Area array detector, detection device, laser radar, and terminal

Abstract

An area array detector (12), a detection device (10), a laser radar, and a terminal, applied to the technical field of detection. The area array detector (12) comprises a first receiving region (*1) and second receiving regions (#1), wherein the first receiving region (*1) is adjacent to the second receiving regions (#1). The first receiving region (*1) comprises a plurality of first detection elements which are two-dimensionally arranged adjacent to each other, and each second receiving region (#1) comprises a plurality of second detection elements which are two-dimensionally arranged adjacent to each other. The first detection elements and the second detection elements are all used for receiving light beams, and the PDE of the first detection elements is higher than that of the second detection elements. The detection device can improve the dynamic range thereof without remarkably increasing the cost and the volume of the whole device, and can reduce the impact of stray light on the detection performance while improving the distance measurement capability.

Description

A planar array detector, detection device, lidar, and terminal

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410464812.5, filed on April 15, 2024, entitled “A Surface Array Detector, Detection Device, LiDAR and Terminal”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of detection technology, and in particular to a surface array detector, detection device, lidar, and terminal. Background Technology

[0003] With the rapid advancements in information technology and computer vision, detection technology has developed at an unprecedented pace, bringing immense convenience to people's production and daily lives through a wide variety of detection devices. These devices act as the "eyes" for equipment to perceive its environment, including visual sensors such as cameras and radar sensors such as lidar, millimeter-wave radar, and ultrasonic radar. Among these, lidar (light detection and ranging, LiDAR) offers significant advantages in detection range, ranging accuracy, and reliability, and its near-all-weather operation makes it a key sensor in the field of perception, playing a crucial role in areas such as intelligent driving, intelligent transportation, surveying and mapping, and intelligent manufacturing.

[0004] The detection principle of lidar is to emit a light beam and receive the echo reflected from the target to obtain relevant information about the target in the object space. Because the energy of light attenuates with distance as it propagates in the object space, and the degree of attenuation is affected by the environment, the energy intensity of the echoes formed by the target reflection varies significantly when lidar measures targets at different distances and under different environments. However, lidar applications often require high detection accuracy over a large distance range; that is, lidar needs to achieve a large dynamic range. This necessitates that the lidar receiver ensure that echoes from long distances are detected while also preventing the energy of nearby echoes from being overwhelmed, thus balancing long-range and short-range measurement performance. To achieve a large dynamic range, some devices install multiple lidar units, each handling short-range and long-range detection separately. This approach is costly, and multiple lidar units occupy a large space, hindering the miniaturization of the equipment.

[0005] How to improve the dynamic range of the detection device without significantly increasing the cost and size of the device has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a planar array detector, a detection device, a lidar, and a terminal, which can improve the dynamic range of the detection device without significantly increasing the cost and overall size, and can improve the distance measurement capability of the detection device while reducing the impact of stray light on the detection performance.

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides a planar array detector, including a first receiving region and a second receiving region, which are adjacent to each other. The first receiving region includes a plurality of first detection elements arranged in a two-dimensional adjacent manner, and the second receiving region includes a plurality of second detection elements arranged in a two-dimensional adjacent manner. Both the first and second detection elements are used to receive light beams, and the photon detection efficiency (PDE) of the first detection elements is higher than that of the second detection elements.

[0008] Here, PDE refers to the photon detection efficiency of the detector element, usually expressed as a percentage. Two-dimensional adjacent arrangement means that the detector elements are arranged in multiple rows and columns and the detector elements are adjacent to each other. For example, in the first receiving region, the first detector element is surrounded by other first detector elements, and no other detector elements are arranged.

[0009] When a detector performs a detection operation, the intensity distribution of the light beam from the object space varies considerably, with higher intensity in some areas and lower intensity in others. For example, the light beam emitted from the transmitter of the detection device often has higher intensity in the central region and lower intensity at the edges. Furthermore, the echoes from distant targets have lower intensity, while the echoes from approaching or exiting targets have higher intensity.

[0010] In this application, at least two regions with different PDEs are formed on the area array detector. The detection element in the first receiving region has a higher PDE, enabling more accurate detection of weak light areas and thus improving the range finding capability of the detection device. The detection element in the second receiving region has a lower PDE, ensuring that the area array detector can still perform detection in strong stray light environments and reducing the impact of stray light on detection performance. In summary, the area array detector provided in this application can improve the dynamic range of the detection device, enhancing its range finding capability while reducing the impact of stray light on detection performance. Furthermore, the above improvements can be implemented on the area array detector without adding additional components, thus not significantly increasing costs and having a minimal impact on the overall size of the device using this area array detector.

[0011] When using an area array detector to detect targets in object space, the light intensity of the echo from distant targets is relatively weak. Therefore, the second detection element in the second receiving area may have difficulty accurately detecting the signal, but the first detection element in the first receiving area can respond. For closer targets, the light intensity of the echo is relatively high, but it is also easily affected by near-end stray light. In this case, the signal detected by the first detection element may be overwhelmed by the near-end stray light, but the second detection element in the second receiving area has a lower PDE, thus detecting the echo from the near-end target. Using the area array detector of this application, the detection device can detect more distant targets, and at close range, it can also reduce the influence of near-end stray light on the echo from the near-end target.

[0012] In one possible implementation of the first aspect, the first and second detection elements are of the same type. In some possible solutions, the first and second detection elements are one of the following detection elements: single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD), silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), avalanche photodetector (APD), multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC), or electron multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD). For example, both the first and second detection elements may be SPADs.

[0013] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the first and second detection elements are of different types; for example, the first detection element is a SiPM and the second detection element is a SPAD.

[0014] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the center of the beam spot falls into a first receiving region, and the edge of the beam spot falls into a second receiving region. Since the light intensity is higher at the center of the spot and lower at the edge, using a receiving region with a high PDE to receive the light from the center of the beam spot and a receiving region with a low PDE to receive the light from the edge of the beam spot improves the detection capability for weak light, reduces the influence of stray light under strong light conditions, enhances the distance measurement capability of the detection device, and reduces the impact of stray light on detection performance.

