Abstract
A device for deflecting laser beams, including at least one light source configured for generating laser beams, and at least one integrated optical circuit. The integrated optical circuit is situated on a substrate. The substrate has a first, second, and third main directions of extension. The first and second main directions of extension span a plane of the substrate surface. The third main direction of extension is orthogonal to the plane of the substrate surface. The integrated optical circuit includes at least one waveguide and at least one emission means. The emission means functions as an output of the integrated optical circuit and emits the laser beams along a first direction. A deflection means is provided, spaced apart from the substrate, along the first, second, or third main directions of extension. The deflection means deflects the laser beams along a second direction different from the first direction.
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. A device for deflecting laser beams, comprising: at least one light source configured for generating laser beams; and at least one integrated optical circuit, the integrated optical circuit being situated on a substrate, the substrate having a first main direction of extension, a second main direction of extension, and a third main direction of extension, and the first main direction of extension and the second main direction of extension spanning a plane of the substrate surface, and the third main direction of extension being orthogonal to the plane of the substrate surface, the integrated optical circuit including at least one waveguide and at least one emission element, the emission element functioning as an output of the integrated optical circuit and emitting the laser beams along a first direction; and a deflection element spaced apart from the substrate along the first main direction of extension or along the second main direction of extension or along the third main direction of extension, the deflection element deflecting the laser beams along a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction.
11. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the integrated optical circuit includes at least one phase shifter and at least two of the at least one emission elements.
12. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least one optical circuit includes multiple integrated optical circuits which are situated on a shared carrier substrate.
13. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the first direction is the third main direction of extension.
14. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the first direction is the first main direction of extension or the second main direction of extension.
15. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein multiple carrier substrates including multiple of the at least one optical circuit are situated one above the other, spaced apart along the third main direction of extension.
16. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the deflection element includes at least one lens.
17. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the deflection element includes a microlens array.
18. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the deflection element includes a prism.
19. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the prism is a multistage prism.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0026] The present invention is explained below with reference to preferred specific embodiments and the figures.
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a schematic layout of an example device for deflecting laser beams in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 2 shows a device for deflecting laser beams, including an area array that emits in the plane of the substrate surface, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 3 shows a device for deflecting laser beams, including multiple area arrays that emit in the plane of the substrate surface and are situated one above the other, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 4 shows a device for deflecting laser beams, including multiple area arrays that emit perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the substrate surface, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic layout of device 100 for deflecting laser beams. Device 100 includes a coherent light source 101, an integrated optical circuit 107, and a deflection means 108. Integrated optical circuit 107 includes at least one coupler 102, which may be an evanescent coupler, a multimode waveguide, or a light splitter, for example. Integrated optical circuit 107 includes multiple waveguides 104 and multiple phase shifters 105 which set or control the phase of the light. Phase shifters 105 are, for example, thermally-, electrooptically-, magnetooptically-, or MEMS-based, or are based on nonlinear optical effects. Integrated optical circuit 107 also includes multiple emission means 105 that emit the laser beams into the surroundings. Emission means 105 are grating couplers or mirrors, for example, when the first direction or the propagation direction of the laser beams extends in parallel to the third main direction of extension. When the first direction or the propagation direction of the laser beams extends in parallel to the first main direction of extension or the second main direction of extension, i.e., in the plane of the substrate surface, emission means 105 is an edge coupler, for example. In the case of using an edge coupler, the efficiency of emission means 105 may be increased when inverse tapers are additionally provided downstream. The inverse tapers are necessary for designing the optical directional characteristic in such a way that the optical power is maximized in the predefined or desired deflection range. Deflection means 108 includes an optical element that is situated in the beam path of the laser beam in the propagation direction. This optical element deflects the laser beam of each integrated optical circuit 107 in a direction, i.e., the second direction, which is different from the first direction. In other words, the optical element changes the propagation direction of each laser beam. The optical element is designed in such a way that adjacent integrated optical circuits cover slightly overlapping or adjoining areas, so that no unscannable areas arise. This is ensured in that the scanning area of an individual optical circuit overlaps with the scanning area of the adjacent optical circuit. Deflection means 108 is a lens, a microlens array, or a multistage prism, for example. In other words, the light beam or laser beam that is emitted by the coherent light source is guided to integrated optical circuit 107 via coupler 102, deflection means 108 being situated at the output of the integrated optical circuit, in the beam path of the first direction and spaced apart from the substrate of integrated optical circuit 107. Integrated optical circuits 107 optionally include optical switches that are situated between coupler 102 and waveguides 104. Alternatively, each integrated optical circuit 107 may include its own light source 101.
[0032] FIG. 2 shows a device 200 for deflecting laser beams, including an area array that includes two integrated optical circuits 207 by way of example. The area array emits at one end of the particular substrate, in the plane of the substrate surface. Device 200 includes a coherent light source 201, optical switches 203, and a deflection means 208 in the form of a prism. In addition, FIG. 2 shows beam path 209 of the laser light at the output of integrated optical circuits 207, scanning areas 211 of the phased arrays in front of deflection unit 208 and deflected laser beams 210 after the deflection by deflection means 208, as well as scanning areas 212 of the phased arrays behind deflection unit 208. An overlap 213 of scanning areas 212 is also shown.
[0033] FIG. 3 shows a device 300 including multiple integrated optical circuits 307 that are situated in such a way that the radiation plane or the emission plane is spanned by second main direction of extension y and third main direction of extension z. Each integrated optical circuit 307 emits laser beams along the first direction, which in the present example is the same as first main direction of extension x. In addition, each optical circuit 307 is capable of dynamically, i.e., variably, deflecting the optical beam in a scanning area along second main direction of extension y. Deflection means 308 then transforms this deflection range to a new deflection range. FIG. 3 shows by way of example beam path 309 of the laser light at the output of integrated optical circuits 307 and deflected laser beams 310 after the deflection by deflection means 308. Deflection means 308 is an elliptical lens in the present example.
[0034] FIG. 4 shows multiple integrated optical circuits 407 that are situated in such a way that first main direction of extension x and second main direction of extension y span the radiation plane or the emission plane for the laser light. In other words, integrated optical circuits 407 are situated on a shared carrier substrate as a two-dimensional area array. The laser beams are emitted in the direction of third main direction of extension z. Deflection means 408 is situated at a distance above the shared carrier substrate. By way of example, FIG. 4 shows beam path of the laser light at the output of integrated optical circuits 407 and deflected laser beams 410 after the deflection by deflection means 408. Deflection means 408 is an elliptical lens in the present example.
[0035] Device 100, 200, 300, and 400 for deflecting laser beams is used, for example, in LIDAR systems, preferably for vehicles, in pico projectors, or in head-up displays.
