阅读说明：本技术 用于偏转激光射束的设备 (Device for deflecting a laser beam ) 是由 J·N·卡斯佩斯 J·埃勒曼 于 2018-12-14 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于偏转激光射束的设备(100),所述设备具有设置成用于产生激光射束的至少一个光源(101),和至少一个集成光学线路(107),其中,所述集成光学线路(107)布置在衬底上,其中,所述衬底具有第一主延伸方向、第二主延伸方向和第三主延伸方向并且所述第一主延伸方向和所述第二主延伸方向展开衬底表面的平面并且所述第三主延伸方向垂直于所述衬底表面的平面地布置,其中,所述集成光学线路(107)具有至少一个波导(104)和至少一个发射器件(106),其中,所述发射器件(106)作为所述集成光学线路(107)的输出端起作用并且所述激光射束沿着第一方向发射,其特征在于,设置有偏转器件(108),该偏转器件具有沿着所述第一主延伸方向或沿着所述第二主延伸方向或沿着所述第三主延伸方向的相对于所述衬底的间距,其中,所述偏转器件(108)使所述激光射束沿着第二方向偏转,其中,所述第二方向不同于所述第一方向。(The invention relates to a device (100) for deflecting a laser beam, comprising at least one light source (101) which is provided for generating a laser beam, and at least one integrated optical line (107), wherein the integrated optical line (107) is arranged on a substrate, wherein the substrate has a first main direction of extension, a second main direction of extension, and a third main direction of extension, and the first main direction of extension and the second main direction of extension extend out of the plane of a substrate surface, and the third main direction of extension is arranged perpendicular to the plane of the substrate surface, wherein the integrated optical line (107) comprises at least one waveguide (104) and at least one emitting means (106), wherein the emitting means (106) functions as an output of the integrated optical line (107) and the laser beam is emitted in a first direction, characterized in that a deflection device (108) is provided, which has a spacing relative to the substrate along the first main direction of extension or along the second main direction of extension or along the third main direction of extension, wherein the deflection device (108) deflects the laser beam along a second direction, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction.)

1. Device (100) for deflecting a laser beam, having

At least one light source (101) arranged for generating a laser beam, and

at least one integrated optical circuit (107), wherein the integrated optical circuit (107) is arranged on a substrate, wherein the substrate has a first main extension direction, a second main extension direction and a third main extension direction, and the first main extension direction and the second main extension direction extend out of the plane of a substrate surface and the third main extension direction is arranged perpendicular to the plane of the substrate surface,

wherein the integrated optical circuit (107) has at least one waveguide (104) and at least one emitting device (106), wherein the emitting device (106) functions as an output of the integrated optical circuit (107) and emits the laser beam in a first direction,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

a deflection device (108) is provided, which has a spacing relative to the substrate along the first main direction of extension or along the second main direction of extension or along the third main direction of extension, wherein the deflection device (108) deflects the laser beam along a second direction, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction.

2. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the integrated optical circuit (107) has at least one phase shifter (105) and at least two emitting devices (106).

3. The device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of integrated optical circuits (107) are provided, which are arranged on a common carrier substrate.

4. The apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first direction is the third main direction of extension.

5. The apparatus (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first direction is the first main direction of extension or the second main direction of extension.

6. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of carrier substrates with a plurality of optical lines are arranged on top of each other spaced apart along the third main extension direction.

7. The apparatus (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the deflection means (108) comprises at least one lens.

8. The apparatus (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the deflection device (108) comprises a micro-lens array.

9. The apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the deflection means (108) comprises a prism, in particular a multi-stage prism.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a device for deflecting a laser beam.

Background

Beam deflection units based on optical phase shifters are known, which have no movable parts. Therefore, these beam deflection units serve as an alternative to mechanical mirrors. Here, a deflection angle in the range of about 5 ° -15 ° is typically achieved.

In this case, it is disadvantageous that the deflection angle is too small for lidar applications, since a significantly larger deflection angle is required there.