[0015] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the first receiving region and the second receiving region are arranged alternately along the first direction. This alternating arrangement satisfies the requirement for zoned reception of the light beam.

[0016] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the area array detector includes one first receiving area and two second receiving areas, with the second receiving areas disposed on both sides of the first receiving area along the first direction.

[0017] In some schemes, the detection device uses a line beam for detection. The light intensity is higher in the middle region of the line beam and lower at the two edges. Therefore, the arrangement of the first and second receiving regions proposed in the above embodiment can be adapted to the regional distribution of the light intensity of the line beam. When using a linear beam for detection, this embodiment can further improve the distance measurement capability of the detection device while reducing the impact of stray light on the detection performance.

[0018] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the area array detector includes a plurality of first receiving regions and a plurality of second receiving regions, wherein a second receiving region is provided on both sides of each first receiving region along a first direction.

[0019] As one possible application example, the beam includes multiple channels, each channel forming a line spot (or other shaped spot), and a first receiving area and two adjacent second receiving areas receive the beam from one channel. The first receiving area is used to receive the center of the beam spot from one channel, while the two side edges of the beam from that channel fall into the second receiving areas on either side of the first receiving area.

[0020] As another possible application example, the beam includes multiple channels, each channel forming a line spot (or other shape of spot), and a first receiving area is used to receive the beam from a portion of the channels, while a second receiving area is used to receive the beam from the remaining channels.

[0021] In some schemes, the beam received by the area array detector may include the echo of the emitted beam, so the beam received by the area array detector can be called the returned beam.

[0022] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, a second receiving region is disposed around the first receiving region. In this case, the first receiving region is used to receive the center of the light beam spot, while the light from the peripheral edges of the light beam falls into the second receiving region.

[0023] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the area array detector is applied to a scanning detection device. The first receiving region is located in the middle region of the region of interest (ROI) of the area array detector, and the second receiving region is located in the edge region of the ROI.

[0024] For a scanning detection device, the position of the returned beam spot falls within the ROI of the area array detector. The first receiving area is located in the middle region of the ROI, so that the first receiving area can be used to receive the center of the returned beam spot, while the second receiving area is located in the edge region of the ROI of the area array detector, so that the first receiving area can be used to receive the edge of the returned beam spot.

[0025] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the PDE of the first detection element is adjustable. Thus, the PDE of the first detection element can be adjusted according to actual needs, enabling the area array detector to be applicable to various application scenarios and improving its flexibility and service quality.

[0026] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the PDE of the second detection element is adjustable. This allows the PDE of the second detection element to be adjusted according to actual needs, enabling the area array detector to be applicable to various application scenarios and improving its flexibility and service quality.

[0027] In detector elements, photons are absorbed in the depletion layer, generating electron-hole pairs. The thickness and doping concentration of the depletion layer affect the probability of photon absorption. Therefore, some schemes can achieve different PDEs in the detector element by designing different depletion layer thicknesses and doping concentrations.

[0028] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the doping concentration of the depletion layer of the first detector element is lower than that of the depletion layer of the second detector element. Thus, photons are more easily absorbed when passing through the depletion layer of the first detector element, generating electron-hole pairs, resulting in a higher PDE for the first detector element.

[0029] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the thickness of the depletion layer of the first detector element is greater than the thickness of the depletion layer of the second detector element. Thus, photons are more easily absorbed when passing through the depletion layer of the first detector element, generating electron-hole pairs, resulting in a higher PDE for the first detector element.

[0030] Detectors typically include a reflector, positioned on the side of the detector away from the photosensitive surface; for example, the reflector might be a metal plate at the bottom of the detector. When photons enter the depletion layer of the detector from the photosensitive surface, some photons are absorbed, while others may not be absorbed. The reflector reflects the unabsorbed photons back to the depletion layer for secondary absorption. A larger reflective surface area and higher reflectivity result in a higher probability of photon reflection and a higher photon rejection ratio (PDE) for the detector. In some designs, the PDE of the detector is altered by changing the area or reflectivity of the reflector.

[0031] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the first detection element includes a first reflector located on the side of the first detection element away from the photosensitive surface of the first detection element. The second detection element includes a second reflector located on the side of the second detection element away from the photosensitive surface of the second detection element. Wherein, the area of ​​the first reflector is larger than the area of ​​the second reflector and / or the reflectivity of the first reflector is greater than the reflectivity of the second reflector, such that the PDE of the first detection element is higher than the PDE of the second detection element.

[0032] In some designs, an optical element can be positioned above the photosensitive surface of the detector element. The properties of this optical element can also affect its PDE (Progressive Density Parameter). By controlling whether a lens is present in front of the photosensitive surface of the detector element, or by designing parameters such as the curvature of the lens, the light beam falling on the first detector element and the light beam falling on the second detector element can be different, thus achieving different PDEs for the detector elements. For example, the lens includes a microlens.

[0033] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the area array detector further includes a first optical element disposed in front of the photosensitive surface of the first detection element. The first optical element is used to converge the light entering the first detection element. Through the converging effect of the first optical element, a larger amount of light enters the first detection element, thereby achieving a higher PDE for the first detection element than for the second detection element.

[0034] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the area array detector further includes a second optical element disposed in front of the photosensitive surface of the second detector element. The second optical element is used to diffuse or block light entering the second detector element. By diffused or blocked by the second optical element, the amount of light entering the second detector element is reduced, thereby achieving a higher PDE for the first detector element than for the second detector element.

[0035] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the area array detector further includes a third optical element and a fourth optical element. The third optical element is disposed in front of the photosensitive area of ​​the first detection element, and the fourth optical element is disposed in front of the photosensitive area of ​​the second detection element. The third and fourth optical elements have different properties, enabling the PDE of the first detection element to be higher than that of the second detection element.

