Abstract: A LiDAR system includes an optical source to emit an optical beam and a PSR a silicon nitride based waveguide to split and rotate an optical beam. The silicon nitride based waveguide includes a first silicon nitride segment including a first layer and a second layer, the first silicon nitride segment having tapered widths along a longitudinal direction. The second layer includes a first section extending from a first end of the first silicon nitride segment to a converging plane with increasing widths and a second section extending from the converging plane to a second end of the first silicon nitride segment with decreasing widths. The LIDAR system further includes an optical element to generate a local oscillator (LO) signal and an optical detector to mix the target return signal with the LO signal to generate a heterodyne signal to extract range and velocity information of the target.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) core is provided that transmits optical beams, and detects return optical beams. The transmitted optical beams are antiphase chirps that sweep a frequency band, and the sweep of the antiphase chirps includes multiple sub-sweeps over respective sub-bands of the frequency band. The system routes the transmitted optical beams that are launched towards a target, and receives light incident upon the target into the return optical beams. The system simultaneously measures and thereby produces multiple simultaneous measurements of first and second beat frequencies per sweep of the antiphase chirps, from the transmitted and returned optical beams, and includes a simultaneous measurement of the first and second beat frequencies per sub-sweep of the multiple sub-sweeps. And the system determines a range and velocity of the target from the multiple simultaneous measurements of the first and second beat frequencies per sweep of the antiphase chirps.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system according to the present disclosure comprises an optical circulator and one or more photodetectors (PDs). The optical circulator is to receive an optical beam and transmit the optical beam to a target, to receive a target return signal from the target and to transmit the target return signal to the one or more PDs, where the one or more PDs are to mix the target return signal with an LO signal to generate a heterodyne signal to extract range and velocity information of the target.

Abstract: A signal processing system includes a time domain processing component to receive samples of a range-dependent time domain baseband signal in a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system, to separate the samples of the baseband signal into frequency subbands in the time domain based on subband typing criteria, and to select subband processing parameters for the frequency subbands in the time domain and the frequency domain based on the subband typing criteria. Subband processors selectively process the frequency subbands in the time domain and the frequency domain based on the processing parameters.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system is provided that includes an optical a scanning mirror to steer a laser beam emitted from the tip of an optical fiber to scan a scene, and collect light incident upon any objects in the scene that is returned to the fiber tip. The LIDAR system further includes a re-imaging lens located between the optical fiber and scanning mirror, and an optic located between the scanning mirror and the scene. The re-imaging lens focuses the laser beam emitted from the optical fiber on or close to the first scanning mirror's center of rotation and thereby re-image the fiber tip at or close to the center of rotation, from which the laser beam is reflected as a divergent laser beam. And the optic is configured to collimate or focus the divergent laser beam from the first scanning mirror that is launched toward the scene.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging system includes optical sources configured to emit respectively first and second optical beams that have opposite polarizations. Taps split the first and second optical beams into first and second high-power path and low-power path optical beams. A first polarization beam splitter combines the first and second high-power path optical beams into a single spatial mode optical beam, which lensing optics launches toward the target, and collects light incident upon the target into a return path. A second polarization beam splitter splits the return optical beam into first and second spatial mode optical beams. Mixers mix the first and second spatial mode optical beams with respectively the first and second low-power path optical beams to produce optical beams first and second beat frequencies, which optical detectors detect and from which range and velocity of the target are determinable.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system according to the present disclosure comprises an optical source to emit an optical beam. The LiDAR system comprises a PSR comprising a silicon nitride based waveguide to split and rotate a target return signal of the optical beam from a target. The silicon nitride based waveguide includes a first silicon nitride segment and a second silicon nitride segment. The first silicon nitride segment includes a first layer and a second layer. The first silicon nitride segment has tapered widths along a longitudinal direction. The second silicon nitride segment includes a silicon nitride adiabatic coupler. The LiDAR system further comprises an optical element to generate a local oscillator (LO) signal and a PD to mix the target return signal with the LO signal to generate a heterodyne signal to extract information of the target.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes a first optical source to generate a first optical beam and a second optical source to generate a second optical beam. The first optical beam and the second optical beam are separated by a first spacing. The system further includes an optical system to receive the first optical beam and the second optical beam and reduce the first spacing between the first optical beam and the second optical beam to a second spacing and an output lens to transmit the first and second optical beams to scanner optics.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-readable media enabled methods are disclosed for detecting LIDAR window obstructions in an FMCW LIDAR system, analyzing the operational effects of the LIDAR window obstructions on the FMCW LIDAR system, and mitigating the operational effects on the FMCW LIDAR system.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system according to the present disclosure comprises an optical source to emit an optical beam, and an optical circulator to receive the optical beam and transmit the optical beam to a target, to receive a target return signal from the target and to transmit the target return signal to one or more photodetectors (PDs). The optical circulator is configured to collect all polarization states in the target return signal. The LiDAR system further comprises an optical element to generate a local oscillator (LO) signal, and the one or more PDs to mix the target return signal with the LO signal to generate a heterodyne signal to extract range and velocity information of the target.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes an optical source to emit an optical beam, and free-space optics coupled with the optical source to focus the optical beam at a first focal plane, where a local oscillator (LO) signal is generated from a partial reflection of the optical beam from a partially-reflecting surface proximate to the first focal plane, and where a transmitted portion of the optical beam is directed toward a scanned target environment. The free-space optics configured to focus the LO signal and a target return signal at a second focal plane comprising a conjugate focal plane to the first focal plane. The system also includes a photodetector with a photosensitive surface proximate to the conjugate focal plane to mix the LO signal with the target return signal to generate target information.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes an optical scanner to transmit a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) infrared (IR) optical beam and to receive a return signal from reflections of the optical beam; an optical processing system coupled with the optical scanner to generate a baseband signal in the time domain from the return signal, where the baseband signal includes frequencies corresponding to LIDAR target ranges; and a signal processing system coupled with the optical processing system to measure energy of the baseband signal in the frequency domain, to compare the energy to an estimate of LIDAR system noise, and to determine a likelihood that an signal peak in the frequency domain indicates a detected target.