Princeton Optronics, Inc.

Other

Ams Sensors Asia Pte. Ltd.

Ams-osram International Gmbh

Chuni Lal Ghosh

Laurence Watkins

Jean-Francois Seurin

Qing Wang

Tong Chen

Jean Francois Seurin

Guoyang Xu

Baiming Guo

Robert Van Leeuwen

Bing Xu

Markus Rossi

Raymond W Simpson

Delai Zhou

Jiamin Zhang

Maik Scheller

Alexey Kovsh

Yihan Xiong

Steven R Leffler

Kaiyan Zhang

Laurence S Watkins

A device includes an illumination device for emitting an illumination beam. The illumination device includes an emitter array including multiple light emitters; and a micro-lens array (MLA) including multiple micro-lenses. The MLA is positioned to receive light emitted from the emitter array. Light from the MLA forms the illumination beam. A first region of the MLA is offset from the emitter array by a first offset amount, and a second region of the MLA is offset from the emitter array by a second offset amount different than the first offset amount.

Producing illumination beams using micro-lens arrays

Semiconductor devices, such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, and methods for manufacturing the same, are disclosed. The semiconductor devices include contact extensions and electrically conductive adhesive material, such as fusible metal alloys or electrically conductive composites. In some instances, the semiconductor devices further include structured contacts. These components enable the production of semiconductor devices having minimal distortion. For example, arrays of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers can be produced exhibiting little to no bowing. Semiconductor devices having minimal distortion exhibit enhanced performance in some instances.

Semiconductor devices and methods for producing the same

A multilayer interconnect is described which enables electrically connecting a complex distribution of VCSEL or other light emitter elements in a large high density addressable array. The arrays can include many groups of VCSEL elements interspersed among each other to form a structured array. Each group can be connected to a contact pad so that each group of light emitter elements can be activated separately.

Multilayer conductor interconnects for high density light emitter arrays

An apparatus that includes a structured light projector which includes a light source, a metalens, and a diffractive optical element (DOE) multiplier. Each of the metalens and the DOE multiplier is integrated onto the light source. The structured light projector is operable such that light beams produced by the light source pass through the metalens and the DOE multiplier.

Structured light projector including an integrated metalens and diffractive optical element

A proximity sensor which uses very narrow divergent beams from Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) for the illumination source is disclosed. Narrow divergent beams in the range 0.5 to 10 degrees can be achieved to provide high proximity sensing accuracy in a small footprint assembly. One approach to reducing the beam divergence is to increase the length of the VCSEL resonant cavity using external third mirror. A second embodiment extends the length of the VCSEL cavity by modifying the DBR mirrors and the gain region. Optical microlenses can be coupled with the VCSEL to collimate the output beam and reduce the beam divergence. These can be separate optical elements or integrated with the VCEL by modifying the substrate output surface profile or an added a transparent layer. These methods of beam divergence reduction are incorporated into various embodiment configurations to produce a miniature proximity sensor suitable for cell phones and tablets.

VCSEL narrow divergence proximity sensor

A lightweight electrochemical fuel cell suitable for modular stacking to achieve high output power is described. The electrochemical fuel cell is constructed of a stack of flexible polymer layers sealed at the periphery to create fuel and reactant channels. To scale up the output power, the electrochemical fuel cell is stacked on an external mechanical frame, wrapped-over on to itself in a self-supported 3-dimensional form, or wrapped over around a central mandrel to increase the active area of the fuel cell The electrochemical fuel cell has built in current collecting means and sealed electrodes to eliminate the need for bipolar plates, thereby enabling applications requiring high output power while maintaining a low weight. The thermal management is external to the fuel cell core structure to facilitate modular expansion of the stack to achieve high output power.

Stackable fuel cell

Ohmic contacts, including materials and processes for forming n-type ohmic contacts on n-type semiconductor substrates at low temperatures, are disclosed. Materials include reactant layers, n-type dopant layers, capping layers, and in some instances, adhesion layers. The capping layers can include metal layers and diffusion barrier layers. Ohmic contacts can be formed on n-type semiconductor substrates at temperatures between 150 and 250&#xb0; C., and can resist degradation during operation.

Ohmic contacts and methods for manufacturing the same

A Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) includes a reflecting surface of the VCSEL. A gain region is positioned on the distributed Bragg reflector that generates optical gain. The gain region comprises a first and second multiple quantum well stack, a tunnel junction positioned between the first and second multiple quantum well stack, and a current aperture positioned on one of the first and second multiple quantum well stack. The current aperture confines a current flow in the gain region. A partially reflective surface and the reflective surface forming a VCSEL resonant cavity, wherein an output optical beam propagates from the partially reflecting surface.