[0036] The detection element requires a negative bias voltage to operate. Some solutions can change the PDE of the detection element by designing the negative bias voltage supplied to it. For example, in the same area array detector, different detection elements are powered by different power trees, so that the PDE of the first detection element is higher than that of the second detection element.

[0037] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the first and second detection elements are driven to operate by applying a negative bias voltage through a driving circuit, wherein the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the first detection element is greater than the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the second detection element.

[0038] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the voltages across the driving circuit of the first detection element are a first voltage and a second voltage, where the first voltage is greater than the second voltage; the voltages across the driving circuit of the second detection element are a third voltage and a fourth voltage, where the third voltage is greater than the fourth voltage. The second voltage is less than the fourth voltage, and / or the first voltage is greater than the third voltage. Thus, by designing the voltages of the driving circuits, the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the first detection element can be made higher, thereby making the PDE of the first detection element higher than that of the second detection element.

[0039] For example, the first voltage is the same as the third voltage, the second voltage is less than the fourth voltage, and / or the second voltage is the same as the fourth voltage, and the first voltage is greater than the third voltage.

[0040] The area of ​​the photosensitive surface of the detector element also affects the PDE of the detector element. In some schemes, the area of ​​the photosensitive area of ​​the detector element can be designed to be different, so that the amount of light entering the detector element changes, thus achieving different PDEs of the detector element.

[0041] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the area of ​​the photosensitive surface of the first detector element is larger than the area of ​​the photosensitive surface of the second detector element. A larger photosensitive surface area results in more light entering the sensor and a higher probability of photon absorption. The larger area of ​​the photosensitive surface of the first detector element leads to a higher PDE (photodensity efficiency) than that of the second detector element.

[0042] In another possible implementation of the first aspect, the first receiving region includes a plurality of first pixels, each first pixel including at least one first detection element. The second receiving region includes a plurality of second pixels, each second pixel including at least one second detection element. In the embodiments of this application, the receiving region is related to the spot distribution of the light beam and exhibits regional characteristics, which allows a region to include multiple pixels. The detection elements within these multiple pixels have the same or similar PDE. Multiple pixels with high PDE can be used to receive light from the center of the light beam spot, while multiple pixels with low PDE can be used to receive light from the edge of the light beam spot. This improves the dynamic range of the area array detector, enhances the distance measurement capability of the detection device, and reduces the impact of stray light on the detection performance.

[0043] Secondly, this application provides a detection device, which includes a transmitting module and a surface array detector, wherein the surface array detector is the surface array detector described in the first aspect or any possible embodiment of the first aspect. The transmitting module is used to transmit a detection beam, and the surface array detector is used to receive a return beam, the return beam including the echo of the detection beam.

[0044] In one possible implementation of the second aspect, the probe beam is used to probe the object space, and the return beam originates from the object space. Further, the area array detector can output probe data used to obtain relevant information about a target in the object space, such as one or more of the target's distance, position, angle, velocity, reflectivity, reflectivity intensity, color, or material.

[0045] In another possible implementation of the second aspect, the detection device further includes a scanning module for scanning the detection beam into the object space and providing the return beam from the object space to the area array detector.

[0046] In another possible implementation of the second aspect, the transmitting module is a planar array emitter, the probe beam includes a beam with multiple channels, and the return beam includes a beam with multiple channels. The planar array reflector includes multiple lasers arranged in two adjacent positions, each laser emitting light to form a beam with multiple channels, such as one or two columns of lasers forming one channel (or emission channel).

[0047] Thirdly, this application provides a lidar that includes a planar array detector as described in the first aspect or any possible embodiment of the first aspect, or a detection device as described in the second aspect or any possible embodiment of the second aspect. Further, the lidar includes a housing for providing accommodating space to house other modules within the lidar.

[0048] Fourthly, this application provides a terminal, which includes a surface array detector as described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, or includes a detection device as described in the second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect, or includes a lidar as described in the third aspect.

[0049] Optionally, the terminal can be a smart terminal or means of transportation such as a vehicle, drone, or robot.

[0050] Some of the beneficial effects of the second to fourth aspects of this application can be referred to the beneficial effects of the first aspect, and will not be described in detail here. Attached Figure Description

[0051] The accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below.

[0052] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a detection device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the detection process of a scanning detection device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the receiving configuration of a planar array detector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the detection process of a scanning detection device and the receiving mode of an area array detector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a planar array detector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the energy distribution of a light beam provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0058] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first detection element and a second detection element provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another first detection element and a second detection element provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the optical path of a first detection element and a second detection element provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the optical path of another first and second detection elements provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the optical path of another first and second detection elements provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a driving circuit for a first detection element and a second detection element provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0064] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the photosensitive surfaces of a first detection element and a second detection element provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of another planar array detector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of another planar array detector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of another area array detector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of a scenario where a planar array detector receives a returned beam according to an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of another planar array detector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0070] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of another planar array detector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0071] Figure 20 is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle including a lidar according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0072] A detection device is a device for detecting targets in an object space. Its working principle involves emitting a detection signal into the object space, receiving a return signal from the object space, and obtaining relevant information about the target in the object space based on the return signal. This information may include one or more of the target's distance, position, angle, speed, reflectivity, reflection intensity, color, or material. The detection signal is typically an electromagnetic wave or sound wave. Electromagnetic waves include light, millimeter waves, or centimeter waves. The detection device provided in this application uses light as the detection signal.

[0073] The detection device provided in this application will be introduced below. It should be noted that the architecture and application scenarios of the device described in this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solution of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solution provided in this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solution provided in this application is also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0074] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a schematic diagram of a detection device provided in an embodiment of this application. The detection device 10 includes a transmitting module 11 and a surface array detector 12. Wherein:

[0075] The transmitting module 11 is used to emit a probe beam. Exemplarily, the transmitting module 11 may include one or more of the following lasers: a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), a photonic crystal surface emitting semiconductor laser (PCSEL), an edge emitting laser (EEL), a laser diode (LD), a distributed feedback laser diode (DFB-LD), a grating coupled sampling reflection laser diode (GCSR-LD), or a micro opto-electro-mechanical system laser diode (MOEMS-LD), etc.

