Integrated LiDAR Waveguide With SOA for Beam-Splitting Power Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LiDAR devices require high-power single light sources due to power reduction after beam splitting, which limits their ability to effectively scan a wider field of view with multiple illuminators.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) within the semiconductor waveguide to amplify light beams before splitting, allowing for increased power distribution across multiple beams while maintaining a wider field of view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single light source is used to illuminate a wider field of view through beam splitting, then the device complexity is reduced, but the power of the light beam is reduced after splitting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by placing the semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) before the beam splitter to pre-amplify the light beam. This ensures that the light beam has sufficient power before it is split into multiple beams, resolving the contradiction between using a single light source and maintaining beam power after splitting.
Solution Approach 2:
The SOA acts as an intermediary component between the light source and the beam splitter. It amplifies the light beam from the single light source, compensating for the power reduction that occurs during beam splitting, thus enabling the system to maintain both low device complexity and sufficient beam power.
2Power
If multiple light sources are used to illuminate a wider field of view, then the power distribution across multiple beams is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple light sources into a single light source combined with an SOA. The SOA amplifies the light from the single source, creating multiple high-power beams through beam splitting, which eliminates the need for multiple separate light sources while maintaining power distribution across all beams.
Solution Approach 2:
The SOA serves as a universal amplification component that can serve multiple beams simultaneously. By placing the SOA before the beam splitter, it provides amplification for all subsequent split beams, making the system more versatile and reducing the need for multiple dedicated light sources for different beam paths.
3Adaptability or versatility
If beam splitting is applied to expand field of view, then the scanning capability is improved, but the power of each individual beam is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The SOA performs preliminary amplification of the light beam before it enters the beam splitter. This ensures that even after the beam is split into multiple directions to expand the field of view, each individual beam retains sufficient power for effective detection and scanning.
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 use of SOAs enhances the power of split light beams, enabling more efficient detection and scanning capabilities in LiDAR systems without the need for extremely high-power single light sources, thereby improving the system's ability to detect surrounding objects.
Implementation Method 1
A semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) may be configured to receive the light beam guided from the receiving end and amplify the light beam
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects for an on-chip or integrated Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) device are described herein. The aspects may include a semiconductor optical waveguide integrated in the LiDAR device. A receiving end of the semiconductor optical waveguide may receive a light beam from a light source. One or more beam splitters may be configured to split the light beam into two or more light beams. At least one semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) may be integrated to amplify the power of the light beam or the split two or more light beams.