makes it easier for the light-receiving element to receive not only the laser light emitted by the semiconductor laser, but also noise (external light such as sunlight that has a different wavelength from the semiconductor laser). As a result, there is a risk of a decrease in the measurement accuracy of the measurement device (for example, a shorter measurable distance).

[0010] This specification discloses a technique that can solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0011] The technology disclosed in this specification can be realized, for example, in the following forms.

[0012] (1) A light source according to one aspect disclosed in the present specification includes a light-emitting chip on which a surface-emitting element is disposed, the light-emitting chip having a first surface electrically connected to the cathode of the surface-emitting element and a second surface electrically connected to the anode of the surface-emitting element; a substrate on which a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern are formed; a conductive joint that joins the first surface of the light-emitting chip to the first conductive pattern; and a wire that electrically connects the second surface of the light-emitting chip to the second conductive pattern, and the light source includes a non-conductive protective part that is disposed on the outer periphery of the joint and covers at least a portion of the outer periphery of the joint.

[0013] With this light source, compared to a configuration in which a protective part is not arranged on the outer periphery of the conductive joint, it is possible to prevent the cathode of the surface-emitting element from short-circuiting to a conductive member, such as the anode of the surface-emitting element, via the joint.

[0014] (2) In the light source of (1), a connecting portion to which the wire is electrically connected may be provided on the peripheral portion of the second surface of the light-emitting chip, and the protective portion may cover the outer peripheral surface of the joint portion on the side of the connecting portion. According to this light source, since the protective portion is interposed between the joint portion and the wire, it is possible to prevent the cathode of the surface-emitting element from shorting to the wire via the joint portion.

[0015] (3) In the light source of (1) or (2), the protective portion may cover the entire outer periphery of the joint portion, which effectively prevents the cathode of the surface light emitting element from shorting to the conductive member via the joint portion.

[0016] (4) In any of the light sources (1) to (3) above, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the light-emitting chip, at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the joint is located inside the outer edge of the light-emitting chip, and the protective part may have a support part sandwiched between the light-emitting chip and the substrate. In this light source, the support part of the protective part is interposed in the gap formed between the light-emitting chip and the substrate due to the absence of the joint. Therefore, with this light source, damage to the light-emitting chip due to the application of a load to the light-emitting chip can be suppressed, for example, compared to a configuration without an interposed support part.

[0017] (5) In any of the light sources (1) to (4) above, the protective portion may be in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the joint, and the area of ​​the exposed surface of the protective portion may be larger than the contact area between the protective portion and the joint. According to this light source, the protective portion is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the joint, which functions as a conductive path. Furthermore, the area of ​​the exposed surface of the protective portion is larger than the contact area between the protective portion and the joint. Therefore, heat generated at the joint can be effectively dissipated via the protective portion.

[0018] (6) A measuring device may be provided that includes a light projector having a light source according to any one of (1) to (5) above, and a light receiver that receives light output from the light projector and reflected by an object to be measured. This configuration can prevent the cathode of the surface light emitting element from shorting out to a conductive member, such as the anode of the surface light emitting element, via the joint.

[0019] (7) A method for manufacturing a light source according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a light-emitting chip on which a surface-emitting element is disposed, the light-emitting chip having a first surface electrically connected to the cathode of the surface-emitting element and a second surface electrically connected to the anode of the surface-emitting element, and a substrate on which a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern are formed, the method including the steps of: applying a conductive first bonding material between the first surface of the light-emitting chip and the first conductive pattern of the substrate, and applying a non-conductive second bonding material to at least a portion of a periphery of the first bonding material; electrically connecting the second surface of the light-emitting chip and the second conductive pattern with a wire; and curing the first bonding material and the second bonding material to form a conductive bond between the first surface of the light-emitting chip and the substrate, and a protective portion covering at least a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the bond. This manufacturing method enables the manufacture of a light source while preventing the cathode of the surface-emitting element from shorting out to a conductive member, such as the anode of the surface-emitting element, via the bond.

[0020] (8) Another aspect of the light source disclosed in this specification includes a light-emitting chip on which a surface-emitting element is disposed, the light-emitting chip having a first surface electrically connected to the cathode of the surface-emitting element and a second surface electrically connected to the anode of the surface-emitting element, a substrate on which a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern are formed, a conductive joint joining the first surface of the light-emitting chip to the first conductive pattern, and a wire electrically connecting the second surface of the light-emitting chip to the second conductive pattern, wherein, when viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the light-emitting chip, at least a portion of the outer surface of the joint is located inside the outer edge of the light-emitting chip, and a connection portion between the wire and the second surface is located inside the outer surface of the joint. This light source can, for example, prevent damage to the light-emitting chip due to the application of a load to the connection portion of the light-emitting chip, compared to a configuration in which the joint between the wire and the light-emitting chip is located outside the outer surface of the joint.

[0021] (9) In the light source of (8) above, when viewed in the first direction, the periphery of the light-emitting region of the light-emitting chip may be located inside the outer peripheral surface of the joint, and an imaginary plane passing through the ridge line of the light-emitting region and the ridge line of the outer peripheral surface of the joint may have an inclination angle θ of 45 degrees or more with respect to the first direction. With this light source, heat generated in the light-emitting region can be effectively dissipated to the outside by the joint.

[0022] (10) A measurement device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a projector having a semiconductor laser that emits laser light, a filter that passes laser light in a specific passband from the projector and reflected by a measurement target, and a photoreceiver that receives the laser light that has passed through the filter, wherein the specific passband of the filter is a part of a specified wavelength band that is specified based on manufacturing variations of the semiconductor laser. This measurement device is less susceptible to noise from sunlight and the like, and can improve, for example, the measurable distance, compared to a configuration in which the specific passband of the filter is the same as the specified wavelength band.

[0023] (11) In the measurement device of (10), the semiconductor laser may include a first semiconductor laser and a second semiconductor laser, the filter may include a first filter that passes the laser light emitted by the first semiconductor laser and a second filter that passes the laser light emitted by the second semiconductor laser, the first semiconductor laser and the second semiconductor laser may have the same specified wavelength band, and the first filter and the second filter may have different specific pass bands. With this measurement device, the influence of noise is suppressed in measurements based on the laser light from the first semiconductor laser and the second semiconductor laser, and for example, the measurable distance can be improved.

