# US 12,222,451 B2 · Heat dissipation for LIDAR sensors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,222,451 B2 - Document ID: US12222451B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/184,260 - Filed: 2023-03-15 - Published: 2023-07-06 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-23 - Assignees: Aurora Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Aurora Operations, Inc. - Inventors: Sen Lin; Lei Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222451B2 ## CPC - G01S 7/4818: {using optical fibres} - G01S 7/4813: {Housing arrangements} - G01S 7/4814: {of transmitters alone} - G01S 17/86: Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - G02B 6/0085: {Means for removing heat created by the light source from the package} - G02B 6/02: Optical fibres with cladding {with or without a coating} - G02F 1/0147: {based on thermo-optic effects (G02F1/132 takes precedence)} - G02F 1/225: in an optical waveguide structure - H01S 5/0612: {controlled by temperature} - 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 - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - 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 ## Abstract A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device includes a substrate layer, a cladding layer, a waveguide, and an ohmic element. The cladding layer is disposed with the substrate layer. The waveguide runs through the cladding layer. The ohmic element runs through the cladding layer. The ohmic element is arranged to impart heat to the waveguide when an electrical current is driven through the ohmic element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device comprising: a substrate layer; a cladding layer disposed on the substrate layer; a waveguide configured for propagating light, wherein at least a portion of the waveguide runs through the cladding layer; and an ohmic element, wherein at least a portion of the ohmic element runs through the cladding layer, wherein the waveguide is disposed within the cladding layer between the ohmic element and the substrate layer, and wherein the ohmic element is arranged to impart heat to the waveguide in response to an electrical current that is provided to the ohmic element; wherein a frequency of the light propagating through the waveguide is modulated by the electrical current provided to the ohmic element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the waveguide is selectively heated and cooled based on an amount of the heat imparted to the waveguide from the ohmic element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein an infrared transmit beam is configured to propagate through the waveguide and into an external environment of the LIDAR device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, further comprising: a heat module coupled to the ohmic element, wherein the heat module is configured to drive the electrical current that is provided to the ohmic element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The LIDAR device of claim 4, wherein the heat module is coupled to a first portion of the ohmic element and a second portion of the ohmic element that is opposite the first portion of the ohmic element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The LIDAR device of claim 4, wherein the heat module comprises one or more transistors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the light propagating through the waveguide is infrared light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The LIDAR device of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer includes an opening that is disposed relative to the waveguide to assist in controlling a temperature of the waveguide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The LIDAR device of claim 8, further comprising a filler material disposed in the opening, wherein a thermal conductivity of the filler material is selected to adjust a heat dissipation rate of the waveguide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The LIDAR device of claim 9, wherein the opening is at least partially filled with a filler material having a thermal conductivity that is between 0.025 W/mK and 500 W/mK. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The LIDAR device of claim 9, wherein the opening is at least partially filled with a filler material having a thermal conductivity that is between 0.1 W/mK and 20 W/mK. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The LIDAR device of claim 8, wherein the waveguide is disposed between the ohmic element and the opening, and wherein a portion of the cladding layer is disposed between the waveguide and the ohmic element. ### Claim 13 An autonomous vehicle control system for an autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle control system comprising: a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device including: a substrate layer; a cladding layer disposed on the substrate layer, a waveguide configured for propagating an infrared transmit beam into an external environment of the autonomous vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the waveguide runs through the cladding layer; and an ohmic element, wherein at least a portion of the ohmic element runs through the cladding layer, wherein the waveguide is disposed within the cladding layer between the ohmic element and the substrate layer, and wherein the ohmic element is arranged to impart heat to the waveguide in response to an electrical current that is provided to the ohmic element; wherein a frequency of the infrared transmit beam propagating through the waveguide is modulated by the electrical current provided to the ohmic element; and one or more processors configured to control the autonomous vehicle in response to an infrared returning beam that is a reflection of the infrared transmit beam. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 13, wherein the LIDAR device comprises a heat module coupled to a first portion of the ohmic element and a second portion of the ohmic element that is opposite the first portion of the ohmic element, wherein the heat module is configured to drive the electrical current that is provided to the ohmic element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 14, wherein the heat module comprises one or more transistors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 13, wherein the substrate layer includes an opening that is disposed relative to the waveguide to assist in controlling a temperature of the waveguide. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 16, further comprising a filler material disposed in the opening, wherein a thermal conductivity of the filler material is selected to adjust a heat dissipation rate of the waveguide. ### Claim 18 An autonomous vehicle comprising: a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor including: a substrate layer; a cladding layer disposed on the substrate layer, a waveguide configured for propagating an infrared transmit beam into an external environment of the autonomous vehicle, wherein at least a portion of the waveguide runs through the cladding layer; and an ohmic element, wherein at least a portion of the ohmic element runs through the cladding layer, wherein the waveguide is disposed within the cladding layer between the ohmic element and the substrate layer and wherein the ohmic element is arranged to impart heat to the waveguide in response to an electrical current that is provided to the ohmic element; and wherein a frequency of the infrared transmit beam propagating through the waveguide is modulated by the electrical current provided to the ohmic element; and a control system configured to control the autonomous vehicle in response to an infrared returning beam that is a reflection of the infrared transmit beam. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The autonomous vehicle of claim 18, wherein the LIDAR sensor comprises a heat module coupled to a first portion of the ohmic element and a second portion of the ohmic element that is opposite the first portion of the ohmic element, wherein the heat module is configured to drive the electrical current that is provided to the ohmic element. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The autonomous vehicle of claim 18, wherein: the substrate layer includes an opening that is disposed relative to the waveguide to assist in controlling a temperature of the waveguide; and the LIDAR sensor comprises a filler material disposed in the opening, wherein a thermal conductivity of the filler material is selected to adjust a heat dissipation rate of the waveguide.