The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, systems and methods of optical sensing that utilize optimized processing of multiple sensing channels for efficient and reliable scanning of environments. The optical sensing includes multiple optical communication lines that include coupling portions configured to facilitate efficient collection of various received beams. The optical sensing system further includes multiple light detectors configured to process collected beams and produce data representative of a velocity of an object that generated the received beam and/or a distance to that object.

An optical fiber array collimator is disclosed for use in a multi-line LiDAR application. The collimator includes an optical fiber array assembly, a collimating lens assembly and a housing. The optical fiber array assembly and a collimating lens assembly are positioned, assembled, and fixed in the housing. The light output surface of the optical fiber array assembly is installed near the focal plane of the collimating lens assembly. By adjusting the distance between the optical fiber array and the collimating lens, the high-precision collimated output beams from multiple optical fibers can be realized simultaneously. The fiber array can be packed and assembled with dozens or hundreds of fibers with high density. The fiber arrangement has the characteristics of adjustable density, high precision spacing and high reliability.

The collimating lens includes at least one spherical or aspherical lens, which can achieve minimal aberration in different fields of view through optical design optimization. The laser spot after collimating has the characteristics of high beam quality, small wavefront distortion and small far-field divergence angle, which can achieve accurate detection of distant targets. In this collimator, due to the fiber location at vertical direction from different channels of the fiber array having different height with respect to the main optical axis of the collimating lens, the output collimating beam will have different emergence angle, which have different viewing angles. By designing and adjusting the fiber locations(height) in the fiber array with respect to the main optical axis, we can realize the accurate control of the field angle; by controlling the density and interval of the fiber distribution in optical fiber array, the density distribution of multiple collimating laser beams at different field angles can be realized.

The disclosure can be widely used for multi-line LiDAR. Because the fiber is very fine, it can be assembled and arranged on the fiber array with high density, which greatly improves the density of the light spot, and then greatly improves the angular resolution of the multi-line LiDAR in vertical space. At the same time, according to the design requirements of multi-line LiDAR, by adjusting the density distribution of optical fibers on the fiber array, it can meet the differential application requirements for LiDAR in different vertical fields of view.

The disclosure of the collimator has N (N≥2) optical fiber input and can be connected with 1xN optical splitter components (including fiber coupler, optical fiber splitter, optical switch, etc.), which can achieve one beam from one laser source split in

Described herein are systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for reducing coupling loss between optical fibers, more particularly, to reducing coupling loss between a hollow-core optical fiber (HCF) and another fiber, such as solid core fibers (SCF), through the use of mismatched mode field diameter (MFD) and optical connector assemblies for low latency patchcords. According to one embodiment, an article is configured to reduce a coupling loss between multiple optical fibers, wherein the article includes an HCF supporting the propagation of a first mode and an SCF coupled to the HCF. According to a further embodiment, a method is described for reducing the coupling loss or splicing loss between optical fibers, such as an exemplary HCF and a solid core SMF. These exemplary articles and methods may include coupling/splicing an exemplary HCF to an exemplary SMF with significantly smaller MFD as well as a splice-on-connector (SOC) assembly including a bridge fiber spliced between the HCF and the SCF, wherein the bridge fiber has a third MFD that is greater than the second MFD and smaller than the first MFD. Additional embodiments may feature a SCF having a second MFD at the proximal end and a third MFD at the distal end, wherein the second MFD is greater than the third MFD, and the third MFD is no greater than 90% of the first MFD of the HCF.

A method for assembling a two-dimensional fiber array launcher assembly. The method includes providing an alignment structure having a two-dimensional alignment plate with holes at one end and a two-dimensional beam shaper with micro-lenses at an opposite end. An endcap having a fiber attached thereto is systematically positioned in each hole, and is aligned with one of the micro-lenses with a high precision tolerance. The aligned endcap is then secured in the hole using a curable glue. This process is continued until all of the holes have aligned endcaps. If one of the endcaps is mis-aligned or becomes damaged, the glue can be heated and the endcap realigned or replaced.

In various embodiments, the beam parameter product and/or beam shape of a laser beam is adjusted by directing the laser beam across a path along the input end of a cellular-core optical fiber. The beam emitted at the output end of the cellular-core optical fiber may be utilized to process a workpiece.

Methods and devices for illuminating a photoconductive switch consisting of an optically actuated photoconductive material situated between two electrodes are described. Light from a light source is coupled to an optical fiber, which is attached to a frustum, the other side of which is proximate to the photoconductive switch. Light from the optical fiber enters the frustum, spreads out, and enters the photoconductive switch via the top-side electrode. Some of the light is absorbed, while the remaining light reflects off the bottom-side electrode, travels back through the photoconductive switch, and any unabsorbed light reenters the frustum. The geometry of the frustum is configured such that most of the light reflects back into the switch itself with only a negligible fraction escaping from the optical fiber, which advantageously results in near total utilization of the light.

The invention relates to an assembly for optical coupling and for mode-selective separation or overlaying of optical fields, to the use thereof and to a method for producing a waveguide-based optical coupling element (10) which is designed for mode-selective separation or overlaying of optical fields at a further optical coupling point (410) of an optical component (400). The assembly comprises at least one waveguide-based optical coupling element (10) having at least three optical coupling points (100, 370, 380), and at least one optical component (400) having at least one further optical coupling point (410), wherein at least one of the optical coupling points 100, 370, 380) is optically connected to the at least one further optical coupling point (410), and wherein the waveguide-based optical coupling element (10) is designed to transmit light highly efficiently and bidirectionally between eigenmodes (120, 260) associated with the first optical coupling point (100) and the second optical coupling point (370), and between eigenmodes (130, 280) associated with the first optical coupling point (100) and the third optical coupling point (380).

An apparatus is described for converting light of a light source into electrical energy. The apparatus includes a layered body having flat elements, a photovoltaic cell, a light conducting element, a light-switching element , and a photovoltaic cell arranged on a boundary surface of the layered body. The light-switching element (16) can be set to either transmit or block light, In the case of blocking, the light-switching element couples light into the photovoltaic cell t to convert received light into electric energy.

An apparatus for network switching may include a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, and a subset of pre-configured interconnection patterns including some but not all of the possible interconnection patterns between the input ports and the output ports. The apparatus may be communicatively coupled to a network via the input ports and/or the output ports. The apparatus may be configured to switch to a first interconnection pattern and a second interconnection pattern from the subset of pre-configured interconnection patterns. The first interconnection pattern and the second interconnection pattern may each provide a set of connections between the input ports and the output ports. At least one signal between the input ports and the output ports may be transmitted via the first interconnection pattern and/or the second interconnection pattern. Related methods are also provided.

A protective cover for a camera includes a housing configured for attachment to one of the camera and a support structure which supports the camera, a lens attached to the housing and configured for alignment with an imaging axis of the camera, a light source attached to the housing and configured for providing light to a field of view of the camera, and an electrical connector carried by the housing and configured for receiving power and/or signal commands and for conveying the power and/or signal commands to the light source. The lens may be a meniscus-shaped macro lens, and a lightguide may be attached to or incorporated into at least one of the housing and the light source. The protective cover may be used to protect a camera mounted in a wheel well or anywhere along an outer surface of an automotive vehicle.