Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Vixar, Inc.

Honeywell International Inc.

Mary K Hibbs-Brenner

Klein L Johnson

Harold Y Walker, Jr

Matthew Dummer

James Robert Biard

Yue Liu

Julian P G Bristow

Dadi Setiadi

William Hogan

Benjamin F Olson

Garrett D Cole

David Sandquist

The present disclosure relates to a packaging approach for ensuring that high power optical modules incorporating VCSELs and VCSEL arrays remain eye safe. A VCSEL device or VCSEL package of the present disclosure may generally be configured certifying an optical device as eye safe such that the device is able to survive a single failure mode. In other embodiments, a multiple lens array is arranged above the VCSEL, which scatters the light into a wide range of angles such that a higher percentage of light will reach the photodetector located beside the VCSEL. In other embodiments according to the present disclosure, one or more methods and circuits are provided to detect and correct errors or failures caused by one or more unsafe conditions.

Eye safe optical modules

Systems and methods disclosed herein include an illumination module for 3D sensing applications. The illumination module may include an array of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) emitting light, a driver configured to provide current to the array of VCSELs, and an optical element configured to receive the light emitted by the array of VCSELs and output a light pattern from the illumination module.

3D and LiDAR sensing modules

VCSELs and methods having improved characteristics. In some embodiments, these include a semiconductor substrate; a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) on the substrate; a first electrical contact formed on the VCSEL; a second electrical contact formed on the substrate, wherein the VCSEL includes: a first resonating cavity having first and second mirrors, at least one of which partially transmits light incident on that mirror, wherein the first second mirrors are electrically conductive. A first layer is between the first mirror and the second mirror and has a first aperture that restricts the path of current flow. A second layer is between the first layer and the second mirror and also restricts the electrical current path. A multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structure is between the first mirror and the second mirror, wherein the first and second apertures act together to define a path geometry of the current through the MQW structure.

Method and apparatus including improved vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

VCSEL apparatus having a substrate, a solid-state gain medium, a reflective mirror on one side of the medium, a movable reflective mirror on an opposite side of the medium, and a mechanism configured to move the movable mirror to tune a characteristic wavelength. Also described is a VCSEL apparatus having a silicon substrate having a slot therethrough and electrical connections formed on a first face, a substrate having VCSELs thereon and mounted across the slot and electrically connected to the electrical connections on the silicon substrate, and a glass substrate affixed to a second face of the silicon substrate. Also described is a VCSEL apparatus having a graded-index lens array having GRIN lenses mounted adjacently in a staggered arrangement, a PCB mounted to the lens array, and VCSEL chips mounted adjacently on the PCB and arranged so as to emit laser light through the lenses.

Method and apparatus including movable-mirror mems-tuned surface-emitting lasers

A self-aligned optical coupler, and method of manufacturing thereof, for conducting light from and to vertical and/or horizontal ports on optical devices or optoelectric integrated circuits. The device or circuit having the respective port has keys and/or slots on the device or circuit for self-aligning an end of the optical coupler to the port. The end has corresponding slots and/or keys. Visual alignment marks may be used instead so as to permit automatic alignment with machine vision devices. The coupler may have one or a plurality of waveguides. One of the ends of the coupler may have a connector for a self-aligning optical connection to a connector receptacle of a module or a backplane.

Flexible optic connector assembly

A self-aligned optical coupler for coupling light between an optical waveguide and an optical fiber. The optical fiber is held with a ferrule fitting. The ferrule is inserted in a connector receptacle at one end. The waveguide has a forty-five degree reflector at its end. The waveguide is attached to a cover. The cover is attached to another end of the connector receptacle so that the reflector and the end of the optical fiber face each other. The features on the waveguide and the ferrule are aligned with each other to provide optical alignment between the reflector of the waveguide and the end of the fiber.

A self-aligned optical coupler for connecting an optical waveguide circuit with another optical waveguide circuit. Each waveguide circuit has a plug with an aligned structure. The plugs of the respective waveguide circuits are inserted into a receptacle having alignment structures. The alignment structures of the first and second plugs are mated in such a fashion with the receptacle so that there is optical alignment between the plugs so that optical signals can propagate from one waveguide to another. The structures may attain alignment through physical or visual approaches.

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser having a planar structure, having an implantation or diffusion at the top of the mirror closest to the substrate or at the bottom of the mirror farthest from the substrate, to provide current confinement with the gain region, and having an active region and another mirror formed subsequent to the implantation or diffusion. This structure has an implantation or diffusion that does not damage or detrimentally affect the gain region, and does provide dimensions of current confinement that are accurately ascertained. Alternatively, the implantation or diffusion for current confinement may be placed within the top mirror, and several layers above the active region, still with minimal damage to the gain region and having a well-ascertained current confinement dimension.

Fabrication of vertical cavity surface emitting laser with current

Current confinement for a vertical cavity surface emitting laser

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser source having an integrated power monitor at the non-emitting end of the source.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MN, United States of America

Mary K Hibbs-Brenner