Waymo LLC

Nathaniel Golshan

Pierre-yves Droz

David Neil Hutchison

Ralph Hamilton Shepard

James C Dunphy

Augusto Tazzoli

David Schleuning

Pierre-Yves Droz

Samuel William Lenius

Caner Onal

Drew Eugene Ulrich

Kelvin Kwong

Robert J Lockwood

Simon Ellgas

Chandra Kakani

Justin Matthew Andrade

Erin Eppard

Andrew Abo

Michael Tom

Nathaniel Quillin

Daiwei Li

One example system includes a light source that emits light. The system also includes a waveguide that guides the emitted light from a first side of the waveguide toward a second side of the waveguide opposite the first side. The waveguide has a third side extending between the first side and the second side. The system also includes a mirror that reflects the guided light toward the third side of the waveguide. At least a portion of the reflected light propagates out of the waveguide toward a scene. The system also includes a light detector, and a lens that focuses light from the scene toward the waveguide and the light detector.

LIDAR with co-aligned transmit and receive paths

Example embodiments relate to light detection and ranging (lidar) devices having a light-guide manifold. An example lidar device includes a transmit subsystem. The transmit subsystem includes a light emitter. The transmit subsystem also includes a light-guide manifold optically coupled to the light emitter. Further, the transmit subsystem includes a telecentric lens assembly optically coupled to the light-guide manifold. The lidar device also includes a receive subsystem. The receive subsystem includes the telecentric lens assembly. The receive subsystem also includes an aperture plate having an aperture defined therein. The aperture plate is positioned at a focal plane of the telecentric lens assembly. Further, the receive subsystem includes a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) positioned to receive light traveling through the aperture.

Light detection and ranging (lidar) device having a light-guide manifold

One example system comprises a light source configured to emit light. The system also comprises a waveguide configured to guide the emitted light from a first end of the waveguide toward a second end of the waveguide. The waveguide has an output surface between the first end and the second end. The system also comprises a plurality of mirrors including a first mirror and a second mirror. The first mirror reflects a first portion of the light toward the output surface. The second mirror reflects a second portion of the light toward the output surface. The first portion propagates out of the output surface toward a scene as a first transmitted light beam. The second portion propagates out of the output surface toward the scene as a second transmitted light beam.

Waveguide diffusers for LIDARs

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods directed to alignment of light-emitting devices. An example method includes coupling a support substrate to a light guide assembly. The support substrate includes a plurality of elongate structures and a plurality of laser diodes. Each laser diode of the plurality of laser diodes is coupled to a respective elongate structure of the plurality of elongate structures. The method also includes causing a given laser diode of the plurality of laser diodes to emit light toward the light guide assembly. The light guide assembly includes a light guide manifold configured to guide at least a portion of the emitted light as transmitted light. The method additionally includes comparing at least one optical characteristic of the transmitted light to a desired optical characteristic and, based on the comparison, adjusting a position of the given laser diode by adjusting the respective elongate structure.

Systems and methods for laser diode alignment

An example method includes stacking a plurality of laser diode bars proximate an alignment plate. Each respective laser diode bar has a front edge through which the respective laser diode bar emits light. The alignment plate has a first side that provides a common plane for aligning the front edges of the laser diode bars and a second side opposite the first side. The alignment plate has a plurality of microholes extending between the first and second sides. The method also includes applying suction to the plurality of laser diode bars through the plurality of microholes. The suction draws the front edges of the laser diode bars against the first side of the alignment plate such that the front edges of the laser diode bars are aligned in the common plane. Conductive plates used to clamp the plurality of laser diodes therebetween may be aligned in a similar fashion.

Vacuum fixture

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Nathaniel Golshan