# US 11,906,667 B2 · Optical coupler for LIDAR sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,667 B2 - Document ID: US11906667B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/890,243 - Filed: 2022-08-17 - Published: 2022-12-15 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-23 - Assignees: Aurora Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Aurora Operations, Inc. - Inventors: Sen Lin; Andrew Steil Michaels - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906667B2 ## CPC - G01S 7/4818: {using optical fibres} - G02B 6/34: utilising prism or grating {(G02B6/293 takes precedence)} - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - G01S 17/34: using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - G02B 6/021: {characterised by the core or cladding or coating, e.g. materials, radial refractive index profiles, cladding shape} - G01S 7/4812: {transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path} - G02B 6/2773: {Polarisation splitting or combining} - G02B 6/305: {and having an integrated mode-size expanding section, e.g. tapered waveguide} - G02B 2006/12104: {Mirror; Reflectors or the like} - G02B 2006/12107: {Grating} - G02B 2006/12147: {Coupler} - 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 ## Abstract A LIDAR device for a vehicle includes an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a substrate layer, a cladding layer, a waveguide, a scattering array, and a reflector layer. The cladding layer is disposed on the substrate layer to form an interface with the substrate layer. The waveguide is disposed within the cladding layer and configured to route an infrared optical field. The scattering array is disposed within the cladding layer between the waveguide and the interface and perturbs the infrared optical field and scatters the infrared optical field into a first beam propagating toward a surface of the cladding layer and into a second beam propagating towards the interface. The reflector layer is disposed within the cladding layer between the waveguide and the surface of the cladding layer to reflect the first beam towards the interface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device for a vehicle, the LIDAR device comprising an integrated chip that includes: a substrate layer; a cladding layer disposed on the substrate layer to form an interface with the substrate layer, wherein the cladding layer includes a surface; a waveguide disposed within the cladding layer and configured to route an infrared optical field; a scattering array disposed within the cladding layer between the waveguide and the interface, wherein the scattering array is configured to perturb the infrared optical field and scatter the infrared optical field into a first beam propagating toward the surface of the cladding layer and into a second beam propagating towards the interface; and a reflector layer disposed within the cladding layer between the waveguide and the surface of the cladding layer, wherein the reflector layer is configured to reflect the first beam towards the interface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the first beam and the second beam are configured to interfere to form a beam of light that propagates through the interface into the substrate layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The LIDAR device of claim 2, wherein the beam of light is configured to exit the LIDAR device through a side of the substrate layer that is opposite the interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the waveguide has a first refractive index that is higher than a second refractive index of the cladding layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer is transparent to infrared light. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the reflector layer comprises a metallic reflector layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The LIDAR device of claim 6, wherein the metallic reflector layer comprises Copper. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the reflector layer comprises at least one diffractive structure configured to reflect a linewidth of the first beam. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the waveguide is tapered and flares outward as the waveguide approaches the scattering array, and wherein the scattering array progressively flares outward. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the cladding layer comprises silicon dioxide, the substrate layer comprises silicon, and the interface is a silicon-glass interface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the scattering array is formed of silicon. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the infrared optical field comprises tails that extend outside the waveguide as the infrared optical field propagates through the waveguide, and wherein the scattering array is configured to interact with the tails of the infrared optical field to scatter the infrared optical field into the first beam and the second beam. ### Claim 13 An autonomous vehicle control system, comprising: a LIDAR device comprising an integrated chip that includes: a substrate layer; a cladding layer disposed on the substrate layer to form an interface with the substrate layer, wherein the cladding layer includes a surface; a waveguide disposed within the cladding layer and configured to route an infrared optical field; a scattering array disposed within the cladding layer between the waveguide and the interface, wherein the scattering array is configured to perturb the infrared optical field and scatter the infrared optical field into a first beam propagating toward the surface of the cladding layer and into a second beam propagating towards the interface; and a reflector layer disposed within the cladding layer between the waveguide and the surface of the cladding layer, wherein the reflector layer is configured to reflect the first beam towards the interface; and one or more processors coupled to the LIDAR device and configured to generate control signals for control of an autonomous vehicle in response the LIDAR device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 13, wherein the first beam and the second beam are configured to interfere to form a beam of light that propagates through the interface into the substrate layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 14, wherein the beam of light is configured to exit the LIDAR device through a side of the substrate layer that is opposite the interface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 15, wherein the LIDAR device is configured to receive a return infrared beam that is a reflection of the beam of light off of a target in an external environment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 13, wherein the infrared optical field comprises tails that extend outside the waveguide as the infrared optical field propagates through the waveguide, and wherein the scattering array is configured to interact with the tails of the infrared optical field to scatter the infrared optical field into the first beam and the second beam. ### Claim 18 An autonomous vehicle, comprising: a LIDAR sensor comprising an integrated chip that includes: a substrate layer; a cladding layer disposed on the substrate layer to form an interface with the substrate layer, wherein the cladding layer includes a surface; a waveguide disposed within the cladding layer and configured to route an infrared optical field; a scattering array disposed within the cladding layer between the waveguide and the interface, wherein the scattering array is configured to perturb the infrared optical field and scatter the infrared optical field into a first beam propagating toward the surface of the cladding layer and into a second beam propagating towards the interface; and a reflector layer disposed within the cladding layer between the waveguide and the surface of the cladding layer, wherein the reflector layer is configured to reflect the first beam towards the interface; and a vehicle control system that includes one or more processors coupled to the LIDAR sensor and configured to generate control signals for control of the autonomous vehicle in response the LIDAR sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The autonomous vehicle of claim 18, wherein: the first beam and the second beam are configured to interfere to form a beam of light that propagates through the interface into the substrate layer; and the beam of light is configured to exit the LIDAR sensor through a side of the substrate layer that is opposite the interface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The autonomous vehicle of claim 19, wherein the LIDAR sensor is configured to receive a return infrared beam that is a reflection of the beam of light off of a target in an external environment.