Lens assembly for a LIDAR system
AssigneePanosense Inc.
InventorRyan McMichael
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A LIDAR system may include a laser diode that emits a beam having a slow axis and a fast axis so that a cross-section of the beam has a width substantially greater than a height. A first three-element lens may be optically aligned with a photodetector of the LIDAR system. A second three-element lens may be optically aligned with the diode laser. The second three-element lens may include at least one lens having a predetermined astigmatism that reduces the width of the beam with respect to the height.
Claims20
A lens assembly for a LIDAR system, the lens assembly comprising:
- a first positive lens;
- a second positive lens;
- and
- a third negative lens interposed between the first positive lens and the second positive lens, wherein optical axes of the first positive lens, the second positive lens, and the third negative lens are aligned with an optical axis of a laser of the LIDAR system, and wherein at least one optical surface of the first positive lens, the second positive lens, or the third negative lens is a freeform surface.
A LIDAR system comprising:
- a laser configured to emit a beam having a slow axis and a fast axis so that a cross-section of the beam has a width substantially greater than a height;
- a photodetector;
- a first three-element lens optically aligned with the laser;
- and
- a second three-element lens optically aligned with the photodetector,
- wherein the first three-element lens includes at least one lens having a predetermined astigmatism that reduces the width of the beam with respect to the height.
A method of fabricating a lens assembly for a LIDAR system, the method comprising:
- placing a first three-lens group into a first portion of a lens holder so that the first three-lens group is optically aligned with a laser diode, wherein a beam of the laser diode diverges in an asymmetrical pattern;
- and
- placing a second three-lens group into a second portion of the lens holder so that the second three-lens group is optically aligned with a photodetector,
- wherein the first three-lens group includes at least one lens having a predetermined astigmatism that reduces asymmetry of the asymmetrical pattern of the beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.