[0024] (12) In the measurement device of (10) or (11), the bandwidth of the specific passband may be half or less of the bandwidth of the specified wavelength band. This measurement device can more effectively suppress the effects of noise.

[0025] (13) A method for manufacturing a measuring device according to one aspect disclosed in the present specification includes a projector having a semiconductor laser that emits laser light, a filter that passes laser light in a specific passband from the laser light output from the projector and reflected by a measurement target, and a photoreceiver that receives the laser light that has passed through the filter, the method including the steps of: determining to which of multiple wavelength classes a selected semiconductor laser selected from multiple semiconductor lasers belongs by dividing a specified wavelength band that is specified based on manufacturing variations of the semiconductor lasers; and arranging the filter in the photoreceiver, the filter having the specific passband that corresponds to the wavelength class to which the selected semiconductor laser belongs. This manufacturing method makes it possible to efficiently manufacture a measuring device in which the effects of noise are more effectively suppressed.

[0026] The technology disclosed in this specification can be realized in various forms, such as a light source, a measurement device equipped with the light source, a method for manufacturing a light source, a method for selecting a filter, a method for manufacturing a measurement device, etc.

[0027] 5 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the measurement device 110 in the first embodiment. An explanatory diagram showing the top view configuration of the light source 122. An explanatory diagram showing the cross-sectional configuration of the light source 122 at the position III-III in FIG. 2. A flowchart showing part of the manufacturing process of the light source 122. An explanatory diagram showing the top view configuration of the light source 122a in the second embodiment. An explanatory diagram showing the cross-sectional configuration of the light source 122 at the position VI-VI in FIG. 5. A block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the measurement device 210 in the embodiment. An explanatory diagram showing the specified wavelength band B of the semiconductor laser 223. A flowchart showing part of the manufacturing process of the measurement device 210. An explanatory diagram showing the classification of the specified wavelength band B. An explanatory diagram showing a specific pass band H1 for a first wavelength class f1. An explanatory diagram showing a specific pass band H2 for a second wavelength class f2.

[0028] A. First Embodiment: A-1. Configuration of Measuring Device 110: FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of measuring device 110 in this first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, measuring device 110 includes a projector 120 that irradiates a measurement target W with emitted light L1 (e.g., a light beam (laser light)), and a photoreceiver 130 that receives reflected light L2 (return light) that is generated when emitted light L1 reflects off the measurement target W and returns, and functions as a flash LiDAR. Measuring device 110 acquires information about the measurement target W by measuring the difference between the timing at which projector 120 emits emitted light L1 and the timing at which photoreceiver 130 receives reflected light L2 (time of flight of laser light, hereinafter referred to as "TOF" (Time of Flight)).

[0029] The measuring device 110 is mounted on, for example, a vehicle (not shown) equipped with an AD or ADAS. The measuring device 110 assists in detecting objects such as people and other vehicles while the vehicle is traveling, and provides various information to other devices and users that is useful for ensuring the safety of the driver of the vehicle and those around the vehicle, and for reducing damage to surrounding objects while the vehicle is being driven.

[0030] The light projector 120 includes a light source 122 , a light projecting optical system 124 , a light projecting control device 126 , and a current source 128 .

[0031] The light source 122 includes a light emitting source having one or more light emitting elements (not shown), or one or more light emitting element arrays (e.g., light emitting elements arranged in a line (one-dimensional) or a plane (two-dimensional)). As will be described later, in this embodiment, the light emitting elements are surface light emitting elements 1110. The configuration of the light source 122 will be described later.

[0032] The current source 128 supplies a current corresponding to a control signal input from the light projection control device 126 to the light emitting element that constitutes the light source 122. The current source 128 supplies, for example, a periodic square wave current to the light emitting element for turning on and off the current flowing through the light emitting element.

[0033] The light-projection control device 126 generates a control signal for controlling the current source 128 and inputs the signal to the current source 128, thereby controlling the current (drive current) supplied to the light-emitting element from the current source 128. The light-projection control device 126 inputs a signal indicating the timing at which the light-emitting element emits light (the timing at which the light-emitting element emits light; hereinafter referred to as "light-projection timing") to the TOF measurement device 40. The light-projection control device 126 periodically controls the on / off of a current flowing through the light-emitting element, for example, thereby causing the light-emitting element to periodically emit light.

[0034] The light projection optical system 124 adjusts the light distribution of the output light L1 by, for example, applying an optical effect (such as refraction, scattering, or diffraction) to the light emitted by the light source 122. The light projection optical system 124 is configured using optical components such as various lenses, such as collimating lenses, and reflecting mirrors (mirrors).

[0035] The light receiver 130 includes a light receiving section 132 and a light receiving optical system 134 .

[0036] The light receiving optical system 134 collects reflected light L2, which is light L1 emitted from the projector 120 and reflected by the measurement target W or the like, onto the light receiving unit 132. The light receiving optical system 134 is configured using optical components such as various lenses, such as a collecting lens, various filters, such as a wavelength filter, and a reflecting mirror (mirror).

[0037] The light receiving unit 132 is a light receiving source having one or more light receiving elements (not shown), or one or more light receiving element arrays (e.g., light receiving elements arranged linearly (one-dimensionally) or planarly (two-dimensionally)). The light receiving elements are, for example, photodiodes, SPADs (Single Photon Avalanche Diodes), balanced photodetectors, etc. The light receiving unit 132 photoelectrically converts the reflected light L2 incident from the light receiving optical system 134 to generate a current (hereinafter referred to as a "light receiving current") corresponding to the intensity of the reflected light L2. The light receiving unit 132 inputs, to the TOF measurement device 40, a signal indicating the timing (hereinafter referred to as a "light receiving timing") at which the light receiving elements constituting the light receiving unit 132 receive the reflected light L2, as well as the light receiving current generated by the light receiving elements.

[0038] The measuring device 110 further includes a TOF measuring device 40 , a controller 42 , and a communication I / F (Interface) 50 .

