Optical system for noise mitigation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12140291-B2
Application number	US-202318543225-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2023
Priority date	Sep 9, 2020
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

Configurations for a photonics assembly design and methods for mitigating coherent noise thereof are disclosed. The photonics assembly may include a set of light sources, an optical subsystem that may include a set of optical elements, and a diffusing element. The light emitted by the set of light sources may be different wavelengths and the light may be de-cohered by a phase shifter before being received by the set of optical elements. The diffusing element may be moveable and may be capable of repeating the same positions or set of positions for each beam of light emitted by the set of light sources. By combining the coherent noise mitigation techniques of the moveable diffusing element and the de-cohered light, the photonics system may provide an illumination profile with a specific spatial profile and angular profile on the sample that allows reliable measurement of the sample and coherent noise mitigation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photonics assembly, comprising:
a photonics die comprising a plurality of output couplers;
a light emitter configured to emit light;
a moveable diffuser; and
a detector, wherein:
the photonics die is configured to split the light and route the light to each of the plurality of output couplers;
the diffuser is positioned to receive overlapping light beams from the plurality of output couplers and pass diffused light to a sample; and
the detector is positioned to receive return light from the sample.

2. The photonics assembly of claim 1 , comprising:
a plurality of phase shifters positioned to transmit light to each output coupler of the plurality of output couplers.

3. The photonics assembly of claim 1 , comprising:
an optical subsystem positioned to receive the light from the set of output couplers and direct the light to the moveable diffuser.

4. The photonics assembly of claim 3 , wherein the optical subsystem is configured to collimate the light received from the set of output couplers in a first direction.

5. The photonics assembly of claim 4 , wherein the optical subsystem is configured to collimate the light received from the set of output couplers in a second direction.

6. The photonics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the moveable diffuser is a circular diffuser.

7. The photonics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the overlapping light beams have an illumination profile after passing through the diffuser, the illumination profile having a first dimension and second dimension.

8. The photonics assembly of claim 7 , wherein the illumination profile has a first angle range between 40 and 60 degrees in the first dimension.

9. The photonics assembly of claim 7 , wherein the illumination profile has a first angle range between 4 and 15 degrees in the second dimension.

10. The photonics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises a plurality of pixels.

11. A method of operating a photonics assembly, comprising:
emitting light from a light emitter;
splitting the light to each of a plurality of output couplers of a photonics die;
receiving light beams from the plurality of output couplers at a moveable diffuser, wherein the light beams overlap at the moveable diffuser;
diffusing the light beams using a moveable diffuser to generate diffused light having an illumination profile;
providing the diffused light to a sample;
measuring return light received from the sample using a detector.

12. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
moving the moveable diffuser between a predetermined set of positions.

13. The method of claim 11 , comprising:
repeatedly moving the moveable diffuser between the predetermined set of positions according to a repeating sequence.

14. The method of claim 11 , comprising:
generating varying phase relationships between the light beams using a set of phase shifters.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the photonics assembly comprises an optical subsystem positioned to receive the light beams from the set of output couplers and direct the light beams to the moveable diffuser.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the optical subsystem is configured to collimate the light beams received from the set of output couplers in a first direction.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the optical subsystem is configured to collimate the light beams received from the set of output couplers in a second direction.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the moveable diffuser is a circular diffuser.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the illumination profile has a first angle range between 40 and 60 degrees in a first dimension.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the illumination profile has a first angle range between 4 and 15 degrees in the second dimension.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Arbore Mark Alan
• Terrel Matthew A

Classifications

• G02B27/48

  Laser speckle optics · CPC title

• G01N21/01

  Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation · CPC title

• F21V14/00 Primary

  Controlling the distribution of the light emitted by adjustment of elements (reflectors with provision for adjusting the curvature F21V7/16; light filters or the like with provision for controlling the colour or intensity F21V9/40; screens using adjustable parallel laminae or strips F21V11/04; screens using iris-type diaphragms F21V11/10; screens using movable sheets without apertures F21V11/18; adjustable mountings for lighting devices F21V21/14) · CPC title

• F21V5/043

  the lens having cylindrical faces, e.g. rod lenses, toric lenses · CPC title

• F21V5/007

  Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane (combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008) · CPC title