Phase-Controlled Optical Waveguide Antenna Array for LiDAR Beam Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional optical radar systems with mechanical beam scanning are limited by low scanning speed, vulnerability to vibration, high power consumption, and inability to alter far-field waveforms, making them unsuitable for advanced applications like self-driving cars and machine vision.
Innovation Solution
A phase-controlled optical waveguide antenna array is designed with an optical splitter, phase shifters, and a periodic block structure on optical waveguide antennas, allowing for precise control of beam angle and waveform through phase modulation and diffraction, enabling faster, more stable, and flexible beam scanning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If mechanical rotating mirror is used for beam scanning, then beam scanning function is achieved, but scanning speed is low and system is vulnerable to vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical rotating mirror system with a phase-controlled optical waveguide antenna array. Instead of mechanically rotating mirrors to scan beams, the invention uses phase shifters to electronically control the phase of light in each waveguide antenna element, enabling beam steering through constructive and destructive interference. This substitution of mechanical scanning with phase-controlled optical interference resolves the contradiction by achieving fast, vibration-free beam scanning.
2Use of energy by moving object
If mechanical rotating mirror system is used, then beam scanning is achieved, but system becomes bulky and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the bulky mechanical rotating mirror assembly and high-power motor drives by implementing a compact integrated optical circuit. The phase-controlled waveguide antenna array uses low-power electronic phase shifters integrated with waveguide structures, dramatically reducing both power consumption and system volume while maintaining beam scanning functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional optical radar is used, then beam scanning is achieved, but ability to alter far-field waveform is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables waveform control by independently adjusting the phase parameter of each waveguide antenna element through phase shifters. By programmatically changing the phase distribution across the antenna array, the system can dynamically alter the far-field radiation pattern and waveform shape to match different application requirements, providing high adaptability through simple phase parameter modulation.
4Measurement precision
If optical waveguide antenna array is used, then phase control capability is achieved, but optical coupling between adjacent waveguide antennas occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful optical coupling effect by introducing periodic block structures between adjacent waveguide antennas. These block structures act as optical isolators that block evanescent field coupling between neighboring waveguides while allowing the desired phase-controlled beam forming functionality to operate independently in each element.
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 solution achieves faster scanning speeds, reduced beam divergence, and improved spatial resolution, enabling advanced applications like LiDAR with increased scanning capability and reduced power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
A periodic block structure is provided on each side of each optical waveguide antenna to provide optical diffraction and to decrease the optical coupling between the waveguide antennas
Implementation Method 2
allowing for precise control of beam angle and waveform through phase modulation
Data Source
AI summary
A phase-controlled optical waveguide antenna array including an optical splitter, an array of phase shifters, and an optical waveguide antenna array is disclosed. The optical splitter divides the input light to a plural of optical waveguides, the phase shifter is connected to an optical waveguide of the optical splitter, and the optical waveguide antenna array is connected with the phase shifters. The optical waveguide antenna array employs periodic block structure to output a uniform light beam, and the phase shifters are tuned with adjacent thermal heaters to steer the output beam angle of the optical waveguide antenna array.