[0076] The area array detector 12 is used to receive the echo returned by the returning beam, including the probe beam. The area array detector includes multiple detector elements 13 arranged in rows and columns. The detector elements 13 include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: SPAD, SiPM, APD, MPPC, or EMCCD. For example, the detector element 13 can be a SPAD, in which case the area array detector is a SPAD array detector. It should be understood that the shape, arrangement, and number of detector elements shown in this application are merely examples.

[0077] When using the detection device shown in Figure 1 for detection, the transmitting module 11 emits a detection beam into the object space. The detection beam is reflected by the target in the object space to form a return beam. The spot of the return beam falls onto the area array detector 12 and is received by the detection element 13 of the area array detector 12 to obtain detection data. During the detection process, the system architecture of the detection device 10 can affect the receiving mode of the area array detector 12. Two possible architectures and the receiving mode of the area array detector are described below by way of example.

[0078] Architecture 1: The detection device 10 is a scanning detection device, which also includes a scanning module 14. The scanning module 14 is used to emit the detection beam from the transmitting module 11 into the field of view at multiple angles. Referring to Figure 2, taking the scanning module 14 including a rotating mirror as an example, the scanning module 14 rotates along a movable axis. The detection beam from the transmitting module 11 is reflected into the field of view at multiple angles through the scanning module 14, scanning the field of view. The scanning direction is related to the movement direction of the scanning module 14. Furthermore, the returned signal can reach the area array detector 12 through the scanning module 14.

[0079] For a scanning detection device, the returned beam can fall into the Region of Interest (ROI) of the area array detector 12, as shown in Figure 3. In some embodiments, the ROI of the area array detector 12 can acquire detection photons, while areas outside the ROI cannot detect photons. For example, the detection elements in the ROI are in an active state (e.g., powered on), while the detection elements outside the ROI are in an inactive state (e.g., powered off). More exemplarily, the area array detector can output detection data for the ROI, while detection data for areas outside the ROI is discarded.

[0080] It should be understood that the structure of the scanning module 14 shown in Figure 2 is merely an example. In specific implementations, the scanning module 14 may include one or more of the following: a swing mirror, a polygon mirror, a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) galvanometer, or a metal galvanometer. As one possible implementation example, the scanning module 14 includes one or more reflective surfaces, which are mounted on the main body of the scanning module 14 in the form of patches, or the reflective surfaces of the scanning module 14 and the main body of the scanning module 14 are integrated. Furthermore, the scanning method of the scanning module 14 may be one-dimensional scanning, two-dimensional scanning, etc. The embodiments of this application do not strictly limit the type of scanning module, the number of reflective surfaces, the scanning method, etc.

[0081] Architecture 2: The detection device 10 is a solid-state detection device without an internal scanning module. As a possible implementation example, referring to Figure 4, the emission module 11 in the detection device 10 includes a planar array emitter 111. The planar array emitter 111 includes multiple lasers arranged in an array, and these lasers are divided into multiple emitting regions, each of which may include multiple lasers. When emitting a detection beam, each emitting region forms an independent emission channel. As shown in Figure 4, which illustrates that the planar array emitter can form N emission channels, for each emission channel, the emitted beam can illuminate a sub-region of the field of view. Correspondingly, the spot of the returned beam (referred to as the returned spot) corresponding to this emission channel can fall into a region of the planar array detector 12. Referring to Figure 4, for a solid-state detection device, the spots of the returned beams corresponding to different emission channels can fall into different regions of the planar array detector 12.

[0082] It should be understood that the above two architectures are merely examples, and other architectures may exist in the actual implementation of the detection device 10. In addition, the detection device 10 may also include optical elements, such as lenses, shaping modules, or collimation modules, which are not illustrated here.

[0083] When using the aforementioned detection device 10 to measure targets at different distances and under different environments, the energy intensity of the echoes formed by the target reflections often varies, which requires the detection device 10 to have a large dynamic range. For the detection device, the area array detector needs to be able to detect echo signals at long distances while ensuring that the energy of the echo signals at short distances is not too high, so as to balance the performance of measuring both long-range and short-range signals.

[0084] To meet the above requirements, embodiments of this application provide a planar array detector that can improve the dynamic range of the planar array detector without significantly increasing its size, thereby enhancing the distance measurement capability of the detection device while reducing the impact of stray light on detection performance. Furthermore, this planar array detector can be applied to the detection device 10, lidar, and terminal provided in this application, enabling performance improvements for various devices.

[0085] The area array detector provided in the embodiments of this application is described below.

[0086] This application provides a planar array detector. Referring to Figure 5, the planar array detector 12 includes a first receiving area and a second receiving area. The number of first receiving areas can be one or more (distinguished by "* + number" in the figures), and the number of second receiving areas can also be one or more (distinguished by "# + number" in the figures). The first receiving area includes multiple first detection elements arranged in a two-dimensional adjacent configuration. A two-dimensional adjacent configuration means that the detection elements are arranged in several rows and several columns (the sum of the number of rows and columns of the detection elements is greater than 2), and the detection elements are adjacent to each other during the arrangement. As shown in Figure 5, multiple first detection elements can be arranged in 15 rows and 4 columns, thus forming an area in both the row and column directions. In the first receiving area, the surrounding elements of each first detection element are also first detection elements, without any other different detection elements. Similarly, the second receiving area includes multiple second detection elements arranged in a two-dimensional adjacent configuration.

[0087] In the area array detector 12 shown in Figure 2, both the first and second detection elements are used to receive the light beam, and the PDE of the first detection element is higher than that of the second detection element. PDE refers to the efficiency of the detection element in detecting photons, usually expressed as a percentage; for example, the PDE of the first detection element is 25%, and the PDE of the second detection element is 10%.

