Aurora Operations, Inc.

Ours Technology, LLC

Aurora Opeations, Inc.

Andrew Steil Michaels

Sen Lin

Lei Wang

Xue Wu Liu

Amir Hosseini

Pruthvi Jujjavarapu

James Ferrara

Dong Liu

Parth Panchal

Ashish Bhardwaj

Imbert Yuyen Wang

Evan W Rogers

Zeb William Barber

Edward Joseph Angus

Zhizhong Tang

Phillip Sandborn

Gevorg Martuni Nahapetian

Swarnav Banik

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system includes a plurality of LIDAR pixels and a local oscillator module. The local oscillator module is coupled to the plurality of LIDAR pixels. The local oscillator module includes a first local oscillator input configured to receive a first local oscillator signal and a second local oscillator input configured to receive a second local oscillator signal. The local oscillator module is configured to provide the first local oscillator signal or the second local oscillator signal to a first LIDAR pixel of the plurality of LIDAR pixels.

Lidar with switchable local oscillator signals

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes a transmitter, a receiving pixel, a rotating mirror, and a beam displacement apparatus. The transmitter is configured to emit a transmit beam. The receiving pixel is configured to receive a returning beam. The rotating mirror is configured to direct the transmit beam to a target and direct the returning beam to the receiving pixel. The beam displacement apparatus is disposed between the receiving pixel and the rotating mirror. The beam displacement apparatus is configured to introduce a displacement to the returning beam to compensate for a spacing between the transmitter and the receiving pixel.

Beam displacement apparatus for light detection and ranging

The present disclosure is directed to a manufacturing process for a LIDAR system with individualized semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) dies including: (a) forming a plurality of SOA regions on a semiconductor wafer; (b) dicing the semiconductor wafer to produce a plurality of individualized SOA dies, the plurality of individualized SOA dies respectively including the plurality of SOA regions; (c) aligning the plurality of individualized SOA dies with one or more array inputs, the one or more array inputs configured to provide a beam from a light source to the plurality of individualized SOA dies; and (d) aligning the plurality of individualized SOA dies with one or more array outputs, the one or more array outputs configured to provide the beam from the plurality of individual SOA dies to an emitter.

Manufacturing process for LIDAR system with individualized semiconductor optical amplifier dies

A LIDAR system for a vehicle can include a receiver die having one or more light sensitive components and one or more optical isolation trenches configured to optically isolate the one or more light sensitive components on the receiver die; wherein the one or more optical isolation trenches are arranged such that light does not pass in a direct path through the receiver die.

LIDAR sensor system with improved optical isolation features

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device that may be included in an autonomous vehicle includes a transmit optical coupler, a first receive optical coupler, and a second receive optical coupler. The transmit optical coupler is positioned between the first and second receive optical couplers to enable the receive optical couplers to receive a return beam that may be directed (by a mirror) to either side of the transmit optical coupler. The first and second receive optical couplers may include dual-polarization optical couplers and may each be coupled to two coherent receivers to support dual-polarization return beam reception.

LIDAR sensor system including dual-polarization in-coupling gratings

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) transceiver includes optical antenna arrays and an optical switch. Some of the optical antenna arrays include a number of optical antennas and an optical splitter coupled to the optical antennas. The optical splitter may include a number of passive optical splitters. The optical splitter provides a portion of an input signal to the optical antennas. The optical switch is configured to selectively provide the input signal to at least one of the plurality of optical antenna arrays. The optical switch enables addressable field of view scanning by selectively providing the input signal to the plurality of antenna arrays, one array at a time.

Coherent LIDAR system including optical antenna array

A LIDAR transceiver includes a source input, coherent cells, and an optical switch. The optical switch is configured to switchably couple the source input to the coherent cells. At least one of the coherent cells includes an input port, an optical antenna, and a splitter. The input port is coupled to the optical switch and the splitter is coupled between the input port and the optical antenna. The splitter is configured to split a received portion of a laser signal into a local oscillator signal and a transmit signal, where the transmit signal is emitted through the optical antenna. A reflection of the transmit signal is received through the optical antenna as a reflected signal, where the splitter is further configured to output a return signal that is a portion of the reflected signal.

