Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit (i) local-oscillator light and (ii) pulses of light. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect the local-oscillator light and a received pulse of light, the received pulse of light including a portion of one of the emitted pulses of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The receiver includes a detector configured to produce a photocurrent signal corresponding to a coherent mixing of the local-oscillator light and the received pulse of light. The detector includes a first input side and a second input side located opposite the first input side, where the received pulse of light is incident on the first input side of the detector, and the local-oscillator light is incident on the second input side of the detector.

Abstract: A system configured to fabricate an optical fiber is disclosed. The system may include at least one draw furnace configured to heat a preform, and draw an optical fiber from the preform. The optical fiber may be a hollow-core fiber having a core and one or more anti-resonant elements. The system may be configured to draw the optical fiber at a desired draw tension. The desired draw tension may be greater than 1,000 grams.

Abstract: To dynamically control power in a lidar system, a controller identifies a triggering event and provides a control signal to a light source in the lidar system adjusting the power of light pulses emitted by the light source. The triggering event includes identifying a particular type of object within a threshold distance of the lidar system. In some scenarios, the power is adjusted to address eye-safety concerns.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit an optical signal and a receiver that includes one or more detectors configured to detect a portion of the emitted optical signal scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system also includes a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) that includes an input optical element configured to receive the portion of the scattered optical signal and couple the portion of the scattered optical signal into an input optical waveguide. The input optical waveguide is one of one or more optical waveguides of the PIC configured to convey the portion of the scattered optical signal to the one or more detectors of the receiver. The input optical element includes a grating coupler and a tapered optical waveguide.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit (i) local-oscillator light and (ii) pulses of light. Additionally, the light source is configured to impart a spectral signature of one or more different spectral signatures to each of the emitted pulses of light, where the emitted pulses of light include an emitted pulse of light having a particular spectral signature of the one or more different spectral signatures. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect the local-oscillator light and a received pulse of light, the received pulse of light including a portion of the emitted pulse of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The receiver includes a detector configured to produce a photocurrent signal corresponding to the local-oscillator light and the received pulse of light. The receiver also includes a pulse-detection circuit and a frequency-detection circuit.

Abstract: A system comprises a light source, a radar transmitter, a light receiver, a radar receiver, and a processor. The light source is configured to emit a light pulse. The radar transmitter is configured to transmit a radar signal, wherein an emission direction of the light pulse of the light source and a transmission direction of the radar signal of the radar transmitter are at least in part synchronized. The light receiver is configured to detect a reflected light pulse, the radar receiver is configured to detect a reflected radar signal, and the processor is configured to determine a dimensional representation of an environment based at least in part on the detected reflected light pulse and the detected reflected radar signal.

Abstract: A lidar system includes a transmitter that encodes successive transmit pulses with different pulse characteristics and a receiver that detects the pulse characteristics of each received (scattered or reflected) pulse and that distinguishes between the received pulses based on the detected pulse characteristics. The lidar system thus resolves range ambiguities by encoding pulses of scan positions in the same or different scan periods to have different pulse characteristics, such as different pulse widths or different pulse envelope shapes. The receiver includes a pulse decoder configured to detect the relevant pulse characteristics of the received pulse and a resolver that determines if the pulse characteristics of the received pulse matches the pulse characteristics of the current scan position or that of a previous scan position.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a light source is configured to emit an optical signal. The light source includes a seed laser diode configured to produce a seed optical signal and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) configured to amplify the seed optical signal to produce the emitted optical signal. The light source also includes an optical isolator disposed between the seed laser diode and the SOA, where the optical isolator is configured to (i) transmit the seed optical signal to the SOA and (ii) reduce an amount of light that propagates from the SOA toward the seed laser diode.

Abstract: A lidar system includes one or more light sources configured to generate a first beam of light and a second beam of light, a scanner configured to scan the first and second beams of light across a field of regard of the lidar system, and a receiver configured to detect the first beam of light and the second beam of light scattered by one or more remote targets. The scanner includes a rotatable polygon mirror that includes multiple reflective surfaces angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the polygon mirror, the reflective surfaces configured to reflect the first and second beams of light to produce a series of scan lines as the polygon mirror rotates. The scanner also includes a pivotable scan mirror configured to (i) reflect the first and second beams of light and (ii) pivot to distribute the scan lines across the field of regard.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light. The emitted pulses of light include one or more series of standard-resolution pulses alternating with one or more series of high-resolution pulses. Each series of the standard-resolution pulses includes multiple pulses having a standard pulse period, and each series of the high-resolution pulses includes multiple pulses having a high-resolution pulse period. The standard pulse period is greater than or equal to a round-trip time associated with a maximum range of the lidar system, and the high-resolution pulse period is less than the standard pulse period. The lidar system also includes a scanner configured to scan at least a portion of the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit (i) local-oscillator light and (ii) pulses of light, where each emitted pulse of light is coherent with a corresponding portion of the local-oscillator light. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect the local-oscillator light and a received pulse of light, the received pulse of light including light from one of the emitted pulses of light that is scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The local-oscillator light and the received pulse of light are coherently mixed together at the receiver. The lidar system further includes a processor configured to determine the distance to the target based at least in part on a time-of-arrival for the received pulse of light.