[0088] When the detector performs detection, the light intensity distribution of the beam from the object space varies considerably. Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the energy distribution of a beam according to an embodiment of this application. In the beam shown in Figure 6, the light intensity in the central region is relatively high, while the light intensity in the edge region is relatively low. Therefore, when the detection device uses the beam shown in Figure 6 for detection, the light spot formed by the beam reflected from the target in the object space also has relatively high-intensity regions and low-intensity regions. In addition, the distance of the target also affects the light intensity; the light intensity of the echo formed by the reflection from a distant target is relatively low, while the light intensity of the echo formed by the reflection from a nearby target is relatively high.

[0089] The area array detector 12 provided in this application embodiment includes two regions with different PDEs. The detection element in the first receiving region has a higher PDE. When it corresponds to the high light intensity region of the beam, it can also have high detection accuracy for beams reflected from targets at greater distances, thereby enabling more accurate detection of weak light regions and improving the distance measurement capability of the detection device. The detection element in the second receiving region has a lower PDE. When it corresponds to the low light intensity region of the beam, it can ensure that the area array detector can still perform detection in strong stray light environments, reducing the impact of stray light on detection performance.

[0090] As a possible example, the area array detector 12 is applied to the detection device 10. When using the detection device 10 for detection, if the target in the object space is far away, the light intensity of the echo formed by it is relatively weak, and the PDE of the second receiving area is low. Therefore, the echo formed by the distant target may not reach the detection threshold of the second detection element, making it difficult to accurately detect the signal. However, the PDE of the first detection element in the first receiving area is high, so it can detect the weak echo of the distant target. For targets that are closer, the light intensity of the echo formed by it is relatively strong, but it is also easily affected by near-end stray light. At this time, the signal detected by the first detection element in the first receiving area may have been overwhelmed by near-end stray light, but the second detection element in the second receiving area can detect the echo of the near-end target. This is equivalent to increasing the upper limit of the light intensity of the response of the detection device during detection and lowering the lower limit of the light intensity of the response, thereby improving the dynamic range of the area array detector. Therefore, by applying the area array detector of this application, the detection device can detect more distant targets, and when detecting at close range, it can also reduce the influence of near-end stray light on the echo of the near-end target.

[0091] The first and second detection elements will be described below. In some possible implementations, the first and second detection elements are different types of detection elements. In other possible implementations, the first and second detection elements are the same type of detection element. For example, both the first and second detection elements are SPADs.

[0092] Furthermore, by designing the structure, materials, driving method, or properties of combined optical elements of the detection element, it is possible to make the PDEs of the first and second detection elements different. The following describes the methods for achieving different PDEs between the first and second detection elements.

[0093] One approach is to design the thickness and doping concentration of the depletion layer to achieve a higher PDE for the first detector element than for the second detector element. Referring to Figure 7, both the first and second detector elements include a depletion layer (or depletion region). Photons are absorbed in the depletion layer, generating electron-hole pairs, enabling the detector element to detect photons. The thickness and doping concentration of the depletion layer affect the PDE of the detector element.

[0094] In some possible implementations, the thickness of the depletion layer of the first detector element is greater than the thickness of the depletion layer of the second detector element, as shown in Figure 7(a). The thickness of the depletion layer of the first detector element is w1, while the thickness of the depletion layer of the second detector element is w2, where w1 > w2. When photons pass through the depletion layer of the first detector element, they are more easily absorbed, generating electron-hole pairs, resulting in a higher PDE for the first detector element.

[0095] Furthermore, in addition to the depletion layer, the detector element also includes other components such as a P-type region (denoted as P in Figure 7), an N-type region (denoted as N in Figure 7), and an avalanche region. To ensure uniform thickness and improve the surface flatness of the area array detector, if the thickness of the depletion layer in the first detector element is greater than that in the second detector element, the thickness of some layers in the second detector element can be adjusted to be greater than the thickness of the same layers in the first detector element. As shown in Figures 7(a) and (b), the thickness of the N-type region in the second detector element is greater than the thickness of the N-type region in the first detector element.

[0096] For another example, the doping concentration of the depletion layer of the first detector element is lower than that of the depletion layer of the second detector element. When the doping concentration of the depletion layer of the first detector element is lower, the width of its depletion layer increases accordingly. Therefore, photons are more easily absorbed when they pass through the depletion layer of the first detector element, generating electron-hole pairs, which makes the PDE of the first detector element higher.

[0097] The second implementation method involves designing the area, size, or reflectivity of the reflector at the bottom of the detector element to achieve a higher PDE for the first detector element compared to the second. Specifically, the detector element typically includes a reflector located on the side furthest from the photosensitive surface. Referring to Figure 8, the reflector is a metal plate (or metal baffle) at the bottom of the detector element. When photons enter the depletion layer of the detector element from the photosensitive surface, some photons are absorbed by the depletion layer, while others may not be absorbed. The metal plate can reflect the unabsorbed photons back to the depletion layer for secondary absorption. The larger the surface area of ​​the metal plate reflecting photons and the higher its reflectivity, the higher the probability of reflecting photons and the higher the PDE of the detector element.

[0098] For example, as shown in Figures 8(a) and (b), the area of ​​the reflector (or first emitting plate) of the first detection element is greater than the area of ​​the reflector (or second emitting plate) of the second detection element. Here, area refers to the area of ​​the side of the reflector used to reflect light passing through the depletion layer. Alternatively, in the view shown in Figure 8, the length of the first reflector is l1, and the length of the second reflector is l2, where l1 > l2.

[0099] Of course, this description only uses area and size as examples. In actual implementation, the PDE of the first detection element can be made higher than that of the second detection element by changing other properties of the first reflector. For example, the reflectivity of the first reflector is higher than that of the second reflector.