[0039] The TOF measurement device 40 calculates the TOF based on a signal indicating the light projection timing input from the light-projection control device 126 and a signal indicating the light reception timing input from the light-receiving unit 132. The TOF measurement device 40 has, for example, a time measurement IC (Integrated Circuit) equipped with a TDC (Time to Digital Converter) circuit. The TOF measurement device 40 inputs the calculated TOF and the light-receiving current input from the light-receiving unit 132 to the controller 42.

[0040] The controller 42 has a processor (such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), MPU (Micro Processing Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), DSP (Digital Signal Processor)). Based on the photocurrent and TOF input from the TOF measurement device 40, the controller 42 generates information used for various measurements such as detection of the measurement target W and distance measurement. The information includes, for example, a histogram used in time-correlated single photon counting, distances to each point on the measurement target W, a point cloud (point cloud information), etc. The controller 42 also controls the light-projection control device 126 and the light-receiving unit 132. The controller 42 controls the light-projection timing and the light-receiving timing described above, for example, by controlling the light-projection control device 126 and the light-receiving unit 132, so as to speed up or optimize the processing for generating the histogram. The information generated by the controller 42 is provided (transmitted) via the communication I / F 50 to devices that use the information (hereinafter referred to as "various use devices 60").

[0041] The various utilization devices 60 perform, for example, the creation of an environmental map using a point cloud, and self-position estimation (SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping)) using a scan matching algorithm (NDT (Normal Distributions Transform), ICP (Iterative Closest Point), etc.).

[0042] A-2. Configuration of the Light Source 122: FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the top configuration of the light source 122, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the cross-sectional configuration of the light source 122 at the position III-III in FIG. 2. FIGS. 2 and 3 show mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes for specifying directions. For convenience, in this specification, the positive Z-axis direction will be referred to as the upward direction, the negative Z-axis direction will be referred to as the downward direction, the positive X-axis direction will be referred to as the rightward direction, the negative X-axis direction will be referred to as the leftward direction, the positive Y-axis direction will be referred to as the forward direction, and the negative Y-axis direction will be referred to as the backward direction. The same applies to FIG. 5 and subsequent figures described below.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the light source 122 includes a light-emitting chip 1100, a substrate 1200, a conductive joint 1300, and a wire 1250.

[0044] The light-emitting chip 1100 is a surface-emitting element array in which a plurality of surface-emitting elements 1110 are two-dimensionally arranged on a substrate (semiconductor substrate, ceramic substrate, etc.). The surface-emitting element 1110 is a surface-emitting type laser light-emitting element, such as a VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser). In other words, the light-emitting chip 1100 is a VCSEL array in which a plurality of VCSELs are arranged. By using a surface-emitting element array as the light source of the projector 120, it is possible to realize a projector 120 that is space-saving and capable of reliable high-speed beam scanning.

[0045] The upper surface 1101 of the light-emitting chip 1100 includes a light-emitting region 1103 and a pair of connection regions 1105. The upper surface 1101 is an example of a second surface. The light-emitting region 1103 is an area in which a plurality of surface light-emitting elements 1110 are arranged, and is an area in which light is emitted by the plurality of surface light-emitting elements 1110. The light-emitting region 1103 is located in the center of the upper surface 1101 in the left-right direction. The pair of connection regions 1105 are located at both ends of the upper surface 1101 in the left-right direction. Each connection region 1105 is electrically connected to the anodes of the plurality of surface light-emitting elements 1110. The lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100 is electrically connected to the cathodes of the plurality of surface light-emitting elements 1110. The lower surface 1102 is an example of a first surface.

[0046] A first conductive pattern 1210 and a pair of second conductive patterns 1220 are formed on the substrate 1200. The first conductive pattern 1210 is disposed in the center of the substrate 1200 in the left-right direction. The pair of second conductive patterns 1220 are disposed at both ends of the substrate 1200 in the left-right direction.

[0047] The joint 1300 is a conductive joint and is made of a conductive material, such as metal (sintered silver, gold-tin (Au—Sn) solder, tin-silver-copper (Sn—Ag—Cu) solder, etc.) or resin containing a metal (e.g., silver) filler.

[0048] The bonding portion 1300 bonds the light-emitting chip 1100 to the first conductive pattern 1210 of the substrate 1200, and also electrically connects the lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100 to the first conductive pattern 1210. Specifically, the upper surface of the bonding portion 1300 is bonded to the lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100 in surface contact. The lower surface of the bonding portion 1300 is bonded to the upper surface of the first conductive pattern 1210 in surface contact. As a result, the cathodes of the multiple surface light-emitting elements 1110 are electrically connected to the first conductive pattern 1210 via the bonding portion 1300.

[0049] The wire 1250 electrically connects the connection region 1105 of the light-emitting chip 1100 and the second conductive pattern 1220 on the substrate 1200. One end of the wire 1250 is bonded to the connection region 1105 of the light-emitting chip 1100, and the other end of the wire 1250 is bonded to the second conductive pattern 1220. In this embodiment, the left connection region 1105 and the left second conductive pattern 1220 are electrically connected by multiple wires 1250 arranged at intervals in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, the right connection region 1105 and the right second conductive pattern 1220 are electrically connected by multiple wires 1250 arranged at intervals in the front-to-rear direction. The wires 1250 are made of, for example, gold.

[0050] A-3. Configuration for suppressing short-circuiting between the cathode of the surface light emitting element 1110 and the conductive member: In this embodiment, the light source 122 has a configuration for suppressing short-circuiting between the cathode of the surface light emitting element 1110 and the conductive member via the joint 1300. The conductive member is, for example, the wire 1250, the second conductive pattern 1220, or another conductive member located around the light emitting chip 1100.

[0051] Specifically, the light source 122 has a protective portion 1310. The protective portion 1310 is a joint having non-conductivity and is made of a non-conductive material. The non-conductive material is, for example, a resin. In addition, the non-conductive material may be a material having a higher thermal conductivity than resin (for example, aluminum oxide (Al ２ O ３ Alternatively, a mixed material may be used in which a filler made of a ceramic material such as aluminum nitride (AlN) or aluminum nitride (AlN) is mixed with a resin.

