Optical Phased Array Lidar High Power Silicon Photonic Splitter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional OPA lidars face challenges in achieving high transmitting power, which limits their ability to detect targets at longer distances and scan effectively.
Innovation Solution
The OPA lidar design includes a laser generator, an optical splitting apparatus, and radiation units, where the original laser is split into multiple optical signals and combined into a high-power radar beam using silicon photonic technology, enabling increased input power and extended detection distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If traditional OPA lidar uses conventional optical materials, then the device can be manufactured with standard materials, but the transmitting power is limited and cannot achieve high power levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional optical materials to silicon photonic materials, which have different optical properties that enable high-power laser transmission. This parameter change allows the system to achieve high transmitting power while maintaining manufacturability through established silicon photonic fabrication processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs silicon photonic materials as a composite material solution that combines the advantages of high-power laser transmission capability with compatibility with standard photonic integration manufacturing processes, resolving the contradiction between power requirements and ease of manufacture
2Speed
If mechanical rotating devices are used for scanning, then 360-degree spatial scanning can be achieved, but the device becomes bulky and scanning rate becomes slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical rotating scanning system with an electronic beam steering system using phase modulation of optical signals across multiple radiation units. This substitution eliminates mechanical moving parts, reduces device complexity, and enables much faster electronic scanning rates while maintaining 360-degree spatial coverage capability
3Power
If high power laser is transmitted through conventional optical materials, then transmitting power can be increased, but the materials cannot withstand the high power and fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter to silicon photonic materials which have specific optical and thermal properties that enable them to withstand high-power laser transmission. These materials can dissipate heat more effectively and have higher damage thresholds, allowing the system to transmit high-power lasers reliably
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
This solution enhances the transmitting power of the OPA lidar, allowing for longer detection ranges and larger scan angles without the need for mechanical components, ensuring continuous operation even if some antennas fail.
Implementation Method 1
An electronic system controls phase of each antenna in real time to control a direction of the radar wave in the far field. By changing phase of some of the antennas, the electronic system can change the direction of the radar waves for dynamic scanning.
Implementation Method 2
radiation waves from all antennas form a beam of radar wave in the far field through interference
Data Source
AI summary
A phased array lidar includes: a laser generator (100) configured to generate original laser; an optical transmitting medium (400); an optical splitting apparatus (200) coupled to the laser generator (100) through the optical transmitting medium (400); the optical splitting apparatus (200) including a device configured to receive the original laser; and Z radiation units (300), each being respectively coupled to the optical splitting apparatus (200), where Z is a natural number greater than 1. The optical splitting apparatus (200) is configured to split the original laser into Z first optical signals, and send each of the Z first optical signals respectively to the radiation units (300), so that electromagnetic waves radiated by all of the radiation units (300) are combined into a beam of radar waves. The laser generator (100), the device, and the optical transmitting medium (400) are made of a material capable of transmitting laser having power greater than a set power value.