[0100] The third method involves controlling the presence or absence of a lens in front of the photosensitive surface of the detector element, or designing parameters such as the curvature of the lens, to make the light beams falling on the first detector element different from those falling on the second detector element, thus achieving different PDEs for the detector elements. Several possible examples are described below:

[0101] Example 1, referring to Figure 9(a), the area array detector further includes a first optical element 15 disposed in front of the photosensitive surface of the first detection element for converging light entering the first detection element. For example, the first optical element 15 may include a lens and / or a microlens. The first optical element 15 can increase the number of photons entering the first detection element, resulting in a higher PDE of the first detection element.

[0102] Furthermore, referring to Figure 9(b), the first optical element 15 is not disposed in front of the photosensitive front of the second detection element, thereby making the PDE of the first detection element higher than that of the second detection element.

[0103] Example 2, referring to Figure 10(b), the area array detector further includes a second optical element 16, which is disposed in front of the photosensitive surface of the second detector element to diffuse or block light entering the second detector element. Exemplarily, the second optical element 16 includes a concave lens, a microlens, or an aperture stop, etc. The second optical element 16 can increase the number of photons entering the first detector element, resulting in a higher PDE for the first detector element. Further, referring to Figure 10(a), no optical element for diffused or blocked light entering the first detector element is disposed in front of the photosensitive surface of the first detector element.

[0104] Example 3, referring to Figures 11(a) and (b), the area array detector further includes a third optical element 17 and a fourth optical element 18. The third optical element 17 is positioned in front of the photosensitive surface of the first detector element, and the fourth optical element 18 is positioned in front of the photosensitive surface of the second detector element. The third optical element 17 and the fourth optical element 18 have different properties, resulting in a greater number of photons entering the first detector element than the second detector element, thus achieving a higher photodetector density (PDE) for the first detector element than for the second detector element. For example, the third optical element 17 may be a converging lens (or microlens), while the fourth optical element may be a diverging lens (or microlens). Alternatively, both the third optical element 17 and the fourth optical element 18 may be converging lenses (or microlenses), but their curvatures may differ, resulting in a greater number of photons entering the first detector element than the second detector element. Furthermore, the transmittance of the third optical element 17 may be higher than that of the fourth optical element 18.

[0105] It should be understood that the situations shown in Figures 9 to 11 are for the purpose of illustrating different ways of implementing PDE, and should not be construed as a strict limitation on the structure of optical elements during the implementation process.

[0106] In the fourth implementation method, the detection element is driven by a negative bias voltage applied through a driving circuit. The PDE of the detection element is changed by designing the negative bias voltage supplied to it. Generally, the higher the absolute value of the negative bias voltage supplied to the detection element, the higher the PDE of the detection element. For example, the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the first detection element is greater than the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the second detection element. For instance, the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the first detection element is 24.3V, while the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the second detection element is less than 24.3V. Furthermore, the negative bias voltage supplied to the second detection element can be adjusted through some feedback circuitry.

[0107] In some possible implementations, the voltage across the driving circuit of the first detection element differs from the voltage across the driving circuit of the second detection element, including cases where only one voltage is different. Referring to Figure 12(a), the voltages across the driving circuit of the first detection element are a first voltage V1 and a second voltage V2, where V1 > V2. As shown in Figure 12(b), the voltages across the driving circuit of the second detection element are a third voltage V3 and a fourth voltage V4, where V3 > V4. Here, V2 is less than V4, and / or V1 is greater than V3. This allows the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the first detection element to be higher, thereby making the PDE of the first detection element higher than that of the second detection element.

[0108] Furthermore, the voltage at either end of the driving circuit of the first detection element can be adjusted (including the case where both are adjusted), making the PDE of the first detection element adjustable. Similarly, the voltage at either end of the driving circuit of the second detection element can be adjusted (including the case where both are adjusted), making the PDE of the second detection element adjustable.

[0109] In implementation method five, the photosensitive area of ​​the first detector element is larger than the photosensitive surface area of ​​the second detector element (see Figure 13). Pixels in the first receiving area are large pixels, and pixels in the second receiving area are small pixels. The first detector element receives more light and has a higher probability of absorbing photons, resulting in a higher PDE (Photosensitive Array Depth) for the first detector element compared to the second detector element.

[0110] The implementation methods described above can be combined without mutual exclusion. For example, the area of ​​the photosensitive surface of the first detection element is larger than that of the photosensitive surface of the second detection element, and the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the first detection element is increased so that the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the first detection element is greater than that of the negative bias voltage of the second detection element.

[0111] In some scenarios, there are multiple possible designs for the number, shape, and arrangement of the first and second receiving areas. The following section will continue to introduce the possible designs for the arrangement of the first and second receiving areas in the area array detector 12.

[0112] In some possible designs, the first and second receiving areas are arranged alternately along a first direction, where the first direction refers to a specific direction, such as a row direction, a column direction, or the diagonal direction of an array detector. In some schemes, the detection device uses a line beam for detection. The light intensity is higher in the middle region of the line beam and lower at the two edges. Therefore, the arrangement of the first and second receiving areas proposed in the above embodiments can adapt to the regional distribution of the light intensity of the line beam. When using a linear beam for detection, this embodiment can further improve the distance measurement capability of the detection device while reducing the impact of stray light on detection performance.

[0113] To better understand this staggered arrangement design along the first direction, several possible scenarios are listed below:

[0114] Case 1: The area array detector 12 includes one first receiving area and two second receiving areas. Referring to Figure 5, along the row direction of the area array detector, the second receiving areas are located on both sides of the first receiving area. It should be understood that the rows and columns here are relative and can be interchanged.

[0115] As a possible application example, the area array detector 12 is used in a scanning detection device. Referring to Figures 2, 3, and 14, the first receiving area is located in the middle region of the ROI, and the second receiving area is located in the edge region of the ROI. The center of the returned beam spot falls into the first receiving area (i.e., the middle region of the ROI), and the edge of the beam spot falls into the second receiving area (i.e., the edge region of the ROI).

