Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system may include a laser source configured to emit one or more optical beams; a scanning optical system configured to scan the one or more optical beams over a scene and capture reflections of the one or more optical beams from the scene; a measurement system configured to divide the scene into a plurality of pixels, the measurement system comprising a detector configured to detect a return signal from multiple pixels of the plurality of pixels as the one or more optical beams are scanned across the scene, and a data processor configured to perform data processing from the return signal from the multiple pixels to determine a range and/or range rate for each pixel of the scene.

Abstract: A laser transmitter component including a photonic integrated circuit substrate including a plurality of laser transmitters coupled to at least one optical output, and configured to emit a light beam from one of the laser transmitters of the plurality of laser transmitters through the at least one optical output one laser transmitter at a time; a feedback circuit configured to determine at least one characteristic of the light beam emitted from the optical output and to provide the determined characteristic to a controller; and the controller configured to control at least one of a temperature and an input electrical current of the laser transmitter emitting the light beam and to control at least one of a temperature and an input electrical current of at least one further laser transmitter of the laser transmitter component based on the determined characteristic.

Abstract: LIDAR systems, and methods of measuring a scene are disclosed. A laser source emits one or more optical beams. A scanning optical system scans the optical beams over a scene and captures reflections from the scene. A measurement subsystem independently measures the reflections from N subpixels within each scene pixel, where N is an integer greater than 1, and combines the measurements of the reflections from the N subpixels to determine range and/or range rate for the pixel.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging system is provided having an interlaced angular dispersion by providing a photonic integrated circuit having a plurality of light paths having a non-uniform next-neighbor distance and emitting light of different wavelengths through the light paths.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit is provided having a plurality of light paths each configured to branch light received from at least one light receiving input to a first light path section and a second light path section, to turn the polarization of at least a portion of the light received at the receiving input into light of a first linear polarization and light of a second linear polarization that is orthogonal to the first polarization; wherein the first light path section is configured to emit light of the first linear polarization to the outside; wherein the second light path section is configured to determine an interference signal using the light having the second linear polarization of the first light path and light having the second received from the outside.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit, comprising a semiconductor photonic substrate having integrated therein: at least one light receiving input; at least one optical splitter to branch light received at the at least one light receiving input to a first light path and a second light path; wherein, the photonic integrated circuit, in the first light path, includes: at least one first amplifier structure to amplify the light in the first light path to provide first amplified light; at least one first light output to output the first amplified light from the at least one first amplifier structure; and at least one first photo detector to receive light from the outside of the photonic integrated circuit, the at least one first photo detector being located next to the at least one first light output; wherein, the photonic integrated circuit, in the second light path, includes: at least one second amplifier structure to amplify the light in the second light path to provide second amplified light; at least one second ligh

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit including having a semiconductor substrate having integrated a semiconductor light source, the semiconductor light source comprising: an optically active section comprising a gain section and configured to support a first number of wavelengths, an optically passive section comprising a passive waveguide optically coupled to the optically active section and a passive section mirror optically coupled to the passive waveguide, wherein the optically passive section is configured to support a second number of wavelengths that is lower than the first number; and the optically passive section further comprising a signal shifting structure configured to shift a signal of the light supported by the passive waveguide.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control the optical frequency of a laser are disclosed. An apparatus includes: a first laser to emit a first beam of light, the first beam of light to have an adjustable frequency based on an input current; a second laser to emit a second beam of light, the second beam of light to have a substantially fixed frequency; a photodetector to generate a feedback signal indicative of a frequency difference between the first and second beams of light; and logic circuitry to control the input current based on the feedback signal.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system may include a laser source configured to emit one or more optical beams; a scanning optical system configured to scan the one or more optical beams over a scene and capture reflections of the one or more optical beams from the scene; a measurement system configured to divide the scene into a plurality of pixels, the measurement system comprising a detector configured to detect a return signal from multiple pixels of the plurality of pixels as the one or more optical beams are scanned across the scene, and a data processor configured to perform data processing from the return signal from the multiple pixels to determine a range and/or range rate for each pixel of the scene.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit including a semiconductor substrate having integrate a semiconductor light source configured to emit coherent light of at least the first wavelength and the second wavelength, the semiconductor light source having a first factor; a waveguide structure optically coupled to the semiconductor light source, the waveguide structure having a second Q factor that is higher than the first Q factor, the waveguide structure configured to form an optical cavity for at least the light of the first wavelength and the second wavelength; an optical output structure configured to optically couple the waveguide structure with a plurality of optical channels to transmit light of the first wavelength and the second wavelength from the waveguide structure to the plurality of optical channels.

