# US 11,442,284 B2 · Structured light projector including an integrated metalens and diffractive optical element

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- Number: US 11,442,284 B2
- Document ID: US11442284B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/258,731
- Filed: 2019-07-23
- Published: 2021-09-16
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-25
- Assignees: Ams Sensors Asia Pte. Ltd.
- Applicants: ams Sensors Asia Pte. Ltd.
- Inventors: Chuni Ghosh; Jean-Francois Seurin; Maik Scheller; Baiming Guo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11442284B2

## CPC

- G02B 1/002: {made of materials engineered to provide properties not available in nature, e.g. metamaterials}
- G02B 27/425: {in illumination systems (mask illumination systems in photolithographic systems G03F7/70158)}
- G01B 11/2513: {with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS

## Abstract

An apparatus that includes a structured light projector which includes a light source, a metalens, and a diffractive optical element (DOE) multiplier. Each of the metalens and the DOE multiplier is integrated onto the light source. The structured light projector is operable such that light beams produced by the light source pass through the metalens and the DOE multiplier.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a structured light projector including:
a light source;
a metalens; and
a diffractive optical element (DOE) multiplier,
wherein each of the metalens and the DOE multiplier is integrated onto the light source, and wherein the structured light projector is operable such that light beams produced by the light source pass through the metalens and the DOE multiplier.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the DOE multiplier and the metalens are disposed in different planes from one another.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 the DOE multiplier is disposed directly on an output face of the light source.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 including a spacer on the DOE multiplier, wherein the metalens is disposed on a surface of the spacer such that the spacer separates the metalens from the DOE multiplier.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the spacer is composed of an epitaxial layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the spacer is composed of a polymer layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the light source comprises one or more VCSELs.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the DOE multiplier and the metalens are disposed on a same surface as one another.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the light source comprises one or more VCSELs.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the DOE multiplier and the metalens are disposed in a same plane as one another.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further including a spacer attached to an output face of the light source, wherein the DOE multiplier and metalens are on a surface of the spacer such that the spacer separates the DOE multiplier and metalens from the output face of the light source.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the spacer is bonded to the output face of the light source.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a lateral dimension of the metalens is less than a corresponding lateral dimension of the DOE multiplier.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein an envelope profile of the metalens is the same as a two-dimensional grating profile of the DOE multiplier.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the surface of the spacer on which the DOE multiplier and metalens are disposed is larger than the output face of the light source.