High-speed VCSEL device

A coded pattern projector apparatus comprises a surface-emitting array of emitters comprising a plurality of emitters where each of the plurality of emitters generates one of a plurality of optical beams in response to an electrical drive signal applied to a respective electrical input of each of the plurality of emitters. A first optical element projects each the plurality of optical beams generated by the surface-emitting array of emitters. A second optical element collimates the plurality of optical beams in a first dimension and diverges the plurality of optical beams in a second dimension such that the plurality of optical beams form at least one stripe patterns. A controller has electrical outputs, each of the electrical outputs is connected to a respective electrical input of each of the plurality of emitters. The controller generates electrical drive signals that produce a coded stripe pattern.

Generation of coded structured light patterns using VCSEL arrays

A VCSEL illuminator module includes a module forming a physical cavity having electrical contacts positioned on an inner surface of the module that feed through the module to electrical contacts positioned on an outer surface of the module. A VCSEL device is positioned on the inner surface module and includes electrical contacts that are electrically connected to the electrical contacts on the inner surface of the module. The VCSEL device generates an optical beam when current is applied to the electrical contacts. An optical element is positioned adjacent to an emitting surface of the VCSEL device and is configured to modify the optical beam generated by the VCSEL device.

VCSEL illuminator package

A high efficiency optical ignition device is provided in a two-part compact and robust package to be mounted directly on an internal combustion engine chamber. The ignition device ignites a combustion fuel with a high intensity plasma generated by a high power laser beam from a solid state laser operable in Q-switched, or non-Q-switched mode for producing short or long pulses, respectively. Multiple pulses are generated, and duration and frequency of the laser beam pulses are controlled by controlling an optical pump module to pump the solid state laser. The optical pump module comprises a semiconductor laser, preferably a VCSEL device. One or more laser beams are precisely directed, each one to a desired location anywhere within the combustion chamber for more efficient and near complete burning of the combustion fuel. The robust packaging is well suited to withstand mechanical and thermal stresses of the internal combustion engine.

Compact laser ignition device for combustion engine

A miniature structured light illuminator is provided. The miniature structured light illuminator uses a semiconductor surface emitting array including VCSEL or RC-LED array and an array of microlens elements to generate a wide range of structured light illumination patterns. The emission beam from a surface emitter array may be selectively directed, steered, focused or expanded, by applying a lateral displacement of the microlens array, such that centers of the emission beam and microlens array are misaligned. Emitted beams may be directed through small optical components to project the structured light pattern to a distant plane. The surface emitting arrays may be configured in addressable form to be activated separately for continuous or pulsed operation with very fast pulses having &#x3c;100 ps risetime. A compact structured light illuminator module with projection optics is provided in very small physical size (&#x2dc;6&#xd7;6&#xd7;3 mm) suitable to configure in a handheld device.

Miniature structured light illuminator

A set of VCSEL fabrication methods has been invented which enhance the performance and long time reliability of VCSEL devices and arrays of devices. Wafer bow caused by growing a large number of epitaxial layers required to fabricate VCSEL device generates strain and results in bowing/warping of the device wafer. The stress so generated is eliminated by applying a stress compensation layer on the substrate to a surface opposite to the epitaxial layer surface. New oxidation equipment designs and process parameters are described which produce more precision apertures and reduce stress in the VCSEL device. An ultrathin fabrication procedure is described which enables high power VCSELs to be made for high power operation at many different wavelengths. A low temperature electrical contacting process improves VCSEL long term reliability.

Processes for making reliable VCSEL devices and VCSEL arrays

An apparatus and a method are provided for 3-D imaging and scanning using a 2-D planar VCSELs source configured as a lightfiled optical source. VCSELs are configured in different 2-D spatial arrangements including single VCSEL, or preferably a group, cluster, or array each to be operated effectively as an independent VCSEL array source. A set of microlens and an imaging lens positioned at a pre-determined distance collimates radiation from each VCSEL array source to a set of parallel beams. The parallel beams from different VCSEL array sources generated in a rapid pre-determined timing sequence provide scanning beams to illuminate an object. The radiation reflected from the object is analyzed for arrival time, pulse shape, and intensity to determine a comprehensive set of distance and intensity profile of the object to compute a 3-D image.

Growing community of inventors

Princeton Junction, NJ, United States of America

Chuni Lal Ghosh