[0052] The protective portion 1310 covers the entire outer circumferential surface S1 of the joint portion 1300. In other words, the entire outer circumferential surface S1 of the joint portion 1300 is not exposed to the outside.

[0053] The protective portion 1310 has a support portion 1312 and a protrusion 1314 .

[0054] The support portion 1312 is a portion of the protective portion 1310 that is sandwiched between the light-emitting chip 1100 and the first conductive pattern 1210 (substrate 1200). Specifically, in this embodiment, the contour line of the bonding portion 1300 is located inside the contour line of the light-emitting chip 1100 along its entire periphery when viewed in the vertical direction (see FIG. 2 ). Therefore, the peripheral portion of the lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100 is spaced apart from the first conductive pattern 1210 in the vertical direction. The support portion 1312 of the protective portion 1310 is disposed in the gap between the peripheral portion of the lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100 and the first conductive pattern 1210. The upper surface of the support portion 1312 is in contact with the peripheral portion of the lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100, and the lower surface of the support portion 1312 is in contact with the first conductive pattern 1210. In this way, the support portion 1312 supports the peripheral portion of the lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100. The support portion 1312 is arranged around the entire circumference of the joint portion 1300. Moreover, the support portion 1312 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint portion 1300 around the entire circumference. The view from the up-down direction is an example of a view in a direction perpendicular to the light-emitting chip 1100. The direction perpendicular to the light-emitting chip 1100 refers to a direction perpendicular to the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting chip 1100.

[0055] The protruding portion 1314 is a portion of the protective portion 1310 that protrudes outward beyond the light-emitting chip 1100 when viewed in the vertical direction. The area of ​​the exposed surface S2 of the protruding portion 1314 is larger than the contact area (area of ​​the outer peripheral surface S1) between the protective portion 1310 (support portion 1312) and the joint portion 1300. Specifically, the protruding portion 1314 covers the entire outer peripheral surface S1 of the light-emitting chip 1100. Therefore, the peripheral edge of the light-emitting chip 1100 is protected by the protruding portion 1314. The exposed surface S2 of the protruding portion 1314 is a tapered surface that is inclined so as to widen toward the outer periphery as it approaches the substrate 1200. In this way, the exposed surface S2 of the protruding portion 1314 is secured widely, and therefore the heat dissipation properties of the protective portion 1310 are high.

[0056] A-4. Manufacturing Method of Light Source 122: Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing part of the manufacturing process of the light source 122. As shown in Fig. 4, a substrate 1200 having a first conductive pattern 1210 and a second conductive pattern 1220 formed thereon is prepared (S1110).

[0057] Next, a first bonding material is applied between the lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100 and the first conductive pattern 1210 of the substrate 1200, and a second bonding material is applied around the first bonding material (S1120). The first bonding material is made of a conductive bonding material (e.g., an adhesive resin paste containing a conductive material or solder), and when hardened, forms the bonding portion 1300. The second bonding material is made of a non-conductive bonding material (e.g., an adhesive resin paste not containing a conductive material), and when hardened, forms the protective portion 1310.

[0058] For example, the light emitting chip 1100 and the first conductive pattern 1210 may be soldered together using a first bonding material, which is solder, and then a second bonding material may be applied around the first bonding material. Alternatively, the first bonding material and the second bonding material, both having adhesive properties, may be applied to the first conductive pattern 1210, and then the light emitting chip 1100 may be placed on the first bonding material and the second bonding material. The order in which the first conductive pattern 1210 is applied may be either the first bonding material or the second bonding material. By applying the second bonding material around the first bonding material, it is possible to prevent the first bonding material from protruding outside the light emitting chip 1100 or creeping up toward the outer peripheral surface of the light emitting chip 1100.

[0059] Next, the first bonding material and the second bonding material are hardened to form a conductive bonding portion 1300 formed between the lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100 and the substrate 1200 (first conductive pattern 1210), and a protective portion 1310 covering the outer surface S1 of the bonding portion 1300 (S1130).

[0060] Next, the upper surface 1101 (connection region 1105) of the light-emitting chip 1100 and the second conductive pattern 1220 are electrically connected by a wire 1250 (S1140). If a non-conductive second bonding material (protective portion 1310, if cured) were not present around the conductive first bonding material (bonding portion 1300, if cured), the wire 1250 could come into contact with the first bonding material and cause a short circuit when connected. However, in this embodiment, the second bonding material is disposed around the first bonding material, and the connection region 1105 side of the outer peripheral surface S1 of the first bonding material is not exposed to the outside. Therefore, a short circuit between the wire 1250 and the first bonding material can be suppressed when the wire 1250 is connected. At least one of the first bonding material and the second bonding material may be cured before, after, or during the step S1140. Thereafter, a predetermined post-processing is performed, thereby completing the manufacture of the light source 122.

[0061] A-5. Advantages of the Present Embodiment: As described above, in the light source 122 of the present embodiment, the non-conductive protective portion 1310 covers the outer peripheral surface S1 of the conductive joint portion 1300 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the protective portion 1310 is not disposed on the outer peripheral side of the joint portion 1300, it is possible to prevent the cathode of the surface light emitting element 1110 from shorting out to a conductive member, such as the anode of the surface light emitting element 1110, via the joint portion 1300. Moreover, in the present embodiment, the protective portion 1310 covers the entire outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint portion 1300. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the cathode of the surface light emitting element 1110 from shorting out to a conductive member via the joint portion 1300.

[0062] 3 were configured without the support portion 1312, the peripheral portion of the lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100 would be suspended above the substrate 1200. As a result, when a load is applied to the peripheral portion of the light-emitting chip 1100, the light-emitting chip 1100 would be easily damaged. In contrast, in this embodiment, the protective portion 1310 has the support portion 1312 that is sandwiched between the light-emitting chip 1100 and the first conductive pattern 1210 (substrate 1200). As a result, according to this embodiment, damage to the light-emitting chip 1100 due to the application of a load to the light-emitting chip 1100 can be suppressed, for example, compared to a configuration without the support portion 1312.

