Tunable Metasurface Segmentation for LiDAR Beam Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LiDAR systems face challenges in efficiently steering and manipulating optical radiation for precise beamforming and beam steering due to limitations in tunable metasurfaces, particularly in achieving wide steering angles and efficient optical manipulation within a compact design.
Innovation Solution
The use of tunable optical metasurfaces with elongated rails and liquid crystal dielectric materials, combined with a prism-based optical assembly, allows for the steering of optical radiation over a wide range of angles by adjusting the reflection phase and amplitude patterns, enabling three-dimensional beam shaping and one-dimensional beam steering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional metasurfaces are used for beam steering, then the device structure is relatively simple, but the steering angle range is limited and optical manipulation efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The metasurface is divided into multiple independently controllable pixel elements arranged in a grid pattern. Each pixel can be individually addressed and controlled to adjust its reflection phase and amplitude, enabling the surface to be segmented into functional zones for beam steering, focusing, and shaping operations simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The metasurface incorporates tunable resonators with variable electrical properties that can dynamically adjust their impedance and resonance characteristics. This allows the reflection phase and amplitude of each pixel to be modulated in real-time, enabling continuous beam steering across wide angle ranges and dynamic beam shaping
Solution Approach 3:
A feed network system serves as an intermediary between the control inputs and the metasurface pixels. This network distributes control signals to individual pixels and enables independent phase and amplitude modulation of each element, achieving complex optical manipulation functions through coordinated control of multiple simple units
2Adaptability or versatility
If the metasurface size is increased to achieve wider steering angles, then the steering range improves, but the device area and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameters (impedance, resonance frequency) of the resonators rather than physically expanding the metasurface dimensions. By adjusting the resonant properties of each pixel, the system achieves wide steering angle ranges through parameter modulation instead of geometric scaling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from geometric scaling to functional dimensionality by adding the dimension of electrical parameter control. Each pixel can independently vary its reflection characteristics in the phase and amplitude dimensions, enabling wide steering ranges without increasing the physical spatial dimensions of the metasurface
3Measurement precision
If more optical elements are added to enhance manipulation capability, then the optical manipulation precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metasurface is designed as a universal optical manipulating element that can perform multiple functions including beam steering, focusing, shaping, and polarization control within a single device structure. The same pixel array that enables precise beam steering also provides focusing capability through phase modulation, eliminating the need for separate optical elements for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical optical assemblies with an electronically controlled metasurface system. Instead of using multiple physical optical elements (lenses, mirrors, prisms) arranged in complex mechanical configurations, the system uses electrical signals to modulate the electromagnetic response of each pixel, achieving precise optical manipulation through field control rather than mechanical arrangement
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 enables efficient steering of optical radiation over a broad range, enhancing the precision and flexibility of LiDAR systems while maintaining a compact design, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of optical manipulation.
Implementation Method 1
The use of tunable optical metasurfaces with elongated rails and liquid crystal dielectric materials, combined with a prism-based optical assembly, allows for the steering of optical radiation over a wide range of angles by adjusting the reflection phase and amplitude patterns
Implementation Method 2
prism-based optical assembly, allows for the steering of optical radiation over a wide range of angles
Implementation Method 3
adjusting the reflection phase and amplitude patterns, enabling three-dimensional beam shaping and one-dimensional beam steering
Data Source
AI summary
According to various embodiments, a solid-state light detection and ranging (LiDAR) transmitter includes a tunable optical metasurface to selectively steer incident optical radiation long an azimuth axis. In some embodiments, different subsets of lasers in an array of lasers are activated to generate optical radiation for incidence on the metasurface at different angles of incidence on an elevation axis for unsteered deflection by the metasurface at corresponding angles of elevation. In some embodiments, a prism is positioned relative to the tunable optical metasurface to deflect the optical radiation from the optical assembly by the optical radiation source for incidence on the metasurface at an angle of incidence that is between the first steering angle and the second steering angle, such that the optical radiation incident on the metasurface and the steered output optical radiation from the metasurface spatially overlap within the prism.