# US 10,483,722 B2 · Devices with ultra-small vertical cavity surface emitting laser emitters incorporating beam steering > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,483,722 B2 - Document ID: US10483722B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/951,824 - Filed: 2018-04-12 - Published: 2018-10-18 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-12 - Assignees: Sense Photonics, Inc. - Applicants: Sense Photonics, Inc. - Inventors: Scott Burroughs; Brent Fisher; James Carter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483722B2 ## CPC - G01J 1/44: Electric circuits {(for command of an exposure part G03B7/02)} - F21V 5/041: {Ball lenses} - F21V 5/045: {the lens having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses} - G01S 7/4815: {using multiple transmitters} - G01S 17/02: Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves (G01S17/66 takes precedence) - G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging - G01S 17/894: Three-dimensional [3D] imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a two-dimensional [2D] array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar - G02B 5/0883: {with a refractive index gradient (rugate filters G02B5/289)} - G02B 26/10: Scanning systems - H01S 3/025: {of solid state lasers, e.g. housings or mountings} - H01S 5/0028: {Laser diodes used as detectors} - H01S 5/0071: {for beam steering, e.g. using a mirror outside the cavity to change the beam direction} - H01S 5/02253: using lenses - H01S 5/02326: Arrangements for relative positioning of laser diodes and optical components, e.g. grooves in the mount to fix optical fibres or lenses - H01S 5/02375: Positioning of the laser chips - H01S 5/026: Monolithically integrated components, e.g. waveguides, monitoring photo-detectors, drivers (stabilisation of output H01S5/06) - H01S 5/0262: {Photo-diodes, e.g. transceiver devices, bidirectional devices (H01S5/0265 takes precedence)} - H01S 5/04254: {characterised by the shape} - H01S 5/0428: {for applying pulses to the laser} - H01S 5/062: by varying the potential of the electrodes (H01S5/065 takes precedence) - H01S 5/12: the resonator having a periodic structure, e.g. in distributed feedback [DFB] lasers (comprising a photonic bandgap structure H01S5/11; surface-emitting lasers H01S5/18) - H01S 5/183: having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL] - H01S 5/18341: {Intra-cavity contacts} - H01S 5/18344: {characterized by the mesa, e.g. dimensions or shape of the mesa} - H01S 5/18369: {based on dielectric materials} - H01S 5/18377: {comprising layers of different kind of materials, e.g. combinations of semiconducting with dielectric or metallic layers} - H01S 5/1838: {Reflector bonded by wafer fusion or by an intermediate compound} - H01S 5/18394: {Apertures, e.g. defined by the shape of the upper electrode} - H01S 5/18397: {Plurality of active layers vertically stacked in a cavity for multi-wavelength emission} - H01S 5/30: Structure or shape of the active region; Materials used for the active region - H01S 5/3201: {incorporating bulkstrain effects, e.g. strain compensation, strain related to polarisation} - H01S 5/40: Arrangement of two or more semiconductor lasers, not provided for in groups H01S5/02 - H01S5/30 (H01S5/50 takes precedence) - H01S 5/4025: {Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar (H01S5/42 takes precedence)} - H01S 5/4037: {with active layers in more than one orientation} - H01S 5/4075: {Beam steering} - H01S 5/423: {having a vertical cavity} - H10F 55/25: wherein the radiation-sensitive devices and the electric light source are all semiconductor devices - H10W 90/00: Package configurations - G01J 2001/448: {Array [CCD]} - G02B 3/0006: {Arrays (G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence)} - H01S 5/0216: {using an intermediate compound, e.g. a glue or solder} - H01S 5/0217: {Removal of the substrate} - H01S 5/02255: using beam deflecting elements - H01S 5/02325: Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches - H01S 5/02345: Wire-bonding - H01S 5/0421: {characterised by the semiconducting contacting layers (electrodes H01S5/0425)} - H01S 5/04256: {characterised by the configuration} - H01S 5/04257: {having positive and negative electrodes on the same side of the substrate} - H01S 5/18347: {Mesa comprising active layer} - H01S 5/32341: {blue laser based on GaN or GaP} - H01S 5/3235: {emitting light at a wavelength longer than 1000 nm, e.g. InP-based 1300 nm and 1500 nm lasers} - H01S 5/4018: {Lasers electrically in series} - H01S 5/4031: {Edge-emitting structures} - H01S 5/4087: {emitting more than one wavelength} - H01S 5/426: {Vertically stacked cavities} - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A laser array includes a plurality of laser emitters arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on a substrate that is non-native to the plurality of laser emitters, and a plurality of driver transistors on the substrate adjacent one or more of the laser diodes. A subset of the plurality of laser emitters includes a string of laser emitters that are connected such that an anode of at least one laser emitter of the subset is connected to a cathode of an adjacent laser emitter of the subset. A driver transistor of the plurality of driver transistors is configured to control a current flowing through the string. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laser array, comprising: a plurality of laser emitters arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on a substrate that is non-native to the plurality of laser emitters; and a plurality of driver transistors on the substrate adjacent one or more of the laser emitters, wherein a first subset of the plurality of laser emitters comprises a string of laser emitters that are connected such that an anode of at least one laser emitter of the first subset is connected to a cathode of an adjacent laser emitter of the first subset, wherein a driver transistor of the plurality of driver transistors is configured to control a current flowing through the string to simultaneously activate at least two of the plurality of laser emitters, wherein the plurality of laser emitters and the plurality of driver transistors are part of a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system, and wherein the plurality of driver transistors are configured to, activate the first subset of the plurality of laser emitters at a first non-zero power level and to activate a second subset of the plurality of laser emitters at a second non-zero power level, different from the first non-zero power level. