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US 11,237,250 B1Granted
Techniques for generation of high brightness beams
AssigneeAeva, Inc.
InventorsMazin Alalusi, Pradeep Srinivasan, Kevin Masuda
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A light detection and ranging apparatus (LIDAR) includes an optical source to generate an optical beam and one or more waveguides to steer the optical beam. The one or more waveguides include a first cladding layer having a first refractive index and a second cladding layer disposed below the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer having second refractive indexes including a range of different refractive indexes, wherein the range of different refractive indexes is greater than the first refractive index of the first cladding layer.
Claims16
A light detection and ranging apparatus (LIDAR), comprising:
- an optical source to generate an optical beam;
- and
- one or more waveguides, coupled to the optical source, to steer the optical beam, the one or more waveguides comprising:
- a first cladding layer having a first refractive index;
- and
- a second cladding layer comprising a single layer disposed below the first cladding layer and above a substrate, the second cladding layer comprising a plurality of second refractive indexes that steer the optical beam towards the substrate, the plurality of second refractive indexes comprising a range of different refractive indexes, wherein the range of different refractive indexes is greater than the first refractive index of the first cladding layer,
- wherein the first cladding layer has a first thickness between 1.2 microns and 1.8 microns, the second cladding layer has a second thickness, and the first thickness is less than the second thickness.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a waveguide, an optical beam from an optical source of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, the waveguide comprising a first cladding layer having a first refractive index and a second cladding layer comprising a single layer disposed below the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer comprising a plurality of second refractive indexes that steer the optical beam towards a substrate, the plurality of second refractive indexes comprising a range of different refractive indexes, wherein the range of different refractive indexes is greater than the first refractive index of the first cladding layer;
- and
- propagating the optical beam using the range of different refractive indexes of the waveguide to expand an optical mode of the optical beam,
- wherein the first cladding layer has a first thickness between 1.2 microns and 1.8 microns, the second cladding layer has a second thickness, and the first thickness is less than the second thickness.
1 more element
A light detection and ranging apparatus (LIDAR), comprising:
- an optical source to generate an optical beam;
- and
- one or more waveguides, coupled to the optical source, to steer the optical beam, the one or more waveguides comprising:
- a first cladding layer having a first refractive index;
- and
- a second cladding layer comprising a single layer disposed below the first cladding layer and above a substrate, the second cladding layer comprising a plurality of second refractive indexes that steer the optical beam towards the substrate, the plurality of second refractive indexes comprising a range of different refractive indexes, wherein the range of different refractive indexes is greater than the first refractive index of the first cladding layer,
- wherein the first cladding layer has a first thickness, the second cladding layer has a second thickness between 2 microns and 5 microns, and the first thickness is less than the second thickness.
4 more elements
A light detection and ranging apparatus (LIDAR), comprising:
- an optical source to generate an optical beam;
- and
- one or more waveguides, coupled to the optical source, to steer the optical beam, the one or more waveguides comprising:
- a first cladding layer having a first refractive index;
- and
- a second cladding layer comprising a single layer disposed below the first cladding layer and above a substrate, the second cladding layer comprising a plurality of second refractive indexes that steer the optical beam towards the substrate, the plurality of second refractive indexes comprising a range of different refractive indexes, wherein the range of different refractive indexes is greater than the first refractive index of the first cladding layer,
- wherein the second cladding layer is comprised of indium gallium arsenide phosphide (InGaAsP).
4 more elements
A light detection and ranging apparatus (LIDAR), comprising:
- an optical source to generate an optical beam;
- and
- one or more waveguides, coupled to the optical source, to steer the optical beam, the one or more waveguides comprising:
- a first cladding layer having a first refractive index;
- and
- a second cladding layer comprising a single layer disposed below the first cladding layer and above a substrate, the second cladding layer comprising a plurality of second refractive indexes that steer the optical beam towards the substrate, the plurality of second refractive indexes comprising a range of different refractive indexes, wherein the range of different refractive indexes is greater than the first refractive index of the first cladding layer,
- wherein the second cladding layer is comprised of indium gallium aluminum arsenide (InGaAlAs).
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a waveguide, an optical beam from an optical source of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, the waveguide comprising a first cladding layer having a first refractive index and a second cladding layer comprising a single layer disposed below the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer comprising a plurality of second refractive indexes that steer the optical beam towards a substrate, the plurality of second refractive indexes comprising a range of different refractive indexes, wherein the range of different refractive indexes is greater than the first refractive index of the first cladding layer;
- and
- propagating the optical beam using the range of different refractive indexes of the waveguide to expand an optical mode of the optical beam,
- wherein the first cladding layer has a first thickness, the second cladding layer has a second thickness between 2 microns and 5 microns, and the first thickness is less than the second thickness.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a waveguide, an optical beam from an optical source of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, the waveguide comprising a first cladding layer having a first refractive index and a second cladding layer comprising a single layer disposed below the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer comprising a plurality of second refractive indexes that steer the optical beam towards a substrate, the plurality of second refractive indexes comprising a range of different refractive indexes, wherein the range of different refractive indexes is greater than the first refractive index of the first cladding layer;
- and
- propagating the optical beam using the range of different refractive indexes of the waveguide to expand an optical mode of the optical beam,
- wherein the second cladding layer is comprised of indium gallium arsenide phosphide (InGaAsP).
1 more element
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a waveguide, an optical beam from an optical source of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, the waveguide comprising a first cladding layer having a first refractive index and a second cladding layer comprising a single layer disposed below the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer comprising a plurality of second refractive indexes that steer the optical beam towards a substrate, the plurality of second refractive indexes comprising a range of different refractive indexes, wherein the range of different refractive indexes is greater than the first refractive index of the first cladding layer;
- and
- propagating the optical beam using the range of different refractive indexes of the waveguide to expand an optical mode of the optical beam,
- wherein the second cladding layer is comprised of indium gallium aluminum arsenide (InGaAlAs).
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.