Abstract: An apparatus for amplifying light includes a substrate, a cladding formed on the substrate, a gain medium formed inside the cladding, and a pump light source configured to provide a pump light through a plurality of optical paths. A first portion of the gain medium receives a first portion of the pump light through a first optical path, and a second portion of the gain medium receives a second portion of the pump light through a second optical path, the second optical path separate from the first optical path.

Abstract: An optical system in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a first light source, a second light source, a first spatial optical phase modulator, a second spatial optical phase modulator, and a projector. The first spatial optical phase modulator outputs first phase-modulated light based on an input light having a first wavelength from the first light source. The second spatial optical phase modulator outputs second phase-modulated light based on input light having a second wavelength from the second light source. The projector projects the first phase-modulated light and the second phase-modulated light on a target. The first spatial optical phase modulator is a liquid crystal device including a first liquid crystal layer. The second spatial optical phase modulator is a liquid crystal device including a second liquid crystal layer. The first liquid crystal layer includes a liquid crystal material different from that of the second liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A substrate rotating apparatus comprises a main rotation mechanism, an auxiliary rotation mechanism, and a guide structure. The main rotation mechanism rotates around a first rotation shaft. The main rotation mechanism comprises the auxiliary rotation mechanism. The auxiliary rotation mechanism revolves about the first rotation shaft in accordance of rotation of the main rotation mechanism, and rotates around a second rotation shaft. The second rotation shaft is displaced in a radial direction with respect to the first rotation shaft. The guide structure has a contact surface extending in a circumferential direction with respect to the first rotation shaft. The guide structure controls displacement of the second rotation shaft in the radial direction, and causes the auxiliary rotation mechanism to perform the revolving motion in an orbit along the contact surface when the contact surface and the auxiliary rotation mechanism are in contact with each other.

Abstract: System and methods for Light Detecting and Ranging (LIDAR) are disclosed. The LIDAR system includes a light source configured to generate a tunable beam, an optical beam steering device positioned to receive at least a portion of the beam and configured to sweep the beam over a range of angles in a field of view (FOV) wherein each discrete frequency of the beam corresponds to a different angle in the FOV, a detector configured to generate an interference signal based on the received portions of the beam, and a processor communicably coupled to the detector. The processor is configured to cause the light source to tune the tunable beam from a first frequency to a second frequency and to calculate a range of an object corresponding to either the first frequency or the second frequency within the FOV.

Abstract: Multi-wavelength external cavity laser devices are generally described. The device includes a gain medium, a reflector, a wavelength selective element, and a chirped grating reflector. The wavelength selective element filters light having a first wavelength, and the chirped grating reflector reflects the light having the first wavelength. The light travels back to the reflector. As a result, the chirped grating reflector and the reflector define an optical cavity for the light having the first wavelength.

Abstract: A beam steering system includes a light source configured to generate an optical beam at various wavelengths. An array of emitters receives the beam and selectively emits the beam. An optical device receives the beam and directs the beam into an external environment of the beam steering system. The beam is directed into the external environment at different angles corresponding to a location of the emitter and the wavelength of the beam. As a result, the beam steering system steers the beam for a three-dimensional scan of the external environment.

Abstract: A LIDAR sensing system includes a light source that is controlled to project a collimated beam at various wavelengths. An interferometer receives the collimated beam and projects an object beam corresponding to the collimated beam at a diffraction grating. The object beam is diffracted from the diffraction grating at different angles corresponding to the wavelength of the collimated beam, creating a two dimensional scan along a first axis. The object beam is also controlled along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. As a result, the LIDAR sensing system generates a horizontal and vertical scan (e.g., a three-dimensional scan) of the external environment.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a liquid crystal layer, and an electrode layer configured to form an electric field in the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer includes a liquid crystal composition in which an organic compound having a property of inhibiting a polymerization reaction caused by light action is added to a liquid crystal mixture as a polymerization inhibitor.

Abstract: A tunable filter includes: an optical input/output unit; a first mirror having a first reflective surface disposed to reflect input light from the optical input/output unit; a transmissive diffraction grating disposed on a propagation path of the input light reflected by the first mirror; and a second mirror having a second reflective surface disposed to reflect transmitted diffracted light from the transmissive diffraction grating corresponding to the input light. The first reflective surface is a variable-angle reflective surface. The second reflective surface has a fixed orientation relative to the transmissive diffraction grating.

Abstract: An optical device includes a fiber array that has input optical fibers, a lens array that has lenses, a photodiode array that photodiodes, a first spacer disposed between the fiber array and the lens array, and a second spacer disposed between the lens array and the photodiode array. Each of the lenses collimates input light from a corresponding input optical fiber, from among the input optical fibers. Each of the photodiodes receives the input light collimated by a corresponding lens, from among the lenses, and outputs an electrical signal according to a power of the received input light. The first spacer transmits the input light from each of the input optical fibers to a corresponding lens from among the lenses. The fiber array, the first spacer, the lens array, the second spacer, and the photodiode array are laminated.