[0063] In this embodiment, the protective portion 1310 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint 1300, which functions as a conductive path. The area of ​​the exposed surface S2 of the protruding portion 1314 is larger than the contact area (area of ​​the outer peripheral surface S1) between the joint 1300 and the support portion 1312. As a result, according to this embodiment, heat generated at the joint 1300 can be effectively released via the protective portion 1310.

[0064] B. Second Embodiment: Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the top view of light source 122a in this second embodiment, and Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the cross-sectional configuration of light source 122 taken along line VI-VI in Fig. 5. In the following, the description of the configuration of measuring device 110 of the second embodiment that is the same as that of measuring device 110 of the first embodiment described above will be omitted as appropriate.

[0065] B-1. Configuration for preventing short-circuiting between the cathode of the surface light emitting element 1110 and the conductive member: In the second embodiment, the light source 122a has a different configuration from the light source 122 of the first embodiment. Specifically, the light source 122a differs in that it does not include a protective portion 1310 for the light source 122. However, in the second embodiment, the light source 122a also has a configuration for preventing short-circuiting between the cathode of the surface light emitting element 1110 and the conductive member via the joint portion 1300.

[0066] The light source 122a further satisfies the following first condition. <First Condition> When viewed from the top-bottom direction, the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint portion 1300 is located inside the outer edge of the light-emitting chip 1100 (see FIG. 5 ), and the connection portion 1252 between the wire 1250 and the upper surface 1101 (connection region 1105) of the light-emitting chip 1100 is located inside the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint portion 1300. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6 , a first distance D1 from the central axis C of the light-emitting chip 1100 to the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint portion 1300 is shorter than a second distance D2 from the central axis C to the outer peripheral surface of the light-emitting chip 1100. In addition, a third distance D3 from the central axis C to the connection portion 1252 is shorter than the first distance D1.

[0067] The light source 22a further satisfies the following second condition. <Second Condition> When viewed from the vertical direction, the periphery of the light-emitting region 1103 of the light-emitting chip 1100 is located inside the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint 1300, and the inclination angle θ of an imaginary plane L passing through the ridge line of the light-emitting region 1103 and the ridge line of the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint 1300 with respect to the vertical direction is 45 degrees or more. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6 , a fourth distance D4 from the central axis C to the periphery of the light-emitting region 1103 is shorter than the first distance D1. The inclination angle θ of the imaginary plane L with respect to the central axis C is 45 degrees or more.

[0068] B-2. Advantages of this embodiment: As described above, in the light source 122a of this embodiment, the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint 1300 is located inside the outer edge of the light-emitting chip 1100 when viewed in the vertical direction (see FIG. 5, first condition). Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the joint 1300 protrudes outside the light-emitting chip 1100, for example, it is possible to prevent the cathode of the surface light-emitting element 1110 from shorting to the conductive member via the joint 1300. Moreover, in this embodiment, the outer edge of the first conductive pattern 1210 is also located inside the outer edge of the light-emitting chip 1100 when viewed in the vertical direction (see FIG. 6).

[0069] In this embodiment, the connection portion 1252 between the wire 1250 and the upper surface 1101 of the light-emitting chip 1100 is located inside the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint portion 1300 (first condition). According to this embodiment, compared to a configuration in which the connection portion 1252 is located outside the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint portion 1300, for example, it is possible to suppress damage to the light-emitting chip 1100 due to application of a load to the connection portion 1252 of the light-emitting chip 1100.

[0070] In this embodiment, the periphery of the light-emitting region 1103 of the light-emitting chip 1100 is located inside the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint 1300, and the inclination angle θ of an imaginary plane L passing through the ridge line of the light-emitting region 1103 and the ridge line of the outer peripheral surface S1 of the joint 1300 relative to the vertical direction is 45 degrees or more (second condition). The radiation angle at which heat generated in the light-emitting region 1103 diffuses toward the lower surface 1102 of the light-emitting chip 1100 is 45 degrees or less with respect to the central axis C. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the heat generated in the light-emitting region 1103 can be more effectively released to the outside by the joint 1300 than in a configuration in which the inclination angle θ is less than 45 degrees, for example.

[0071] C. Modifications: The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the following modifications are also possible.

[0072] The configurations of the measuring device 110 and the light sources 122, 122a in the above embodiment are merely examples, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the light sources 122, 122a are illustrated as having a plurality of surface light emitting elements 1110 arranged therein, but the light source may be configured to have a single surface light emitting element arranged therein.

[0073] In the above embodiment, a pair of connection regions 1105 arranged on the left and right sides are arranged on the upper surface 1101 of the light-emitting chip 1100, but a configuration in which the connection region 1105 is arranged on only one of the left and right sides may be adopted. Also, in the above embodiment, a pair of second conductive patterns 1220 are formed on the substrate 1200, but a configuration in which only one of the pair of second conductive patterns 1220 is arranged may be adopted. In the above embodiment, the connection region 1105 and the second conductive pattern 1220 are electrically connected by multiple wires 1250, but the connection region 1105 and the second conductive pattern 1220 may be electrically connected by a single wire 1250.

[0074] In the first embodiment, the protective portion 1310 has a bonding function for bonding the light-emitting chip 1100 and the substrate 1200 (first conductive pattern 1210). However, the protective portion 1310 may not have this bonding function. For example, the protective portion 1310 may be fixedly disposed on the substrate 1200 and not be bonded to the light-emitting chip 1100. In this configuration, the protective portion 1310 is preferably in contact with the light-emitting chip 1100. However, the protective portion 1310 may not be in contact with the light-emitting chip 1100 and may cover only a lower portion of the outer peripheral surface S1 of the bonding portion 1300. If the protective portion 1310 covers even a portion of the outer peripheral surface S1 of the bonding portion 1300, it is possible to prevent the cathode of the surface light-emitting element 1110 from shorting to a conductive member such as the wire 1250 via the bonding portion 1300.

[0075] In the first embodiment, the protective portion 1310 covers the entire outer peripheral surface S1 of the bonding portion 1300, but the protective portion 1310 may cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface S1 of the bonding portion 1300. For example, the protective portion 1310 may cover only the connection region 1105 side of the outer peripheral surface S1 of the bonding portion 1300. This effectively prevents the cathode of the surface light emitting element 1110 from shorting to the wire 1250 via the bonding portion 1300.

