Integrated bound-mode angular sensors

An angular sensitive time-of-flight position sensor system device comprising:

• a light source that illuminates a field-of-view;
• an array of pixels fabricated atop a substrate, each pixel of the array of pixels comprising:
• a planar waveguide structure supporting a single transverse electric (TE) mode and a single transverse magnetic (TM) mode;
• a collection area with a grating structure pattern to couple light reflected and scattered from objects in the field-of-view that is illuminated into a mode of planar waveguide structure without any intervening imaging optical components;
• at least one detector, responsive to the light reflected and scattered from objects in the field-of-view that is illuminated, arranged peripherally to the collection area and vertically displaced from the center line of the planar waveguide structure;
• at least one output coupler to direct light propagating in the planar waveguide to the at least one detector;
• a cover to shield the at least one detector from direct illumination by the light reflected and scattered from objects in the field-of-view that is illuminated;
• a first electronics configured to measure time-of-flight of light reflected and scattered from the objects in the field-of-view that is illuminated;
• and
• a second electronics configured to interpret and retain time-of-flight information for each pixel and configured to communicate with external electronics for system applications.