公开(公告)号：US20210293934A1

公开(公告)日：2021-09-23

申请号：US16821591

申请日：2020-03-17

Applicant: Litexel Inc.

Inventor： Xiaochen Sun ,  Lingxuan Zhang

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/4911

Abstract: A switched optical phased array based beam steering LiDAR (light detection and ranging) system includes an integrated photonics optical phased array (OPA) that includes an optical switching network for selectively connecting a large number of 1D scanning (in a first direction or field-of-view) antenna arrays to a light source. Each array is configured to emit light in a predefined angle of a second direction or field-of-view and can be switched individually to connect to the light source. At any given time, the phase shifters of only one such array, i.e. the one that is switched to connect the light source, are actively adjusted by the control circuits, so that the active power consumption is greatly reduced. The LiDAR system also includes a photo sensor receiver, other control and signal processing circuits, and other necessary optical and mechanical components.

公开(公告)号：US20190219888A1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-18

申请号：US15874779

申请日：2018-01-18

Applicant: Litexel Inc.

Inventor： Xiaochen Sun ,  Lingxuan Zhang ,  Ningning Feng

IPC: G02F1/295

CPC classification number: G02F1/2955 ,  G02F2201/066 ,  G02F2201/302 ,  G02F2203/50

Abstract: An on-chip optical phased array includes an array of photonic antenna units connected in series by photonic waveguides and arranged in a two-dimensional array to produce complex still and scanning optical patterns through optical interference effect. Each antenna unit includes an output photonic antenna (e.g. grating antenna), and a waveguide phase shifter for adjusting the optical phase of the optical beam output by the antenna unit. The grating antenna and the waveguide phase shifter are formed in the same optical wave guiding layer which includes a core layer between two cladding layers. The grating antennas may be a shallow-etched structure or a deep-etched edge-modulated grating. The optical phased array, including the array of photonic antenna units and the electrodes that connect and provide electrical power to them, can be made on a single chip of silicon using complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) or compatible fabrication processes.

公开(公告)号：US11573294B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-07

申请号：US16821591

申请日：2020-03-17

Applicant: Litexel Inc.

Inventor： Xiaochen Sun ,  Lingxuan Zhang

IPC: H04B10/00 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/4911 ,  G01S17/32

Abstract: A switched optical phased array based beam steering LiDAR (light detection and ranging) system includes an integrated photonics optical phased array (OPA) that includes an optical switching network for selectively connecting a large number of 1D scanning (in a first direction or field-of-view) antenna arrays to a light source. Each array is configured to emit light in a predefined angle of a second direction or field-of-view and can be switched individually to connect to the light source. At any given time, the phase shifters of only one such array, i.e. the one that is switched to connect the light source, are actively adjusted by the control circuits, so that the active power consumption is greatly reduced. The LiDAR system also includes a photo sensor receiver, other control and signal processing circuits, and other necessary optical and mechanical components.

公开(公告)号：US10591802B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-17

申请号：US15874779

申请日：2018-01-18

Applicant: Litexel Inc.

Inventor： Xiaochen Sun ,  Lingxuan Zhang ,  Ningning Feng

IPC: G02F1/295 ,  G02B6/12 ,  G02B6/26 ,  G02B6/34

Abstract: An on-chip optical phased array includes an array of photonic antenna units connected in series by photonic waveguides and arranged in a two-dimensional array to produce complex still and scanning optical patterns through optical interference effect. Each antenna unit includes an output photonic antenna (e.g. grating antenna), and a waveguide phase shifter for adjusting the optical phase of the optical beam output by the antenna unit. The grating antenna and the waveguide phase shifter are formed in the same optical wave guiding layer which includes a core layer between two cladding layers. The grating antennas may be a shallow-etched structure or a deep-etched edge-modulated grating. The optical phased array, including the array of photonic antenna units and the electrodes that connect and provide electrical power to them, can be made on a single chip of silicon using complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) or compatible fabrication processes.