Document US 2016/0049765 a1 discloses a plurality of one-dimensional beam forming chips that form a two-dimensionally scanned solid-state array, so that a three-dimensional image of the environment can be sensed. Here, the solid-state arrays are arranged one above the other and radiate at the ends of the respective chips. The control direction is located in the chip plane.

In this case, it is disadvantageous that the angle of deflection of the laser beam is determined by the orientation of the respective solid-state array. In other words, the resolution in the vertical deflection dimension cannot be changed.

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the invention is to change and increase the deflection angle.

The device for deflecting a laser beam comprises at least one light source arranged for generating the laser beam and at least one integrated optical circuit. An integrated optical circuit is disposed on a substrate. The substrate has a first main direction of extension, a second main direction of extension and a third main direction of extension. The first and second main extension directions extend out of the plane of the substrate surface and the third main extension direction is arranged perpendicular to the plane of the substrate surface. The integrated optical circuit has at least one waveguide and at least one emitting device, wherein the emitting device functions as an output of the integrated optical circuit and emits a laser beam in a first direction. According to the invention, a deflection device is provided, which has a distance to the substrate along the first main plane of extension or along the second main plane of extension or along the third main plane of extension, wherein the deflection device deflects the laser beam along a second direction, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction.

The advantage here is that the deflection angle can be changed independently of the orientation of the substrate.

In a further embodiment, the integrated optical circuit comprises at least one optical phase shifter and at least two emitting devices. In other words, the integrated optical circuit is configured as a phase-controlled group antenna. Phase-controlled group antennas are also known as conceptual optical phased array antennas.

It is advantageous here that the light emitted by the at least two emitting devices interferes and this can be controlled by means of a phase shifter. The control allows deflecting the beam already along the first direction. This means that the direction of the laser beam at the output of the emitting device can be different from the direction of the laser beam at the output of the deflection means.

In a further embodiment, a plurality of integrated optical circuits are provided, which are configured in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array and are arranged on a common carrier substrate. In other words, the integrated optical circuit forms or constitutes a planar array.

It is advantageous here that a plurality of laser beams can be deflected simultaneously and that these can cover different scanning regions, i.e. parallelization of the laser beams is allowed. The laser beam emitted by the optical line is deflected in different directions depending on the position and shape of the deflection device. In other words, the deflection means do not deflect each beam in the same direction.

In a further configuration, the first direction corresponds to a third main direction of extension.

The advantage here is that the beam emitted perpendicularly to the substrate surface can be deflected.

In a development, the first direction corresponds to the first main direction of extension or the second main direction of extension.

In this case, it is advantageous if the beam emitted in the plane of the substrate surface at the end of the substrate of the integrated optical circuit can be deflected.

In a further embodiment, a plurality of integrated optical lines are arranged one above the other at a distance along the third main direction of extension. The carrier substrates on which the integrated optical circuits are present are arranged in particular in parallel.

The advantage here is that the alignment effort between the optical lines can be minimized and that a simple arrangement can be selected for the deflection of the laser beam.

In a further development, the deflection means comprise at least one lens.

In this case, it is advantageous if the lens additionally deflects the optical radiation emitted by the integrated optical circuit. The lens has inter alia the following advantages: this additional deflection is continuous and thus the following regions can be prevented from occurring in the entire deflection region: no beam can be deflected into the region.

In a further configuration, the deflection device comprises a microlens array.

The advantage here is that the deflection angle range for the optical lines can be adjusted differently and individually.

In a further development, the deflection device comprises a multi-stage prism.

Advantageously, different deflection angles can be realized.

Drawings

Further advantages result from the following description of embodiments or from the dependent claims.

