Disclosed herein is a system and method for facilitating estimation of a spatial profile of an environment based on a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) based technique. In one arrangement, the present disclosure facilitates spatial profile estimation based on directing light over one dimension, such as along the vertical direction. In another arrangement, by further directing the one-dimensionally directed light in another dimension, such as along the horizontal direction, the present disclosure facilitates spatial profile estimation based on directing light in two dimensions.

In one aspect, a method for producing a diffractive optical element for beam shaping of a laser beam having a first wavelength of at least 100 nm includes providing a laser mirror, the laser mirror having a layered structure made of a substrate, a dielectric layer and optionally an absorption layer, the dielectric layer resting against the substrate or the absorption layer being located between the substrate and the dielectric layer. The method also includes creating a plurality of bulges of the dielectric layer by treating the laser mirror with a series of focused heating laser beams having a second wavelength (λ.sub.2), the plurality of bulges having a height perpendicular to the dielectric layer, and at least one bulge having a height of at least half the first wavelength (λ.sub.1).

A photonic vertical grating filter is disclosed. The filter comprises a first waveguide, a second waveguide, and a plurality of Bragg gratings. The Bragg gratings are formed in a dielectric layer between the first waveguide and the second waveguide, and are located in a vertical overlap region between the first waveguide and the second waveguide. Each Bragg grating has a different grating period. The vertical filter uses less surface area and provides improved filtering capabilities.

Apparatus for deflection of a beam of light includes a case, which is configured to be positioned in a path of the beam, and a liquid, which is contained within the case. An array of plates is disposed across a surface of the liquid. The plates are configured to rotate on the surface about respective axes, which are mutually parallel and are spaced apart by a predefined pitch. An actuator is configured to drive a rotation of the plates about the respective axes so as deflect the beam that is incident on the plates.

Described herein is a system for directing light over two dimensions. The system includes a dispersive element arranged to direct light over an initial dimension based on wavelength. The system also includes an array of steering elements arranged along the initial dimension to receive the directed light, the array of steering elements configured to further direct the received light to whereby direction of the light over two dimensions is achieved. Also described is a method for directing light over two dimensions.

A receiving unit, in particular for a LIDAR device, for receiving rays reflected and/or backscattered from an object. The receiving unit includes receiving optics and at least one detector, wherein arranged in a ray path of the rays between the receiving optics and the detector are a directional filter and a wavelength-selective unit. A LIDAR device and a method for evaluating measurement data of a detector are described.

In various embodiments, wavelength beam combining systems feature multiple beam emitters each emitting an individual beam, as well as multiple micro-optics arrangements each disposed optically downstream from a beam emitter to intercept the beam emitted thereby and direct the beam toward a dispersive element for combination into a multi-wavelength output beam.

Disclosed herein is a system and method for facilitating estimation of a spatial profile of an environment based on a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) based technique. In one arrangement, the present disclosure facilitates spatial profile estimation based on directing light over one dimension, such as along the vertical direction. In another arrangement, by further directing the one-dimensionally directed light in another dimension, such as along the horizontal direction, the present disclosure facilitates spatial profile estimation based on directing light in two dimensions.

Optical system includes front group, light-shielding member, and rear group that are arranged from object side toward image side. The light-shielding member is provided with opening elongated in first direction. The front group has aspherical surface, does not image the object at the opening in first section parallel to the first direction, and forms intermediate image of the object at the opening in second section perpendicular to the first direction. The rear group has diffractive surface that splits light beam that passes through the opening into light beams at different wavelengths in the second section and focuses the light beams on different locations in the second section. The curvature radius of the aspherical surface in the second section at on-axis position in the first direction differs from that at outermost off-axis position in the first direction.

A method of forming an article which includes a diffraction grating, an article, and an apparatus for forming the article by printing are described. The method includes forming a periodic structure by printing a first set of parallel lines on a first side of a transparent substrate with a marking material and printing a second set of parallel lines on a second side of the transparent substrate with a marking material, the first and second sets of lines, in combination, defining a grating having a frequency and a spacing between lines which causes incident light to be diffracted into a plurality of beams travelling in different directions.