Abstract: Through discrimination of the scattered signal polarization state, a lidar system measures a distance through semi-transparent media by the reception of single or multiple scattered signals from a scattering medium. Combined and overlapped single or multiple scattered light signals from the medium can be separated by exploiting varying polarization characteristics. This removes the traditional laser and detector pulse width limitations that determine the system's operational bandwidth, translating relative depth measurements into the conditions of two surface timing measurements and achieving sub-pulse width resolution.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system include one or more LIDAR pixels including a transmit optical antenna, a receive optical antenna, a first receiver, and a second receiver. The transmit optical antenna is configured to emit a transmit beam. The receive optical antenna is configured to detect (i) a first polarization orientation of a returning beam and (ii) a second polarization orientation of the returning beam.

Abstract: A generation unit (2) generates a plurality of transmission pulses of which the strength of an optical signal changes in a pulse-like manner. Note that the generation part (2) generates a plurality of transmission pulses having frequency offsets different from each other. The transmission unit (4) repeatedly transmits transmission pulses generated by the generation unit (2). The reception part (6) receives reflected pulses of the respective transmission pulses reflected on a distance-measurement-target object. The detection unit (8) detects the frequency offsets of the reflected pulses received by the reception unit (6). The distance calculation unit (10) calculates a distance to the distance-measurement-target object based on the receiving timings of the reflected pulses received by the reception unit (6) and the transmitting timings of the transmission pulses corresponding to the frequency offsets detected from the reflected pulses.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optical fiber characterization using a nonlinear measurement of shaped Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) transmitted over the optical fiber are provided. A method includes receiving an ASE signal on an optical fiber, wherein the ASE signal is transmitted from an ASE source connected to the optical fiber and the ASE signal includes a spectral shape at an input of the optical fiber; measuring a broadened spectral shape of the received ASE signal where the broadened spectral shape is different from the spectral shape at the input and broadened due to propagation of the ASE signal over the optical fiber; and determining one or more parameters of the optical fiber based on the broadened spectral shape of the received ASE signal.

Abstract: A time-of-flight apparatus has: a light source for emitting light to a scene; a light detector for detecting light from the scene; and a control, the control being configured to: acquire a frame of detected light from the light detector, wherein the frame corresponds to a predetermined time interval, and drive the light source for emitting light during the acquisition of the frame, wherein the light energy accumulated within the frame has a predetermined value, and wherein the frame is divided into active light time intervals during which light is emitted to the scene.

Abstract: Free-space optics for use in a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus include a polarization beam-splitter (PBS) to direct an optical beam in a first direction toward a target environment and to propagate a portion of the optical beam in a second direction for receipt by a photodetector (PD), a polarization wave plate (PWP) to convert the optical beam from a first polarization to a second polarization, and to convert the target return signal from a third polarization to a fourth polarization, and a lens system coupled between the PBS and the PWP to magnify the optical beam. The propagated portion of the optical beam comprises a local oscillator (LO) signal to mix with a target return signal to generate target information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a semiconductor optical amplifier including a semiconductor-based gain medium configured to receive a drive current and a variable-width waveguide coupled to the in the semiconductor-based gain medium, the variable-width waveguide including a plurality of narrow width regions and a plurality of wide width regions positioned alternately along a longitudinal axis of the waveguide. The variable-width waveguide further includes a plurality of transition regions having an adiabatically varying widths. Each transition region connects adjacent ones of the plurality of narrow width and width regions and the waveguide has a reduced drive current density in the plurality of wide width regions relative to the drive current density in the plurality of narrow width regions.

Abstract: There is provided a distance measurement device including a light source, a light detector, a time control circuit and a processor. In first measurement, the time control circuit controls the light source to illuminate at a low modulation frequency, and the processor calculates a rough flying time according to a first detection signal of the light detector to determine an operating phase zone and a delay time. In second measurement, the time control circuit controls the light source to illuminate at a high modulation frequency and causes a light driving signal of the light source and a detecting control signal of the light detector to have a difference of the delay time, and the processor calculates a fine flying time according to a second detection signal of the light detector.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system for a vehicle can include: a light source configured to output a transmit beam at a first orientation; a reflective surface configured to redirect the transmit beam from the first orientation to a second orientation; and a lens interface configured to receive the transmit beam at the first orientation and focus the transmit beam onto the reflective surface; wherein the LIDAR system emits the transmit beam at the second orientation into an environment of the LIDAR system.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a light source system suitable for use in a time of flight camera. The light source system includes a light source, such as a laser, and a driver arranged to supply a drive current to the light source to turn the light source on to emit light. The driver includes or is coupled to a capacitor to store energy and then discharge to generate the drive current. The driver can be integrated into a semiconductor die on which the light source is mounted. Thus, the driver can include within it the source of energy for the drive current and the light source and driver can be very close together. Therefore, the light source may be turned on and off very quickly, such as with a relatively large drive current, such as to output a high optical power, short duration light pulse.

Abstract: An object is to provide a detection apparatus, a determination method, and a program capable of distinguishing a natural object from a structure and thereby detecting the natural object. A detection apparatus (10) according to the present disclosure includes a calculation unit (11) configured to calculate a normal vector for each point included in point-group data indicating a distance to an object to be determined by using the point-group data, and a determination unit (12) configured to determine whether the object to be determined is a natural object or not by using a distribution state of at least either horizontal components of the normal vectors or vertical components thereof.