[0076] In the first embodiment, at least a part of the contour of the joint 1300 may be located outside the contour of the light-emitting chip 1100 when viewed from the top to bottom. In addition, in the first embodiment, the protection part 1310 may be configured without either the support part 1312 or the protrusion 1314. In addition, at least one of the support part 1312 and the protrusion 1314 may be disposed only in a part of the periphery of the joint 1300.

[0077] In the first embodiment, the protective portion 1310 may not be in contact with the joint portion 1300. However, if the protective portion 1310 is in contact with the joint portion 1300, it is possible to improve the heat dissipation property of dissipating heat generated at the joint portion 1300 due to current flow to the outside via the protective portion 1310. In the first embodiment, the area of ​​the exposed surface S2 of the protruding portion 1314 may be equal to or smaller than the contact area between the joint portion 1300 and the protective portion 1310. Furthermore, the exposed surface S2 of the protruding portion 1314 is not limited to a tapered surface, and may be a flat surface extending in the vertical direction or a curved surface.

[0078] In the second embodiment, either the first condition or the second condition may not be satisfied. In addition, the outer edge of the first conductive pattern 1210 may be positioned outside the outer edge of the light-emitting chip 1100 when viewed from the top to bottom.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the materials used to form the components are merely examples, and the components may be formed from other materials.

[0080] D. Third Embodiment: A third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that descriptions of components having the same reference numbers as components already described in the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate. D-1. Configuration of Measuring Device 210: FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of measuring device 210 in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, measuring device 210 includes a projector 220 that irradiates measurement target W with emitted light L1 (e.g., a light beam (laser light)) and a photoreceiver 230 that receives reflected light L2 (return light) that is generated when emitted light L1 reflects off measurement target W and returns, and functions as a flash LiDAR. Measuring device 210 acquires information about measurement target W by measuring the difference between the timing at which projector 220 emits emitted light L1 and the timing at which photoreceiver 230 receives reflected light L2 (time of flight of laser light, hereinafter referred to as "TOF").

[0081] The measuring device 210 is mounted on, for example, a vehicle (not shown) equipped with an AD or ADAS. The measuring device 210 assists in detecting objects such as people and other vehicles while the vehicle is traveling, and provides various information to other devices and users that is useful for ensuring the safety of the driver of the vehicle and those around the vehicle, and for reducing damage to surrounding objects while the vehicle is being driven.

[0082] The light projector 220 includes a light source 222 , a light projecting optical system 224 , a light projecting control device 226 , and a current source 228 .

[0083] The light source 222 includes a light source having one or more semiconductor lasers (not shown), or one or more semiconductor laser arrays (for example, semiconductor lasers arranged linearly (one-dimensionally) or planarly (two-dimensionally)). The semiconductor laser is, for example, an external cavity vertical surface emitting laser or a laser diode. In this embodiment, the light source 222 has one semiconductor laser 223.

[0084] The current source 228 supplies a current corresponding to a control signal input from the light projection control device 226 to the semiconductor laser 223 constituting the light source 222. The current source 228 supplies, for example, a periodic square wave current to the semiconductor laser 223 for turning on and off the current flowing through the semiconductor laser 223.

[0085] The light-projection control device 226 generates a control signal for controlling the current source 228 and inputs the control signal to the current source 228, thereby controlling the current (drive current) supplied from the current source 228 to the semiconductor laser 223. The light-projection control device 226 inputs a signal indicating the timing of light projection at which the semiconductor laser 223 emits light to the TOF measurement device 40. The light-projection control device 226 periodically turns on and off the current flowing through the semiconductor laser 223, for example, thereby causing the semiconductor laser 223 to periodically emit light.

[0086] The light projection optical system 224 adjusts the light distribution of the output light L1 by, for example, applying an optical effect (such as refraction, scattering, or diffraction) to the light emitted by the light source 222. The light projection optical system 224 is configured using optical components such as various lenses, such as collimating lenses, and reflecting mirrors (mirrors).

[0087] The light receiver 230 includes a light receiving section 232 , a filter 233 , and a light receiving optical system 234 .

[0088] The light receiving optical system 234 collects reflected light L2, which is light L1 emitted from the light projector 220 and reflected by the measurement target W or the like, onto the light receiving unit 232. The light receiving optical system 234 is configured using optical components such as various lenses, such as a collecting lens, and a reflecting mirror (mirror).

[0089] The light receiving unit 232 is a light receiving source having one or more light receiving elements (not shown), or one or more light receiving element arrays (e.g., light receiving elements arranged linearly (one-dimensionally) or planarly (two-dimensionally)). The light receiving elements are, for example, photodiodes, SPADs (Single Photon Avalanche Diodes), balanced photodetectors, etc. The light receiving unit 232 photoelectrically converts the reflected light L2 incident from the light receiving optical system 234 to generate a current (hereinafter referred to as a "light receiving current") corresponding to the intensity of the reflected light L2. The light receiving unit 232 inputs, to the TOF measurement device 40, a signal indicating the timing (hereinafter referred to as a "light receiving timing") at which the light receiving elements constituting the light receiving unit 232 receive the reflected light L2, as well as the light receiving current generated by the light receiving elements.

[0090] The filter 233 is a wavelength filter, such as a band-pass filter, that passes laser light in a specific pass band. The specific pass band of the filter 233 will be described later. The filter 233 is disposed between the light receiving optical system 234 and the light receiving unit 232.

[0091] The measurement device 210 further includes a TOF measurement device 40, a controller 42, and a communication I / F (Inter face) 50. Information generated by the controller 42 is provided (transmitted) to various utilization devices 60 via the communication I / F 50.

[0092] D-2. Specific pass band of filter 233: The specification sheet of the semiconductor laser 223 indicates a specified wavelength band B. The specified wavelength band B is a variation range (bandwidth) that is assumed in advance for the wavelength of the laser light (emitted light L1) emitted by the semiconductor laser 223. The specified wavelength band B is specified based on, for example, manufacturing variations of the semiconductor laser 223.

