A single crystal multilayer low-loss optical component including first and second layers made from dissimilar materials, with the materials including the first layer lattice-matched to the materials including the second layer. The first and second layers are grown epitaxially in pairs on a growth substrate to which the materials of the first layer are also lattice-matched, such that a single crystal multilayer optical component is formed. The optical component may further include a second substrate to which the layer pairs are wafer bonded after being removed from the growth substrate.

Control instructions are transmitted to receivers by modulating light sources to generate light beams that are modulated with digital data streams for inducing control instructions in the light beams. Each light beam is applied to a pixel shaper element of a pixel shaper assembly to produce a light pixel, each light pixel carrying the control instructions of the light beam, each light pixel having a perimeter defined by the pixel shaper element. The pixel shaper assembly combines the light pixels into an image without significant overlap or voids between the light pixels emitted by the pixel shaper assembly. The light pixels are directed toward a projector lens for transmission toward the receivers. In a receiver, an optical receiver detects a light pixel. A controller decodes the control instructions received in the detected light pixel and uses the control instructions to control a function of the receiver.

Disclosed herein are techniques for providing an illumination system that emits illumination into an environment while also enabling that system to be undetectable to certain types of external light detection systems. The system includes a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) low light (LL) detection device and a light emitting device. The light emitting device provides illumination having a wavelength of at least 950 nanometers (nm). An intensity of the illumination is set to a level that causes the illumination to be undetectable from a determined distance away based on the roll off rate of the light. While the light emitting device is providing the illumination, the SPAD LL detection device generates an image of an environment in which the illumination is being provided.

A time of flight based depth detection system is disclosed that includes a projector configured to sequentially emit multiple complementary illumination patterns. A sensor of the depth detection system is configured to capture the light from the illumination patterns reflecting off objects within the sensor's field of view. The data captured by the sensor can be used to filter out erroneous readings caused by light reflecting off multiple surfaces prior to returning to the sensor.

An assembly for optical to electrical power conversion including a photodiode assembly having a substrate layer and an internal side, an antireflective layer, a heterojunction buffer layer adjacent the internal side; an active area positioned adjacent the heterojunction buffer layer, a plurality of n+ electrode regions and p+ electrode regions positioned adjacent the active area, and back-contacts configured to align with the n+ and p+ electrode regions. The active area converts photons from incoming light into liberated electron hole pairs. The heterojunction buffer layer prevents electrons and holes of the liberated electron hole pairs from moving toward the substrate layer. The plurality of electrode regions are configured in an alternating pattern with gaps between each n+ and p+ electrode region. The electrode regions receive and generate electrical current from migration of the electrons and the holes, provide electrical pathways for the electrical current, and provide thermal pathways to dissipate heat.

There is provided an illumination system of a navigation device including a light beam shaping optics, and a first light source and a second light source having different characteristics. The light beam shaping optics is used to shape light beams emitted by the first light source and the second light source to illuminate a work surface with substantially identical incident angles and/or beam sizes.

A light-receiving device includes a light-receiving element formed on a main surface of a substrate, a light incidence surface formed on a side portion of the substrate at an acute angle or an obtuse angle with respect to the plane of the substrate and having an inclined surface forming one plane, and a lens for focusing light incident on the light-receiving element. The lens is disposed at a position where the light incident from the light incidence surface is reflected on a side of a back surface of the substrate.

An optically powered system for rapid, focused heating and melting of water ice. The optical wavelength is chosen to fall in a range where transmissivity through liquid water is higher than through ice. An alternative embodiment of the invention further comprises a length of fiber optic tether between source and output to allow for motion of the melt head. A further embodiment includes probing the ice using various sensing modalities exploiting the presence of the fiber in the ice, searching for biomarkers and characterizing the radiation/light environment for subsurface habitability, including photosynthetic potential and radiation environment as a source for energy.

Disclosed herein are techniques for providing an illumination system that emits illumination into an environment while also enabling that system to be undetectable to certain types of external light detection systems. The system includes a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) low light (LL) detection device and a light emitting device. The light emitting device provides illumination having a wavelength of at least 950 nanometers (nm). An intensity of the illumination is set to a level that causes the illumination to be undetectable from a determined distance away based on the roll off rate of the light. While the light emitting device is providing the illumination, the SPAD LL detection device generates an image of an environment in which the illumination is being provided.

An electromagnetic radiation sensing system, comprising sensing elements (604, 605, 606) and a Fresnel lens system for converging electromagnetic radiation; the sensing elements (604, 605, 606) are used to sense the electromagnetic radiation converged by the Fresnel lens system; the Fresnel lens system comprises at least two toothed faces (601, 602, 603) located on the same light path, each of the tooth faces comprising at least one Fresnel unit; at least one of the two toothed faces is a complex Fresnel refraction surface or a filled Fresnel refraction surface, or the two tooth faces are at a same physical interface and an element located thereon has a reflective back surface. The electromagnetic radiation sensing system can adequately utilize the advantage of the thinness of a Fresnel lens, and has better convergence without a significant increase in the thickness of the system, thus facilitating reducing of the size of a device and improving of the system performance.