Multichannel monostatic rangefinder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11658166-B2
Application number	US-202117378959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2021
Priority date	Oct 9, 2018
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to optical systems and methods for their manufacture. An example optical system includes a first substrate having a mounting surface and a spacer structure having at least one cavity. The spacer structure is coupled to the mounting surface of the first substrate. The optical system also includes a light-emitter device that is coupled to the spacer structure and a detector device coupled to the first substrate such that the at least one detector device is disposed within the at least one cavity of the spacer structure. The optical system also includes a second substrate that mounts a lens and a waveguide and is coupled to the spacer structure. The optical system also includes a shim coupled between the second surface of the spacer structure and a mounting surface of the second substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical system comprising:
a first substrate;
a second substrate;
a spacer structure disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the spacer structure comprises at least one cavity;
at least one detector device, wherein the at least one detector device is coupled to the first substrate such that the at least one detector device is disposed within the at least one cavity of the spacer structure;
at least one light-emitter device disposed between the spacer structure and the second substrate;
at least one lens; and
at least one waveguide coupled to the second substrate, wherein the at least one light-emitter device is configured to emit light toward the at least one lens such that at least a portion of the emitted light is optically coupled into the at least one waveguide as optically-coupled light.

2. The optical system of claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate lid, wherein the intermediate lid comprises at least one aperture that defines an optical path to the at least one detector device through the at least one cavity of the spacer structure.

3. The optical system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one detector device is configured to receive light from an external environment via the at least one aperture.

4. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one waveguide comprises at least one reflective surface, and wherein at least a portion of the optically-coupled light interacts with the reflective surface so as to be directed toward an external environment.

5. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the second substrate comprises a material that is transparent to light emitted by the at least one light-emitter device.

6. The optical system of claim 1 , further comprising a circuit board, wherein the circuit board is coupled to the first substrate by way of a plurality of controlled-collapse solder balls.

7. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one lens comprises a cylindrical lens, wherein the cylindrical lens is configured to collimate light emitted by the at least one light-emitter device.

8. The optical system of claim 7 , wherein the cylindrical lens comprises an optical fiber.

9. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-emitter device is coupled to the spacer structure.

10. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one lens is coupled to the second substrate.

11. A method comprising:
coupling at least one detector device to a first substrate;
coupling the first substrate to a spacer structure comprising at least one cavity, such that the at least one detector device is disposed within the at least one cavity of the spacer structure;
coupling at least one light-emitter device to the spacer structure;
coupling at least one lens and at least one waveguide to a second substrate; and
coupling the second substrate to the spacer structure, such that the at least one light-emitter device is optically coupled to the at least one at least one waveguide via the at least one lens, wherein coupling the second substrate to the spacer structure comprises coupling the second substrate to the spacer structure via a shim.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
selecting the shim based on a distance between a surface of the at least one light-emitter device and the spacer structure.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
applying an adhesive material to at least one of the first substrate, the spacer structure, the shim, or the second substrate.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
coupling an intermediate lid to the spacer structure, wherein the intermediate lid comprises at least one aperture that defines an optical path to the at least one detector device through the at least one cavity of the spacer structure.

15. An optical system comprising:
a first substrate;
a second substrate;
a spacer structure disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the spacer structure comprises a plurality of cavities;
a plurality of detector devices coupled to the first substrate, wherein each detector device of the plurality of detector devices is disposed within a respective cavity of the plurality of cavities;
a plurality of light-emitter devices;
a plurality of waveguides coupled to the second substrate; and
at least one lens, wherein the at least one lens optically couples the plurality of light-emitter devices to the plurality of waveguides.

16. The optical system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of light-emitter devices is coupled to the spacer structure.

17. The optical system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one lens is coupled to the second substrate.

18. The optical system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one lens comprises a cylindrical lens.

19. The optical system of claim 18 , wherein the cylindrical lens comprises an optical fiber.

20. The optical system of claim 15 , wherein the second substrate comprises a material that is transparent to light emitted by the plurality of light-emitter devices.

Assignees

• Waymo Llc

Inventors

• Last Matthew
• Chilumula Ajaya

Classifications

• H10W90/00 Primary

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10F77/933

  for devices having potential barriers · CPC title

• H10F39/804

  Containers or encapsulations · CPC title

• H01S5/02208

  characterised by the shape of the housings · CPC title

• H01S5/02326

  Arrangements for relative positioning of laser diodes and optical components, e.g. grooves in the mount to fix optical fibres or lenses · CPC title