Surface-Emitting Laser Aperture Layout for Stable LIDAR Beam Quality

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing LIDAR systems require high-power laser sources with high beam quality for reliable object detection at a distance, but edge-emitting lasers have emission wavelengths that are temperature-dependent.

Innovation Solution

An optoelectronic semiconductor device with a surface-emitting laser diode is developed, featuring a semiconductor layer stack with a first aperture stop having dimensions smaller than 50 μm in one direction and greater than 100 μm in another direction, which enhances beam quality and reduces temperature-dependent wavelength changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If edge-emitting lasers are used to achieve high beam quality and high power, then the laser can focus to a small point at far distance, but the emission wavelength becomes strongly dependent on ambient temperature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam qualityVSAvoidwavelength stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional edge-emitting laser geometry by using a surface-emitting configuration with a vertical cavity. This inversion changes the emission direction from lateral to vertical, fundamentally altering the temperature dependence characteristics while maintaining high beam quality through controlled aperture dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameters of the laser structure, specifically the aperture dimensions (smaller than 50 μm in one direction and greater than 100 μm in the other direction), to achieve a beam profile similar to edge-emitting lasers while using surface-emitting geometry that has reduced temperature sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Temperature

If surface-emitting laser diodes are used to reduce temperature dependence, then wavelength stability improves, but beam quality and focusing capability may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewavelength stabilityVSAvoidbeam quality

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating an asymmetric aperture with different dimension constraints in different directions (smaller than 50 μm in one direction, greater than 100 μm in the other). This local differentiation of dimensional parameters enables the surface-emitting laser to achieve focused beam characteristics similar to edge-emitting lasers while maintaining temperature stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250192519A1Optoelectronic semiconductor component, method for producing the optoelectronic semiconductor component and lidar system

Publication Date: 2025.06.12 AMS OSRAM INT GMBH

AI summary

The invention related to an optoelectronic device (10) comprising a semiconductor layer stack (109), in which a surface-emitting laser diode is formed. The semiconductor layer stack (109) comprises a first aperture stop (115). A dimension of the first aperture stop (115) in a first horizontal direction is smaller than 50 μm and smaller than the dimension of the first aperture stop (115) in a second horizontal direction.