[0116] Case 2: The area array detector includes multiple first receiving areas and multiple second receiving areas. Along the row direction of the area array detector, a second receiving area is provided on both sides of each first receiving area.

[0117] As a possible application example, referring to Figures 4 and 15, the detection device emits a detection beam comprising N channels. These N channels can emit light in a time-division manner, forming N time slots (i.e., slots). Each slot emits the detection beam of one channel. Therefore, one channel can form a line spot (or other shaped spot), and a first receiving area and its two adjacent second receiving areas can receive the return beam of one channel (including the echo of the detection beam from one channel). For each channel's return beam, the first receiving area receives the center of the return beam spot, while the two side edges of the return beam fall into the second receiving areas. For example, there are N first receiving areas and N+1 second receiving areas. Second receiving area #1, first receiving area *1, and second receiving area #2 are used to receive the return beam from Slot 1, while second receiving area #2, first receiving area *2, and second receiving area #3 are used to receive the return beam from Slot 2, and so on for the remaining slots. Second receiving area #N, first receiving area *N, and second receiving area #N+1 are used to receive the return beam from Slot N. Furthermore, the center of the return beam from each slot can fall into the first receiving area, while the two side edges fall into the second receiving area.

[0118] As another possible application example, referring to Figures 4, 16, and 17, the detection device emits a detection beam comprising multiple channels. These channels can emit light in a time-division manner, forming multiple time slots (i.e., slots). Each slot emits the detection beam from one channel. During reception, a first receiving area is used to receive the beams from a portion of the channels, while a second receiving area is used to receive the beams from the remaining channels. For example, the first and second receiving channels alternately receive slots, as shown in Figure 16. The first receiving area *1 receives the return beams from slots 1 to m, while the second receiving area #1 receives the return beams from slots k after m slots. Figure 16 illustrates this with k=1 as an example. In subsequent processes, the first receiving area again receives the return beams from slots m, while the second receiving area again receives the beams from slots k after that, alternating in this pattern to achieve reception of the return beams across the entire field of view.

[0119] In the embodiments shown in Figures 16 and 17, multiple sets of high PDE receiving areas (i.e., first receiving areas) and multiple sets of low PDE receiving areas (i.e., second receiving areas) are arranged alternately. During detection, one receiving area can receive one or more slots, and each receiving area can be opened sequentially to achieve scanning of the field of view. Referring to Figure 17, the detection element in the high PDE receiving area is more sensitive and can detect distant targets, meeting the high-resolution requirements for detection results. The low PDE receiving area can be used to detect near-range targets. By alternating the high PDE and low PDE receiving areas, a high dynamic range can be achieved, ensuring high resolution for detecting distant targets and reducing near-end clutter.

[0120] Furthermore, since the distance measurement process is interspersed with the near measurement process, the resolution of the detection data corresponding to the near measurement slot may be low. In this case, algorithm interpolation can be used to fill in the target points at a distance and at the same time repair the resolution, so as to ensure the consistency of the resolution of the detection results.

[0121] The aforementioned example uses a staggered arrangement of the first and second receiving areas along a certain direction. In other possible designs, the shapes of the first and second receiving areas are not fixed as rectangles; for example, they can be rectangles, circles, rings, waves, lightning bolts, etc. Referring to Figures 18 and 19, the second receiving area is arranged around the first receiving area. Furthermore, the first receiving area is used to receive the center of the light beam, while the light from the edges of the beam falls into the second receiving area.

[0122] The various embodiments of this application can be combined without mutual exclusion. For example, the area array detector shown in FIG18 can be used in a scanning detection device, with the first receiving area located at the center of the ROI of the area array detector, and the surrounding second receiving areas located at the edge of the ROI. As another example, referring to FIG19, in the case where the second receiving areas are arranged around the first receiving area, one first receiving area and its surrounding second receiving areas are used to receive the return beam of one channel. As shown in FIG19, the first receiving area #1 and a portion of the surrounding second receiving area can be used to receive the return beam of Slot 1, the first receiving area #1 and a portion of the surrounding second receiving area can be used to receive the return beam of Slot 2, and so on.

[0123] The following section describes some possible implementation methods of this application.

[0124] In some possible implementations, the first receiving region includes a plurality of first pixels, each first pixel including at least one first detection element. The second receiving region includes a plurality of second pixels, each second pixel including at least one second detection element. In other words, one or more first detection elements in the first receiving region can form a pixel, and one or more second detection elements in the second receiving region can form another pixel. Since the receiving region is related to the spot distribution of the light beam and exhibits regional characteristics, this allows a region to include multiple pixels. The detection elements within the multiple pixels have the same or similar PDE. Multiple pixels with high PDE can be used to receive light from the center of the light beam spot, while multiple pixels with low PDE can be used to receive light from the edge of the light beam spot, thereby improving the ability to accurately acquire the light beam, enhancing the distance measurement capability of the detection device, and reducing the impact of stray light on the detection performance.

[0125] In some possible implementations, the PDE of the first detection element is adjustable. For example, the PDE of the first detection element can be adjusted by adjusting the supply voltage of the first detection element. Alternatively, the PDE of the first detection element can be adjusted by mechanically controlling a detection element in front of the first detection element to change the amount of light entering the first detection element. In summary, this implementation allows the PDE of the first detection element to be adjusted according to actual needs, enabling the area array detector to be applicable to various application scenarios and improving its flexibility and service quality.

[0126] In some possible implementations, the PDE of the second detection element is adjustable. For example, the PDE of the first detection element can be adjusted by adjusting the supply voltage of the second detection element. In this way, the PDE of the second detection element can be adjusted according to actual needs, making the area array detector suitable for various application scenarios and improving its flexibility and service quality.

[0127] This application also provides a lidar, which includes the aforementioned area array detector 12. Alternatively, the lidar includes the aforementioned detection device 10.

[0128] Furthermore, the lidar includes a housing that provides storage space to accommodate other modules in the lidar, such as the area array detector 12 or the detection device 10.