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laser array of claim 1, wherein the substrate is non-native to the plurality of driver transistors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The laser array of claim 1, wherein at least one laser emitter of the plurality of laser emitters and/or the driver transistor comprises a broken tether portion and/or a relief feature at a periphery thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The laser array of claim 1, wherein a laser emission of each laser emitter of the plurality of laser emitters is individually controllable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The laser array of claim 1, wherein respective ones of the plurality of driver transistors are configured to control an individual power output of a laser emission of respective ones the plurality of laser emitters. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The laser array of claim 1, wherein a first non-zero power output of a first laser emission of a first laser emitter of the plurality of laser emitters is configured to be separately controlled from a second non-zero power output of a second laser emission of a second laser emitter of the plurality of laser emitters, wherein the non-zero first power output is different from the non-zero second power output. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The laser array of claim 1, wherein the plurality of laser emitters are configured to cover a field of view of between 80 degrees and 180 degrees, and wherein the plurality of laser emitters are configured to achieve a scanning frame rate of between 24 and 35 frames per second. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The laser array of claim 1, wherein the string of laser emitters comprises a plurality of strings, and wherein the plurality of driver transistors are configured to sequentially activate respective strings of the plurality of strings. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The laser array of claim 1, wherein the plurality of driver transistors are configured to provide power to the first subset of the plurality of laser emitters while leaving a third subset of the plurality of laser emitters without power. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The laser array of claim 1, wherein the second subset of the plurality of laser emitters is at a peripheral portion of the plurality of laser emitters. ### Claim 11 A laser array, comprising: a plurality of laser emitters arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on a substrate that is non-native to the plurality of laser emitters; and a plurality of driver transistors on the substrate adjacent one or more of the laser emitters, wherein a subset of the plurality of laser emitters comprises a string of laser emitters that are connected such that an anode of at least one laser emitter of the subset is connected to a cathode of an adjacent laser emitter of the subset, wherein a driver transistor of the plurality of driver transistors is configured to control a current flowing through the string to simultaneously activate at least two of the plurality of laser emitters, wherein a distance between the driver transistor and a laser emitter of the string that is immediately adjacent the driver transistor is less than 2 mm, and wherein the plurality of laser emitters are free of a native substrate thereof. ### Claim 12 A method of operating a laser array comprising: providing a semiconductor structure comprising a substrate upon which a plurality of laser emitters have been arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; and selectively controlling current through the plurality of laser emitters using a plurality of driver transistors on the substrate, wherein a first subset of the plurality of laser emitters comprises a string of laser emitters that are connected such that an anode of at least one laser emitter of the first subset is connected to a cathode of an adjacent laser emitter of the first subset, wherein a driver transistor of the plurality of driver transistors is configured to control a current flowing through the string to simultaneously activate at least two of the plurality of laser emitters, wherein the substrate is non-native to the plurality of laser emitters, wherein the plurality of laser emitters and the plurality of driver transistors are part of a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system, and wherein selectively controlling current through the plurality of laser emitters using the plurality of driver transistors comprises activating the first subset of the plurality of laser emitters at a first non-zero power level and activating a second subset of the plurality of laser emitters at a second non-zero power level, different from the first non-zero power level. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the substrate is non-native to the plurality of driver transistors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein at least one laser emitter of the plurality of laser emitters and/or the driver transistor comprises a broken tether portion and/or a relief feature at a periphery thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein a laser emission of each laser emitter of the plurality of laser emitters is individually controllable. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein selectively controlling current through the plurality of laser emitters using the plurality of driver transistors comprises controlling an individual power output of a laser emission of respective ones the plurality of laser emitters. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein selectively controlling current through the plurality of laser emitters using the plurality of driver transistors comprises sequentially activating respective columns of the plurality of columns of the plurality of laser emitters.