Diffractive Optical Element for Uniform Multi-Emitter Beam Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing illumination technologies in mobile communications, AR/VR, and LIDAR markets struggle to create globally optimized output functions, such as intensity profiles and beam shaping, due to the spatially repetitive nature of 'tiling' approaches, which result in areas of light extinction when emitters are turned off.
Innovation Solution
The use of diffractive optical elements (OEs) that combine multiple light sources into a single, unified beam shaping body, enabling globally optimized outputs with intensity and phase control, including collimation, beam splitting, and angular intensity profile control, while maintaining output intensity distribution even when some emitters are turned off.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a tiling approach is used to combine multiple light sources into a global output pattern, then the output can be constructed from individual emitter tiles, but turning off one emitter creates an area without light in the global output pattern
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the output functions of multiple emitters into a single unified beam shaping body that processes all emitter outputs simultaneously. This is achieved by combining multiple input beams onto a single diffractive optical element, which then generates a unified output pattern where the contributions of individual emitters are integrated rather than separately tiled, eliminating dark areas when emitters are turned off.
Solution Approach 2:
The single beam shaping body performs multiple functions simultaneously: it shapes beams from different emitters, controls their angular distribution, and creates the final unified output pattern. This universal approach allows the system to maintain continuous illumination across the entire output field regardless of which individual emitters are active, as the single optical element processes all inputs globally.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple optical surfaces are used for splitting and shaping individual emitter outputs, then each emitter can be processed independently, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate optical surfaces into a single integrated beam shaping body. Instead of using separate lenses and mirrors for each emitter, all emitter outputs are combined and processed by one diffractive optical element, significantly reducing the number of components while maintaining the ability to shape and control each emitter's contribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The single beam shaping body is designed to handle multiple input beams simultaneously, performing beam shaping, angular control, and pattern generation in one unified structure. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for multiple specialized optical surfaces, simplifying the overall device while preserving full beam processing capability.
3Ease of operation
If a tiling approach is used to create global output pattern, then individual emitter outputs can be aligned, but globally optimized output functions such as intensity profiles cannot be created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the alignment and intensity optimization processes into a single beam shaping body that simultaneously handles both tasks. The unified optical element is designed to receive aligned inputs from multiple emitters and generate a globally optimized intensity profile, combining the advantages of precise alignment with optimized output characteristics in one integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The beam shaping body utilizes diffractive optics to precisely control the phase and amplitude distribution of the combined beams, enabling global optimization of output intensity profiles. By manipulating the diffraction pattern parameters, the system achieves optimized angular intensity distributions that cannot be achieved with simple geometric alignment alone.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The OEs ensure consistent output intensity distribution by maintaining illumination in areas where emitters are turned off, enhancing sensing distance and accuracy without creating lightless areas, thus optimizing beam shaping and intensity profiles.
Implementation Method 1
The present disclosure describes optical elements (OE) in the nature of beams shapers, in particular diffractive OEs
Data Source
AI summary
An optical element (OE) includes a body formed whereupon, in response to input electromagnetic fields emitted by an array of optical emitters toward the body that overlap each other, at least partially, to form a combined input electromagnetic field on a first side of the body, the body generates to an output plane disposed on a second side of the body an output electromagnetic field. The output electromagnetic field remains unchanged or substantially unchanged in intensity at the output plane between a first time when all of optical emitters are emitting electromagnetic fields and a second time when a subset of the one or more of the optical emitters is not emitting electromagnetic fields. The output electromagnetic field remains substantially unchanged in intensity when one or more portions or areas of the output electromagnetic field remain illuminated at reduced intensity at the second time versus the first time.