[0129] This application also provides a terminal, which includes the aforementioned area array detector 12, or the aforementioned detection device 10, or the aforementioned lidar. Optionally, the terminal can be a vehicle, drone, robot, or other intelligent terminal or transportation tool.

[0130] Please refer to Figure 20, which is a structural schematic diagram of a vehicle including a lidar according to this application. The lidar can sense the vehicle's surrounding environment and obtain relevant information about targets in the surrounding environment. This target information can be used to control the vehicle or assist the driver in driving.

[0131] It should be understood that the lidar installation location shown in Figure 20 is only an example. In actual implementation, the detection device can be installed in other locations, such as on the top of the cockpit, or it can also be installed at the front, side, or rear of the vehicle.

[0132] In this application, the terms "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of the terms "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0133] In this application, "at least one" in the embodiments refers to one or more items, and "more than one" refers to two or more items. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, (a and b), (a and c), (b and c), or (a and b and c), where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0134] Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, the use of ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" in the embodiments of this application is for distinguishing multiple objects and is not for limiting the order, sequence, priority or importance of multiple objects.

Claims

1. A planar array detector, characterized in that, The area array detector includes: A first receiving area and a second receiving area, wherein the first receiving area and the second receiving area are adjacent to each other; The first receiving area includes a plurality of first detection elements arranged in a two-dimensional adjacent pattern. The second receiving area includes a plurality of second detection elements arranged in a two-dimensional adjacent pattern. The first and second detection elements are used to receive the light beam, and the photon detection efficiency (PDE) of the first detection element is higher than that of the second detection element.

2. The area array detector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The center of the beam spot falls into the first receiving area, and the edge of the beam spot falls into the second receiving area.

3. The area array detector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first receiving area and the second receiving area are arranged alternately along the first direction.

4. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The PDE of the first detection element is adjustable, and / or the PDE of the second detection element is adjustable.

5. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The doping concentration of the depletion layer of the first detector element is lower than that of the depletion layer of the second detector element. And / or, the thickness of the depletion layer of the first detection element is greater than the thickness of the depletion layer of the second detection element.

6. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The first detection element includes a first reflector, which is located on the side of the first detection element away from the photosensitive surface of the first detection element. The second detection element includes a second reflector, which is located on the side of the second detection element away from the photosensitive surface of the second detection element. The area of ​​the first reflector is larger than the area of ​​the second reflector.

7. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The area array detector also includes a first optical element. The first optical element is disposed in front of the photosensitive surface of the first detection element, and the first optical element is used to converge the light entering the first detection element.

8. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The area array detector also includes a second optical element; The second optical element is disposed in front of the photosensitive surface of the second detection element, and the second optical element is used to diffuse or block light entering the second detection element.

9. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The area array detector also includes a third optical element and a fourth optical element. The third optical element is disposed in front of the photosensitive area of ​​the first detection element, and the fourth optical element is disposed in front of the photosensitive area of ​​the second detection element. The third optical element and the fourth optical element have different properties.

10. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The first and second detection elements are driven to operate by applying a negative bias voltage through a driving circuit. The absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the first detection element is greater than the absolute value of the negative bias voltage of the second detection element.

11. The area array detector according to claim 10, characterized in that, The voltages across the driving circuit of the first detection element are a first voltage and a second voltage, wherein the first voltage is greater than the second voltage; the voltages across the driving circuit of the second detection element are a third voltage and a fourth voltage, wherein the third voltage is greater than the fourth voltage. The first voltage is the same as the third voltage, and the second voltage is less than the fourth voltage. Alternatively, the second voltage is the same as the fourth voltage, and the first voltage is greater than the third voltage.

12. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-11, characterized in that, The area of ​​the photosensitive surface of the first detection element is larger than the area of ​​the photosensitive surface of the second detection element.

13. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-12, characterized in that, The first receiving area includes a plurality of first pixels, and each first pixel includes at least one of the first detection elements. The second receiving area includes a plurality of second pixels, and each second pixel includes at least one of the second detection elements.

14. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-13, characterized in that, The area array detector is used in a scanning detection device. The first receiving area is located in the middle region of the region of interest (ROI) of the area array detector, and the second receiving area is located in the edge region of the ROI of the area array detector.

15. The area array detector according to any one of claims 1-13, characterized in that, The area array detector includes multiple first receiving areas and multiple second receiving areas. A second receiving area is provided on each side of the first receiving area.

16. The area array detector according to claim 15, characterized in that, The area array detector is used to receive the returned beams from multiple channels, with each channel's returned beam corresponding to a detection angle. Each of the first receiving areas and its two adjacent second receiving areas is used to receive the return beam of one channel.

17. The array detector according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The area array detector is used to receive the returned beams from multiple channels. Multiple first receiving areas are used to receive the returned beam from a portion of the multiple channels. Multiple second receiving areas are used to receive the return beam from another portion of the multiple channels.

18. A detection device, characterized in that, The detection device includes a transmitting module and a planar array detector as described in any one of claims 1-17. The transmitting module is used to emit a probe beam. The area array detector is used to receive the returned beam, which includes the echo of the probe beam.

19. The detection device according to claim 18, characterized in that, The detection device further includes a scanning module for scanning the detection beam into the object space and providing the return beam from the object space to the area array detector.

20. The detection device according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that, The transmitting module is a surface array transmitter, the detection beam includes beams with multiple channels, and the return beam includes beams with multiple channels.

21. A lidar, characterized in that, The lidar includes a surface array detector as described in any one of claims 1-17, or the lidar includes a detection device as described in any one of claims 18-20.

22. A terminal, characterized in that, The terminal includes a surface array detector as described in any one of claims 1-17, or the terminal includes a detection device as described in any one of claims 18-20, or the terminal includes a lidar as described in claim 21.

23. The terminal according to claim 22, characterized in that, The terminal may include a vehicle, a robot, or a drone.

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