A vehicle, Lidar system and method of detecting an object. The Lidar system includes an optical phase array and a mirror. The optical phase array directs a transmitted light beam generated by a laser along a first direction within a first plane. The mirror receives the transmitted light beam from the optical phase array and directs the transmitted light beam along a second direction within a second plane.

A distance image measuring device includes: a light source; an image sensor receiving a reflected light generated by reflection of a projected light from an object; a housing accommodating the light source and the image sensor; a window provided in the housing and through which the projected light and the reflected light pass; a distance calculation section calculating a distance to the object; a reflection state switching member disposed on an optical path of the projected light; and an abnormality determination section determining whether there is an abnormality in a function of detecting the object.

A measurement apparatus, including: a laser apparatus that outputs a frequency-modulated laser beam with a plurality of modes; a branching part that branches the frequency-modulated laser beam into a reference light and a measurement light; a beat signal generation part that generates a plurality of beat signals by mixing the reference light and a reflected light that is reflected by radiating the measurement light onto an object to be measured; a conversion part that converts the plurality of beat signals into digital signals by sampling the beat signals at a frequency greater than or equal to four times a resonator frequency of the laser resonator; and a calculation part that calculates a distance from the measurement apparatus to the object to be measured on the basis of the digital signals is provided.

A combined capability sensor includes a first laser source and a second laser source. The first laser source is configured to emit light having a wavelength in at least one of an infrared spectrum and a visible spectrum and the second laser source is configured to emit light having a wavelength in a blue or ultraviolet spectrum. A director is configured to direct the first and second laser source to a detection zone. A first sensor is configured to detect scattered light originating from the first laser source, thereby detecting a presence of smoke in the detection zone. A second sensor is configured to detect fluoresced light originating from the second laser source, thereby detecting a presence of a biological agent in the detection zone.

A LiDAR apparatus includes a first substrate and a unitary optical element mounted thereon. The unitary optical element includes: (i) a fast axis collimator (FAC) lens receiving light from a laser diode source and generating therefrom a collimated light beam; (ii) a polarizing beam splitter optically coupled to the FAC lens, at least a portion of the collimated light beam passing through the polarizing beam splitter to a region being observed by the LiDAR apparatus; (iii) an aperture element optically coupled to the polarizing beam splitter; and (iv) an opaque coating formed on a back side of the aperture element, the opaque coating being patterned to provide a transparent aperture. At least of portion of light returning to the LiDAR apparatus from the region being observed is directed by the polarizing beam splitter, through the transparent aperture in the opaque coating on the aperture element, to an optical detector.

A light detection and ranging receiver includes a carrier frame, a lens assembly, a first set of screws, and a light sensor assembly mounted on the carrier frame. The lens assembly includes a lens holder mounted on the carrier frame by a first set of elastic connectors attached to the carrier frame and the lens holder, and a lens installed on the lens holder. The light sensor assembly is configured to both rotate and linearly move with respect to the carrier frame, and includes a board mount and a sensor board installed on the board mount. The first set of screws are in contact with the lens holder, and are adjustable to change a distance and/or an orientation of the lens holder with respect to the carrier frame such that the lens may form an image on a predetermined area on the sensor board.

A method is provided that transmits a beam of co-propagating, cross-polarized light to a target. The method receives return light reflected from the target, which includes a first polarization and a second polarization. The method splits the return light into a first output corresponding to the first polarization and a second output corresponding to the second polarization using a first beam splitter. The method directs the first output to a first detector and directs the second output to a second detector. The method generates, by the first detector, a first electrical signal corresponding to the first polarization, and generates, by the second detector, a second electrical signal corresponding to the second polarization. The method determines an orientation of the target based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, and generates a point cloud based on the orientation of the target.

An apparatus comprises: a photonic integrated circuit comprising an optical phased array, a first focusing element at a fixed position relative to the optical phased array and configured to couple an optical beam to or from the optical phased array, and a second focusing element at a fixed position relative to the first focusing element and configured to couple the optical beam to or from the first focusing element. At least one of the first or second focusing element is externally coupled to the photonic integrated circuit, and the first and second focusing elements have different effective focal lengths.

A LIDAR system has a beam steering mechanism and a signal steering mechanism that are each configured to steer within a field of view a system output signal that is output from the LIDAR system. A path of system output signal in the field of view has a contribution from the beam steering mechanism and the second mechanism. The contribution of the beam steering mechanism to the path is movement of the system output signal on a two-dimensional path back and forth across the field of view. The contribution of the signal steering mechanism to the path is movement of the system output signal transverse to the two-dimensional path contribution of the provided by the beam steering mechanism.

An optical proximity sensor includes an optical path extender that extends an optical path length of the optical proximity sensor without a corresponding extension of a geometric path length of the optical proximity sensor. The optical path extender may be a high-refractive index material positioned along the optical path through the optical proximity sensor. The optical path extender may include one or more redirection features configured to change a direction of the light traveling within the optical proximity sensor. The optical path extender may include a photonic component configured to simulate an extension of the geometric path within an optical proximity sensor by applying a momentum-dependent transfer function to the light traveling through it.