US 12,265,181 B2
Scanner, and coaxial, and non-coaxial lidar systems with same
Jinxi Huang, Zhejiang (CN); and Zihao Shan, Zhejiang (CN)
Assigned to Hangzhou Xight Semi-conductor Co., Ltd., Hangzhou (CN)
Appl. No. 18/018,032
Filed by HANGZHOU XIGHT SEMI-CONDUCTOR CO., LTD., Zhejiang (CN)
PCT Filed Sep. 3, 2021, PCT No. PCT/CN2021/116482
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 25, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/022747, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 3, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 202010744507.3 (CN), filed on Jul. 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0273300 A1, Aug. 31, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/48 (2006.01); G01S 17/08 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 7/4817 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4808 (2013.01); G01S 7/4812 (2013.01); G01S 17/08 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A coaxial lidar system, wherein the coaxial lidar system is integrated by a plurality of splitters and working parts connected to the plurality of splitters, and the working parts comprise:
a laser, for emitting light and outputting an optical signal, wherein a first splitter in the plurality of splitters divides the optical signal into a first optical signal and a local optical signal, wherein the light emitted by the laser has a changing wavelength;
an optical circulator, for enabling bidirectional communication of optical signals; wherein the optical circulator comprises a first interface, a second interface connected to the first splitter, and a third interface;
an optical amplifier, for amplifying the first optical signal output from the first splitter to obtain an amplified first optical signal, and outputting the amplified first optical signal to a scanner through a first port optical amplifier, wherein the first interface of the optical circulator is connected to a second port of the optical amplifer;
the scanner, for outputting the amplified first optical signal to free space and receiving optical signals in free space to obtain a second optical signal, wherein the scanner transmits the second optical signal to the optical amplifier, which transmits the second optical signal to the optical circulator; wherein the scanner comprises: a wafer substrate, a plurality of optical switches, and a plurality of grating antenna groups; wherein the plurality of optical switches and the plurality of grating antenna groups are fixed on an upper end of the wafer substrate, the plurality of optical switches and the plurality of grating antenna groups correspond one to one, one grating antenna group is optically connected to one optical switch port; wherein the plurality of grating antenna groups are distributed in an array to form a grating part, and an upper side of the grating part is covered with a lens module; wherein the plurality of grating antenna groups are in a shape of long strips, the lens module comprises a plurality of lenses arranged at intervals, and curvature values of the plurality of lenses are different; wherein the plurality of lenses are cylindrical lenses whose cylindrical axes are parallel to a longitudinal direction of the long strips:
wherein light beams of different wavelengths pass through the grating part and emit at different angles to perform scanning in a first direction according to the principle of light dispersion, wherein the lens module and selective pass of the plurality of optical switches as well as the corresponding grating antenna groups are used to perform scanning in a second dimension according to the focal plane theorem;
an optical attenuator, for receiving and attenuating the local optical signal output from the first splitter to obtain an attenuated local optical signal, and output the attenuated local optical signal to a detection pipeline; and
the detection pipeline, for comparing the attenuated local optical signal and the second optical signal to calculate a detection distance; wherein the detection pipeline comprises a set of balanced photodetectors, a set of spectrometers, a processor, and an optical fiber, wherein the third interface of the optical circulator is connected to the detection pipeline.