Switchable coherent pixel array for frequency modulated continuous wave light detection and ranging

A structure of a silicon photonics device for LIDAR includes a first insulating structure and a second insulating structure disposed above one or more etched silicon structures overlying a substrate member. A metal layer is disposed above the first insulating structure without a prior deposition of a diffusion barrier and adhesion layer. A thin insulating structure is disposed above the second insulating structure. A first configuration of the metal layer, the first insulating structure and the one or more etched silicon structures forms a free-space coupler. A second configuration of the thin insulating structure above the second insulating structure forms an edge coupler.

Silicon photonics device for LIDAR sensor and method for fabrication

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system includes a dual-polarization optical antenna, a single-polarization optical antenna, a first receiver, and a second receiver. The dual-polarization optical antenna is configured to (i) emit a transmit beam with a first polarization orientation and (ii) and detect a return beam having a second polarization orientation. The single-polarization optical antenna is configured to detect the return beam having the second polarization orientation.

LIDAR sensor system including a dual-polarization transmit and receive optical antenna

LIDAR with switchable local oscillator signals

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system include one or more LIDAR pixels including a transmit optical antenna, a receive optical antenna, a first receiver, and a second receiver. The transmit optical antenna is configured to emit a transmit beam. The receive optical antenna is configured to detect (i) a first polarization orientation of a returning beam and (ii) a second polarization orientation of the returning beam.

LIDAR pixel with dual polarization receive optical antenna

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system for a vehicle can include: a light source configured to output a beam; a photonics integrated circuit (PIC) including a semiconductor die, the semiconductor die including a substrate having two or more semiconductor stacks respectively associated with two or more semiconductor devices formed on the substrate, the two or more semiconductor devices respectively configured to receive the beam from the light source and modify one or more features of the beam; a transmitter configured to receive the beam from the semiconductor die; and one or more optics configured to receive the beam from the transmitter and emit the beam towards an object.

LIDAR sensor system including integrated modulator

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system for a vehicle can include: a light source configured to output a beam; a photonics integrated circuit (PIC) including a semiconductor die, the semiconductor die comprising a substrate having two or more semiconductor devices formed on the substrate, the two or more semiconductor devices configured to receive the beam from the light source and modify the beam and at least one photonics die coupled to the semiconductor die, the at least one photonics die comprising at least a transmitter configured to receive the beam from the semiconductor die; and one or more optics configured to receive the beam from the transmitter and emit the beam towards an object in an environment of the vehicle.

A LIDAR sensor system for a vehicle includes a silicon photonics substrate. The silicon photonics substrate includes: a semiconductor wafer; one or more surface features on a first surface of the semiconductor wafer; and a photoresist layer formed on the first surface of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the photoresist layer includes a laminated dry film. The silicon photonics substrate can be manufactured by obtaining a semiconductor wafer having one or more surface features; applying a dry film photoresist layer to a first surface of the semiconductor wafer; performing an adhesion bake process on the semiconductor wafer; developing the dry film photoresist layer to produce one or more developed regions in the dry film photoresist layer; and forming one or more solder bumps in the one or more developed regions.

LIDAR sensor system for vehicles including integrated LIDAR chip

A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) assembly comprising a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) array and a U-turn chip. The SOA array includes an input SOA and a plurality of SOAs. The input SOA and the plurality of SOAs are arranged parallel to one another. The U-turn chip includes an optical splitter and a waveguide assembly. The optical splitter is configured to receive amplified input light propagating in a first direction from the input SOA, and divide the amplified light into beams. The waveguide assembly guides the beams to a corresponding SOA of the plurality of SOAs, and adjusts a direction of prorogation of each of the guided beams to be substantially parallel to a second direction that is substantially opposite the first direction.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Andrew Steil Michaels