Abstract: Frequency modulated lasers, LIDAR systems, and methods of controlling laser are disclosed. A laser source emits an optical beam having an optical frequency that changes in response to a signal applied to an input of the laser source. A laser driver that generates the signal applied to the input to cause the optical frequency to vary in accordance with a periodic frequency versus time function. The laser driver generates the signal for a current period of the periodic frequency versus time function based, at least in part, on optical frequency versus time measurements of one or more prior periods of the periodic frequency versus time function.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging system is provided using a first electromagnetic radiation of a first emitting structure as local oscillator signal for a second electromagnetic radiation received from the outside of the light detection and ranging system, wherein the first and second electromagnetic radiations are coherent and the resulting signal is detected by a detecting structure. The resulting signal corresponds to an information of a target at the outside of the light detection and ranging system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control the optical frequency of a laser are disclosed. An apparatus includes: a first laser to emit a first beam of light, the first beam of light to have an adjustable frequency based on an input current; a second laser to emit a second beam of light, the second beam of light to have a substantially fixed frequency; a photodetector to generate a feedback signal indicative of a frequency difference between the first and second beams of light; and logic circuitry to control the input current based on the feedback signal.

Abstract: Frequency modulated lasers, LIDAR systems, and methods of controlling laser are disclosed. A laser source emits an optical beam having an optical frequency that changes in response to a signal applied to an input of the laser source. A laser driver that generates the signal applied to the input to cause the optical frequency to vary in accordance with a periodic frequency versus time function. The laser driver generates the signal for a current period of the periodic frequency versus time function based, at least in part, on optical frequency versus time measurements of one or more prior periods of the periodic frequency versus time function.

Abstract: LIDAR systems, and methods of measuring a scene are disclosed. A laser source emits one or more optical beams. A scanning optical system scans the optical beams over a scene and captures reflections from the scene. A measurement subsystem independently measures the reflections from N subpixels within each scene pixel, where N is an integer greater than 1, and combines the measurements of the reflections from the N subpixels to determine range and/or range rate for the pixel.

Abstract: A laser resonator includes an active material, which amplifies light associated with an optical gain of the resonator, and passive materials disposed in proximity with the active material. The resonator oscillates over one or more optical modes, each of which corresponds to a particular spatial energy distribution and resonant frequency. Based on a characteristic of the passive materials, for the particular spatial energy distribution corresponding to at least one of the optical modes, a preponderant portion of optical energy is distributed apart from the active material. The passive materials may include a low loss material, which stores the preponderant optical energy portion distributed apart from the active material, and a buffer material disposed between the low loss material and the active material, which controls a ratio of the optical energy stored in the low loss material to a portion of the optical energy in the active material.

Abstract: A detection apparatus and method for FMCW LIDAR employ signals whose frequencies are modified so that low-cost and low-speed photodetector arrays, such as CCD or CMOS cameras, can be employed for range detection. The LIDAR is designed to measure the range z to a target and includes a single mode swept frequency laser (SFL), whose optical frequency is varied with time, as a result of which, a target beam which is reflected back by the target is shifted in frequency from a reference beam by an amount that is proportional to the relative range z to the target. The reflected target beam is combined with the reference beam and detected by the photodetector array. By first modulating at least one of the target and reference beams such that the difference between the frequencies of the reflected target beam and the reference beam is reduced to a level that is within the bandwidth of the photodetector array, the need for high-speed detector arrays for full-field imaging is obviated.

Abstract: A detection apparatus and method for FMCW LIDAR employ signals that are modified so that low-cost and low-speed photodetector arrays, such as CCD or CMOS cameras, can be employed for range detection. The LIDAR is designed to measure the range to one or more targets and includes a single mode swept frequency laser (SFL), whose optical frequency is varied with time, as a result of which, a target beam which is reflected back by the one or more targets is shifted in frequency from a reference beam by an amount that is proportional to the relative range to the one or more targets. The reflected target beam(s) is/are combined with the reference beam and detected by the photodetector array. In the case of a sparse number of targets to be detected, Compressive Sensing (CS) techniques can be employed by a processor to reduce the number of measurements necessary to determine the range of each target.

Abstract: A laser resonator includes an active material, which amplifies light associated with an optical gain of the resonator, and passive materials disposed in proximity with the active material. The resonator oscillates over one or more optical modes, each of which corresponds to a particular spatial energy distribution and resonant frequency. Based on a characteristic of the passive materials, for the particular spatial energy distribution corresponding to at least one of the optical modes, a preponderant portion of optical energy is distributed apart from the active material. The passive materials may include a low loss material, which stores the preponderant optical energy portion distributed apart from the active material, and a buffer material disposed between the low loss material and the active material, which controls a ratio of the optical energy stored in the low loss material to a portion of the optical energy in the active material.

Abstract: A detection apparatus and method for FMCW LIDAR employ signals whose frequencies are modified so that low-cost and low-speed photodetector arrays, such as CCD or CMOS cameras, can be employed for range detection. The LIDAR is designed to measure the range z to a target and includes a single mode swept frequency laser (SFL), whose optical frequency is varied with time, as a result of which, a target beam which is reflected back by the target is shifted in frequency from a reference beam by an amount that is proportional to the relative range z to the target. The reflected target beam is combined with the reference beam and detected by the photodetector array. By first modulating at least one of the target and reference beams such that the difference between the frequencies of the reflected target beam and the reference beam is reduced to a level that is within the bandwidth of the photodetector array, the need for high-speed detector arrays for full-field imaging is obviated.