[0093] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the specified wavelength band B of the semiconductor laser 223. The horizontal axis of FIG. 8 represents the wavelength band of light, the left vertical axis represents the laser intensity of the laser light (emitted light L1) emitted by the semiconductor laser 223, and the right vertical axis represents the filter transmittance of the filter 233 (the same applies to FIGS. 10 to 12 described below). Graph G1 in FIG. 8 shows the results of measuring the laser intensity of the laser light for multiple semiconductor lasers 223 (the same applies to FIGS. 10 to 12 described below). According to graph G1, the peak wavelengths at which the laser intensity peaks are different for the multiple semiconductor lasers 223. In other words, the wavelengths (peak wavelengths) of the laser light for the multiple semiconductor lasers 223 vary. The specified wavelength band B is a band that includes the range of variation in peak wavelength that is expected in advance for the semiconductor laser 223.

[0094] Graph G2 in FIG. 8 shows the filter transmittance (the same applies to FIGS. 11 and 12 described below). Symbol H in FIG. 8 denotes the passband H of the filter of the comparative example. The passband H of the filter of the comparative example is set to a bandwidth that includes the specified wavelength band B. Therefore, laser light emitted by all semiconductor lasers 223 whose peak wavelengths fall within the specified wavelength band B passes through the filter of the comparative example and is received by the light-receiving unit 232. However, the passband H of the filter of the comparative example is set to a wide bandwidth that includes the specified wavelength band B. Therefore, not only the laser light emitted by the semiconductor laser 223 but also ambient light such as sunlight having a wavelength different from that of the semiconductor laser 223 passes through the filter of the comparative example and is received by the light-receiving unit 232. As a result, the measurement accuracy of the measurement device 210 (e.g., the measurable distance becomes shorter) may be reduced.

[0095] In contrast, in the measurement apparatus 210 of this embodiment, the specific pass band of the filter 233 is part of the specified wavelength band B. The specific pass band of the filter 233 includes the peak wavelength of the laser light emitted by the semiconductor laser 223 mounted in the measurement apparatus 210. Furthermore, the bandwidth of the specific pass band of the filter 233 is equal to or less than half the bandwidth of the specified wavelength band B.

[0096] D-3. Manufacturing Method of Measuring Device 210: Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing part of the manufacturing process of the measuring device 210, and Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the classification of the specified wavelength band B. As shown in Fig. 10, the specified wavelength band B is divided into three wavelength classes f1 to f3. The three wavelength classes f1 to f3 are wavelength bands obtained, for example, by equally dividing the specified wavelength band B into three.

[0097] 9, the peak wavelength of a semiconductor laser 223 selected from the plurality of semiconductor lasers 223 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the "selected semiconductor laser 223") is measured (S2110). For example, the selected semiconductor laser 223 is caused to emit light, and the peak wavelength of the laser light emitted by the selected semiconductor laser 223 is measured using a known wavelength measuring device (such as an optical wavelength meter).

[0098] Next, it is determined to which wavelength class the peak wavelength of the selected semiconductor laser 223 belongs (S2120). Based on the measurement result in S2110, it is determined to which of the three wavelength classes f1 to f3 the selected semiconductor laser 223 belongs. Note that at least a part of the steps S2110 and S2120 may be performed manually or automatically by a machine such as a robot.

[0099] Next, a filter 233 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "corresponding filter 233") having a specific pass band corresponding to the wavelength class to which the selected semiconductor laser 223 belongs is prepared (S2130). FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific pass band H1 for the first wavelength class f1, and FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific pass band H2 for the second wavelength class f2. As shown in FIG. 11, when the peak wavelength of the selected semiconductor laser 223 belongs to the first wavelength class f1, the specific pass band H1 of the filter 233 has a bandwidth narrower than the specified wavelength band B and is a band that includes the first wavelength class f1. As shown in FIG. 12, when the peak wavelength of the selected semiconductor laser 223 belongs to the second wavelength class f2, the specific pass band H2 of the filter 233 has a bandwidth narrower than the specified wavelength band B and is a band that includes the second wavelength class f2.

[0100] Next, the selected semiconductor laser 223 is placed in the light projector 220, and the corresponding filter 233 is placed in the light receiver 230 (S2140). Thereafter, the remaining assembly steps and the like are performed to complete the manufacture of the measuring device 210. According to this manufacturing method, it is possible to efficiently manufacture the measuring device 210 in which the influence of noise is more effectively suppressed.

[0101] D-4. Advantages of this embodiment: As described above, in measuring device 210 of this embodiment, the specific pass band of filter 233 is part of specified wavelength band B. The specific pass band of filter 233 includes the peak wavelength of the laser light emitted by semiconductor laser 223 mounted in measuring device 210. Therefore, according to this embodiment, compared to a configuration in which the specific pass band of filter 233 is the same as specified wavelength band B, the influence of noise from, for example, sunlight is suppressed, and the measurable distance can be improved.

[0102] In this embodiment, the bandwidth of the specific passband of the filter 233 is equal to or less than half the bandwidth of the specified wavelength band B. This makes it possible to more effectively suppress the influence of noise.

[0103] E. Modifications: The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the following modifications are also possible.

[0104] The configurations of the measuring device 210, the light projector 220, and the light receiver 230 in the above embodiment are merely examples, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the filter 233 is disposed between the light receiving optical system 234 and the light receiving unit 232, but it may be disposed in front of the light receiving optical system 234, or may be incorporated as a part of the light receiving optical system 234.

[0105] In the above embodiment, the measurement device 210 includes one semiconductor laser 223 and one filter 233. However, this is not limiting and the measurement device 210 may include multiple semiconductor lasers and multiple filters corresponding to the multiple semiconductor lasers. For example, the light projector 220 may include a first semiconductor laser and a second semiconductor laser, a first filter that passes laser light emitted by the first semiconductor laser, and a second filter that passes laser light emitted by the second semiconductor laser. In this case, it is preferable that the first semiconductor laser and the second semiconductor laser have the same specified wavelength band, and the first filter and the second filter have different specific pass bands. Specifically, if the peak wavelength of the first semiconductor laser belongs to the first wavelength class f1, the specific pass band of the first filter is the specific pass band H1 corresponding to the first wavelength class f1. When the peak wavelength of the second semiconductor laser belongs to the second wavelength class f2, the specific pass band of the first filter is the specific pass band H2 corresponding to the first wavelength class f2. This reduces the influence of noise in measurements based on the laser light from the first semiconductor laser and the second semiconductor, thereby improving the measurable distance, for example.

