Chinese Optics Letters, Volume. 22, Issue 9, 090011(2024)

Integrated solid-state lidar employing orthogonal polarizations and counterpropagation [Invited]

Yuxuan He1, Qiang Wang2, Xu Han1, Zhonghan Wang1, Yuxi Fang1, Wenpu Geng1, Fei Yang3,4, Zhongqi Pan5, and Yang Yue3、*
Author Affiliations
  • 1Institute of Modern Optics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
  • 2Angle AI (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd., Tianjin 300450, China
  • 3School of Information and Communications Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
  • 4China Academy of Space Technology (Xi’an), Xi’an 710000, China
  • 5Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette 70504, USA
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    Figures & Tables(20)
    Implementations of a silicon photonic OPA combined with grating emitters. The inset shows the far-field image[46].
    Schematic diagram of the traditional single-polarized unidirectional lidar and the dual-polarized bidirectional integrated solid-state lidar.
    A general picture of the specific effects that the dual-polarized bidirectional lidar can selectively achieve. AR, angular resolution; FOV, field of view. TE/TM outputs are shown with solid/dashed lines, and different wavelengths are shown in different colors. The arrow on top of the wavelength indicates the propagating direction of the signal.
    Schematic diagram of polarization-multiplexed OPA[58].
    (a) Calculated far field of 1600-nm TE-polarized mode; (b) calculated far field of 1500-nm TM-polarized mode; (c) beam-steering range of the 340-nm grating emitter in two polarization modes[58].
    (a) Expanding the longitudinal scanning range of OPA by polarization multiplexing. α represents the phase difference between adjacent channels. (b) Schematic diagram of the improved optical antenna. θ represents the longitudinal steering angle, while ψ represents the lateral steering angle. (c) Longitudinal steering range θ of TE0 and TM0 modes by adjusting the work wavelength while maintaining a phase difference of 0°[59].
    (a) Diagram of the proposed polarized multiplexing OPA; (b) vertical beam-steering range of Grt2 was computed by adjusting Wgrt2 from 0.36 to 0.46 µm. The red area represents Grt1 with the specified parameters[61].
    Schematics of a beam-steering device based on the enhanced angular dispersion of gratings on slow-light waveguides. (a) LSPCW that enhances the top emission intensity using a shallow grating; (b) LSPCW array with prism lens for 2D beam steering, which preserves collimation conditions across a broad range of θ, and (c) the beam can be steered in the ϕ direction by choosing a certain LSPCW from its array, which follows the same principle as described in Ref. [16]. (d) Continuous beam steering in the ±θ′ direction, containing θ′ = 0°, is achieved by transforming θ into θ′ using the prism lens and altering the direction of light incidence on the LSPCW[62].
    (a) Theoretical structure of a wide-angle OPA, wherein no additional layers are included. (b) Schematic and (c) cross section of a wide FOV waveguide GC antenna[63].
    Optimized WGA’s normalized far-field pattern[63].
    (a) Configuration of a GC based on counterpropagating TE-polarized beams to double the beam-steering angle; (b) GC and system configuration utilizing counterpropagating TE-polarized beams[64].
    Transmittance and output angles of four beams. Arrows mark four wavelengths’ locations[64].
    Configuration of the device consisting of two GCs with orthogonal polarization modes[65].
    Output angle of the two diffracted beams for 3D simulation, computed theoretically and through numerical simulation[65].
    (a) Device configuration of two GCs. (b) System diagram of LiDAR transmitter system to increase the beam-steering angle[66].
    (a) Theoretical and numerical 3D results of TE and TM beams’ output angles; (b) linear regression of eight beams’ output angles[66].
    Schematic diagram of the proposed dual-polarized bidirectional OPA and the total longitudinal scanning range of the proposed OPA[67].
    System configuration using dual-polarized bidirectional beams. The TE/TM outputs are represented by solid and dotted lines. The signal’s direction of propagation is shown by the arrow above the wavelength. Various wavelengths are shown in different colors[68].
    (a) Numerical simulation results of the output angles for 16 beams; (b) linear regression analysis on the output angles of eight beams located on the right side of the vertical line, which is perpendicular to the SOI waveguide plane[68].
    • Table 1. Comparison of the Lidar’s Parameters

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      Table 1. Comparison of the Lidar’s Parameters

      TypeMechanical lidarMEMS lidarPrism lidarFlash lidarOPA lidar
      Scanning range360°smallsmall< 180°< 180°
      Angular resolutionhighlowhighlowesthighest
      Scanning frequencylowhighlowhighhighest
      Detection distancelongshortlongshortestlongest
      Pricehighesthighhighlowlowest
      Weightheaviestlightlightlightestlightest
      Volumebiggest<prism lidar<mechanical lidarsmallestsmallest
      Lifeshorterlonglonglongestlongest
      Mass productionimpossibledifficultdifficulteasyeasiest
      Stabilitypoorgoodbetterbestbest
      Existing technologymost maturematureless matureless matureless mature
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    Yuxuan He, Qiang Wang, Xu Han, Zhonghan Wang, Yuxi Fang, Wenpu Geng, Fei Yang, Zhongqi Pan, Yang Yue, "Integrated solid-state lidar employing orthogonal polarizations and counterpropagation [Invited]," Chin. Opt. Lett. 22, 090011 (2024)

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    Paper Information

    Special Issue: SPECIAL ISSUE ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF INSTITUTE OF MODERN OPTICS, NANKAI UNIVERSITY

    Received: May. 7, 2024

    Accepted: Aug. 5, 2024

    Published Online: Sep. 6, 2024

    The Author Email: Yang Yue (yueyang@xjtu.edu.cn)

    DOI:10.3788/COL202422.090011

    CSTR:32184.14.COL202422.090011

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