Abstract: A lidar system includes one or more light sources configured to generate a first beam of light and a second beam of light, a scanner configured to scan the first and second beams of light across a field of regard of the lidar system, and a receiver configured to detect the first beam of light and the second beam of light scattered by one or more remote targets. The scanner includes a rotatable polygon mirror that includes multiple reflective surfaces angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the polygon mirror, the reflective surfaces configured to reflect the first and second beams of light to produce a series of scan lines as the polygon mirror rotates. The scanner also includes a pivotable scan mirror configured to (i) reflect the first and second beams of light and (ii) pivot to distribute the scan lines across the field of regard.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a wavelength-tunable light source configured to emit pulses of light, each emitted pulse of light having a particular wavelength of multiple different wavelengths. The lidar system also includes a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard of the lidar system. The scanner includes (i) a beam deflector configured to angularly deflect each emitted pulse of light along a first scan axis according to the particular wavelength of the emitted pulse of light and (ii) a scan mirror configured to scan the emitted pulses of light along a second scan axis different from the first scan axis. The lidar system further includes a receiver configured to detect a received pulse of light that includes a portion of one of the emitted pulses of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system.

Abstract: To dynamically control power in a lidar system, a controller identifies a triggering event and provides a control signal to a light source in the lidar system adjusting the power of light pulses emitted by the light source. The triggering event includes identifying a particular type of object within a threshold distance of the lidar system. In some scenarios, the power is adjusted to address eye-safety concerns.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for dynamically varying receiver characteristics in a lidar system includes emitting light pulses by a light source in a lidar system. The method further includes detecting, by a receiver in the lidar system, light from one of the light pulses scattered by one or more remote targets to identify a return light pulse. The method also includes determining an atmospheric condition at or near a geolocation of a vehicle that includes the lidar system. The method further includes providing a control signal to the receiver adjusting one or more characteristics of the receiver to compensate for attenuation or distortion of the return light pulses associated with the atmospheric condition.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light and a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light along a high-resolution scan pattern located within a field of regard of the lidar system. The scanner includes one or more scan mirrors configured to (i) scan the emitted pulses of light along a first scan axis to produce multiple scan lines of the high-resolution scan pattern, where each scan line is associated with multiple pixels, each pixel corresponding to one of the emitted pulses of light and (ii) distribute the scan lines of the high-resolution scan pattern along a second scan axis. The high-resolution scan pattern includes one or more of: interlaced scan lines and interlaced pixels.

Abstract: To dynamically control power in a lidar system, a controller identifies a triggering event and provides a control signal to a light source in the lidar system adjusting the power of light pulses provided by the light source. Triggering events may include exceeding a threshold speed, being within a threshold distance of a person or other object, an atmospheric condition, identifying residue on a surface of a window of the lidar system, etc. In some scenarios, the power is adjusted to address eye-safety concerns.

Abstract: A lidar system includes one or more light sources configured to generate a first beam of light and a second beam of light, a scanner configured to scan the first and second beams of light across a field of regard of the lidar system, and a receiver configured to detect the first beam of light and the second beam of light scattered by one or more remote targets. The scanner includes a rotatable polygon mirror that includes multiple reflective surfaces angularly offset from one another along a periphery of the polygon mirror, the reflective surfaces configured to reflect the first and second beams of light to produce a series of scan lines as the polygon mirror rotates. The scanner also includes a pivotable scan mirror configured to (i) reflect the first and second beams of light and (ii) pivot to distribute the scan lines across the field of regard.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit pulses of light and a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard of the lidar system. The scanner includes (i) a beam deflector configured to direct each emitted pulse of light along a first scan axis and (ii) a scan mirror configured to scan the emitted pulses of light along a second scan axis different from the first scan axis. The lidar system also includes a receiver that includes a one-dimensional detector array that includes multiple detector elements arranged along a direction corresponding to the first scan axis. The receiver is configured to (i) detect a received pulse of light that includes a portion of one of the emitted pulses of light scattered by a target and (ii) determine a time of arrival of the received pulse of light.

Abstract: A system includes a first lidar sensor and a second lidar sensor, where each lidar sensor includes a scanner configured to direct a set of pulses of light along a scan pattern and a receiver configured to detect scattered light from the set of light pulses. The scan patterns are at least partially overlapped in an overlap region. The system further includes an enclosure, where the first lidar sensor and the second lidar sensor are contained within the enclosure. Each scanner includes one or more mirrors, and each mirror is driven by a scan mechanism.