[0106] In the above embodiment, the bandwidth of the specific pass band of filter 233 is equal to or less than ½ of the bandwidth of specified wavelength band B, but is not limited thereto and may be, for example, equal to or less than ⅓ of the bandwidth of specified wavelength band B, or equal to or less than ⅕ of the bandwidth of specified wavelength band B. The lower limit of the bandwidth of the specific pass band of filter 233 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, equal to or more than 1 / 100 or equal to or more than 1 / 20 of the bandwidth of specified wavelength band B.

[0107] In the manufacturing method of the measurement device 210 in the above embodiment, the specified wavelength band B is divided equally into three wavelength classes f1 to f3, but this is not limiting, and the specified wavelength band B may be divided into two wavelength classes, or into four or more wavelength classes. Furthermore, the bandwidths of at least two of the multiple wavelength classes may be different from each other.

[0108] In the above embodiment, the materials used to form the components are merely examples, and the components may be formed from other materials.

[0109] The embodiments disclosed in this specification can be combined as appropriate, and configurations obtained by combining them are also included in the present disclosure. For example, the light source 122 in the first embodiment or the light source 122a in the second embodiment may be used as the light source 222 in the measurement device 210 in the third embodiment.

[0110] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-116439 filed on July 18, 2023 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-116441 filed on July 18, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A light source comprising: a light-emitting chip on which a surface-emitting element is arranged, the light-emitting chip having a first surface electrically connected to a cathode of the surface-emitting element and a second surface electrically connected to an anode of the surface-emitting element; a substrate on which a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern are formed; a conductive joint that joins the first surface of the light-emitting chip to the first conductive pattern; and a wire that electrically connects the second surface of the light-emitting chip to the second conductive pattern, the light source comprising: a non-conductive protective part that is arranged on the outer periphery of the joint and covers at least a portion of the outer periphery of the joint.

2. A light source as described in claim 1, wherein a connection portion to which the wire is electrically connected is provided on the peripheral portion of the second surface of the light-emitting chip, and the protective portion covers the outer peripheral surface of the joint on the connection portion side.

3. A light source according to claim 1, wherein the protective portion covers the entire outer periphery of the joint portion.

4. A light source as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the light-emitting chip, at least a portion of the outer surface of the joint is located inside the outer edge of the light-emitting chip, and the protective portion has a support portion sandwiched between the light-emitting chip and the substrate.

5. A light source as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protective portion is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the joint, and the area of ​​the exposed surface of the protective portion is larger than the contact area between the protective portion and the joint.

6. A measuring device comprising: a light projector having a light source according to any one of claims 1 to 3; and a light receiver for receiving light output from the light projector and reflected by an object to be measured.

7. A method for manufacturing a light source including a light-emitting chip on which a surface-emitting element is arranged, the light-emitting chip having a first surface electrically connected to a cathode of the surface-emitting element and a second surface electrically connected to an anode of the surface-emitting element, and a substrate on which a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern are formed, the method comprising the steps of: applying a conductive first bonding material between the first surface of the light-emitting chip and the first conductive pattern of the substrate, and applying a non-conductive second bonding material to at least a portion of a periphery of the first bonding material; electrically connecting the second surface of the light-emitting chip and the second conductive pattern with a wire; and hardening the first bonding material and the second bonding material to form a conductive bonding portion formed between the first surface of the light-emitting chip and the substrate, and a protective portion covering at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the bonding portion.

8. A light source comprising: a light-emitting chip on which a surface-emitting element is arranged, the light-emitting chip having a first surface electrically connected to a cathode of the surface-emitting element and a second surface electrically connected to an anode of the surface-emitting element; a substrate on which a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern are formed; a conductive joint that joins the first surface of the light-emitting chip to the first conductive pattern; and a wire that electrically connects the second surface of the light-emitting chip to the second conductive pattern, wherein, when viewed in a first direction perpendicular to the light-emitting chip, at least a part of an outer peripheral surface of the joint is located inside an outer edge of the light-emitting chip, and a connection portion between the wire and the second surface is located inside the outer peripheral surface of the joint.

9. A light source as described in claim 8, wherein, when viewed in the first direction, the periphery of the light-emitting region of the light-emitting chip is located inside the outer peripheral surface of the joint, and an inclination angle θ of a virtual plane passing through the ridgeline of the light-emitting region and the ridgeline of the outer peripheral surface of the joint with respect to the first direction is 45 degrees or more.

10. A measuring device comprising: a light projector having a semiconductor laser that emits laser light; a filter that passes laser light of a specific pass band among the laser light output from the light projector and reflected by an object to be measured; and a light receiver having a light receiving element that receives the laser light that has passed through the filter, wherein the specific pass band of the filter is a part of a specified wavelength band that is specified based on manufacturing variations of the semiconductor laser.

11. A measuring device as described in claim 10, wherein the semiconductor laser includes a first semiconductor laser and a second semiconductor laser, the filter includes a first filter that passes laser light emitted by the first semiconductor laser and a second filter that passes laser light emitted by the second semiconductor laser, the first semiconductor laser and the second semiconductor laser have the same specified wavelength band, and the first filter and the second filter have different specific pass bands.

12. A measuring device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the bandwidth of the specific passband is equal to or less than half the bandwidth of the specified wavelength band.

13. A method for manufacturing a measuring device including a light projector having a semiconductor laser that emits laser light, and a light receiver having a filter that passes laser light of a specific pass band among the laser light output from the light projector and reflected by an object to be measured, and a light receiving element that receives the laser light that has passed through the filter, the method including the steps of: determining to which of a plurality of wavelength classes a selected semiconductor laser selected from a plurality of semiconductor lasers belongs by dividing a specified wavelength band that is specified based on manufacturing variations of the semiconductor lasers; and arranging in the light receiver the filter having a specific pass band that corresponds to the wavelength class to which the selected semiconductor laser belongs.

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