Abstract: A light source apparatus is provided with the emission section in which a plurality of vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser light-emitting elements is arrayed, the driving circuit section that causes the plurality of light-emitting elements of the emission section to emit light, the temperature detection section that includes a plurality of temperature sensors arranged to detect the temperature of the emission section, and a control section. The control section is configured to, during an emission target period when the light-emitting elements of the emission section are driven by the driving circuit section, correct a detection value from each of the plurality of temperature sensors by using a correction value set for each of the temperature sensors.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present application disclose a photonic chip module, a LiDAR and a movable device. The photonic chip module includes a photonic chip and a reflection module. The photonic chip includes a plurality of transceiving waveguide modules. A plurality of accommodating grooves are provided on a first surface of the photonic chip. The reflection module has a plurality of reflecting surfaces, and each reflecting surface is arranged at intervals along the second preset direction. The reflection surface is used to reflect the detection light so that the detection light is emitted in a direction that is not perpendicular to the thickness direction. The photonic chip module is conducive to improving the detection field of view of the LiDAR under the condition of the same resolution, or improving the resolution under the condition of the same total detection field of view.

Abstract: Depth sensing apparatus includes a radiation source, which emits a first array of beams of light pulses through a window toward a target scene. Objective optics image the target scene onto a second array of sensing elements, which output signals indicative of respective times of incidence of photons. A first calibration, which associates the beams in the first array with respective first locations on the second array onto which the beams reflected from the target scene are imaged, is used in processing the signals in order to measure respective times of flight of the light pulses. A second calibration indicates second locations on which stray radiation is incident on the second array due to reflection of the beams from the window. Upon detecting a change in the second locations relative to the second calibration, the first calibration is corrected so as to compensate for the detected change.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monostatic pulsed time-resolved wide-field-of-view underwater laser imaging. In embodiments, a rotatable optical assembly consisting of a single pyramid mirror and optical ports for each facet is used to both direct a transmitted pulsed laser beam to a target and focus the return signal to a high dynamic range detector, such as a photomultiplier tube, The detector output signal is sampled by a high-speed digitizer and can be processed to generate three-dimensional images.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a stray light suppression device for bathymetric LiDAR onboard unmanned shipborne, belonging to the technical field of LiDAR water depth detection, particularly to a stray light suppression device for bathymetric LiDAR onboard unmanned shipborne. The device comprises an optical system component, a first objective lens barrel, a second objective lens barrel, a spectroscope barrel, a first eyepiece barrel a, a first eyepiece barrel b, a second eyepiece barrel a, a second eyepiece barrel b, a PMT detector a, a PMT detector b and a spectroscope supporting structure. Stray light suppression of an optical system with minimal field-of-view is realized, and stray light propagated by first-order, second-order and third-order scattered light paths is suppressed, so that a water depth detection capability of the bathymetric LiDAR onboard unmanned shipborne is improved and a dynamic detection range is expanded.

Abstract: Methods and systems for combining return signals from multiple channels of a LIDAR measurement system are described herein. In one aspect, the outputs of multiple receive channels are electrically coupled before input to a single channel of an analog to digital converter. In another aspect, a DC offset voltage is provided at the output of each transimpedance amplifier of each receive channel to improve measured signal quality. In another aspect, a bias voltage supplied to each photodetector of each receive channel is adjusted based on measured temperature to save power and improve measurement consistency. In another aspect, a bias voltage supplied to each illumination source of each transmit channel is adjusted based on measured temperature. In another aspect, a multiplexer is employed to multiplex multiple sets of output signals of corresponding sets of receive channels before analog to digital conversion.

Abstract: The present invention is aimed at radiating a linear light beam without distortion regardless of an incident angle of the scanning light beam in an optical module that irradiates a target object with a light beam and detects the reflected light. In an optical module of the present invention, an optical scanning unit (150) causes the light beam to scan in a predetermined direction (perpendicular direction). An optical conversion unit (161) converts the scanning light beam into a linear light beam in a linear direction (horizontal direction) substantially orthogonal to the scanning direction. A light detection unit (180) detects reflected light, which is the linear light beam reflected from a target object.

Abstract: Provided is a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) apparatus including a light source configured to generate light, an optical transmitter configured to emit the light generated by the light source to outside of the LiDAR apparatus, an optical receiver configured to receive light from the outside of the LiDAR apparatus, a resonance-type photodetector configured to selectively amplify and detect light having a same wavelength as a wavelength of light generated by the light source among the light received by the optical receiver, and a processor configured to control the light source and the resonance-type photodetector, wherein the resonance-type photodetector includes a resonator, a phase modulator provided on the resonator and configured to control a phase of light traveling along the resonator based on control of the processor, and an optical detector configured to detect an intensity of the light traveling along the resonator.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for occlusion detection. An example system includes a primary reflective surface and a rotatable mirror configured to rotate about a rotational axis. The rotatable mirror includes a plurality of secondary reflective surfaces. The system also includes an optical element and a camera that is configured to capture at least one image of the optical element by way of the primary reflective surface and at least one secondary reflective surface of the rotatable mirror.