US 12,216,271 B2
Optical device, distance measurement apparatus, and mobile object
Soh Okumura, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Soh Okumura, Kanagawa (JP)
Filed on Nov. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/456,427.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-197599 (JP), filed on Nov. 27, 2020; application No. 2021-165415 (JP), filed on Oct. 7, 2021; and application No. 2021-185455 (JP), filed on Nov. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0171158 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 26/08 (2006.01); G01S 17/34 (2020.01); H01S 5/02315 (2021.01); H01S 5/183 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 26/0858 (2013.01) [G01S 17/34 (2020.01); H01S 5/18366 (2013.01); H01S 5/02315 (2021.01); H01S 5/18305 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical device comprising:
a first reflector;
a second reflector facing the reflector;
a light emitter between the first reflector and the second reflector;
a base supporting the second reflector with space between the light emitter and the second reflector, the base having:
a first region; and
a second region having a lower stiffness than the first region, the second region having the second reflector and a piezoelectric body thereon; and
the piezoelectric body configured to, in response to application of drive voltage, deform to cause the second region to deform to drive the second reflector so as to change a distance between the first reflector and the second reflector,
wherein the optical device is configured to emit a laser beam whose wavelength is changeable with the distance between the first reflector and the second reflector.