The invention is explained below with reference to preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The figures show:

figure 1 schematic configuration of an apparatus for deflecting a laser beam,

fig. 2 shows a device for deflecting a laser beam with a planar array, which radiates in the plane of the substrate surface,

FIG. 3A device for deflecting a laser beam with a plurality of planar arrays which radiate in the plane of the substrate surface and are arranged one above the other, and

fig. 4 shows a device for deflecting a laser beam with a plurality of planar arrays, which radiate perpendicularly to the plane of the substrate surface.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an apparatus 100 for deflecting a laser beam. The apparatus 100 comprises a coherent light source 101, an integrated optical line 107 and a deflection device 108. The integrated optical circuit 107 includes at least one coupler 102, which may be, for example, an evanescent wave coupler, a multi-mode waveguide, or an optical splitter. The integrated optical line 107 includes a plurality of waveguides 104 and a plurality of phase shifters 105 that adjust or control the phase of light. The phase shifter 105 is, for example, concerned with thermal, electro-optical, magneto-optical, MEMS-based or non-linear based optical effects. Furthermore, the integrated optical circuit 107 comprises a plurality of emitting devices 105, which emit laser beams into the environment. When the first direction or propagation direction of the laser beam runs parallel to the third main direction of extension, the emitting device 105 is, for example, a grating coupler or a mirror. If the first direction or propagation direction of the laser beam runs parallel to the first main direction or the second main direction of extension, i.e. in the plane of the substrate surface, the emitting component 105 is, for example, an edge coupler (kantnkoppler). When additionally followed by an inverse taper, the efficiency of the emitting device 105 may be improved with the use of an edge coupler. The reverse taper is required to design the optical orientation characteristics such that the optical power is maximized in a predetermined or desired deflection region. The deflection means 108 comprise an optical element which is arranged in the beam path of the laser beam in the propagation direction. The optical element deflects the laser beam of each integrated optical circuit 107 into a direction different from the first direction or into a second direction. In other words, the optical element changes the propagation direction of each laser beam. The optical elements are configured such that adjacent integrated optical circuits cover slightly overlapping or abutting regions, thereby not creating undetectable regions. This is ensured by: the scanning area of each optical line has an overlap with the scanning area of an adjacent optical line. The deflection device 108 is for example a lens, a micro lens array or a multi-stage prism. In other words, the light beam or laser beam emitted by the coherent light source is guided by the coupler 102 onto the integrated optical circuit 107, wherein the deflection means 108 are arranged in the beam path in the first direction adjacent to the substrate of the integrated optical circuit 107 at the output of the integrated optical circuit. Optionally, the integrated optical line 107 has an optical switch disposed between the coupler 102 and the waveguide 104. Alternatively, each integrated optical circuit 107 may also have its own light source 101.

Fig. 2 shows a device 200 for deflecting a laser beam with a planar array, which has, by way of example, two integrated optical lines 207. The planar array radiates here in the plane of the substrate surface at the end of the respective substrate. The device 200 comprises a coherent light source 201, an optical switch 203 and a deflection means 208 in the form of a prism. Fig. 2 furthermore shows a beam path 209 of the laser light at the output of the integrated optical line 207 and a scanning region 211 of the phased array before the deflection unit 208 and a deflected laser beam 210 after deflection by the deflection device 208 and a scanning region 212 of the phased array after the deflection unit 208. Furthermore, an overlap 213 of the scanning areas 212 is shown.

Fig. 3 shows a device 300 with a plurality of integrated optical lines 307, which are arranged such that the radiation or emission plane extends in a second main direction of extension y and a third main direction of extension z. Each integrated optical circuit 307 emits a laser beam along a first direction, which in this example coincides with the first main direction of extension x. Additionally, each optical line 307 is capable of deflecting the optical beam along the second main extension direction y dynamically, i.e. variably, in the scanning region. The deflection device 308 switches the deflection region into a new deflection region. Fig. 3 shows by way of example a beam path 309 of the laser light at the output of the integrated optical circuit 307 and a deflected laser beam 310 after deflection by the deflection device 308. In this example, the deflection device 308 is an elliptical lens.

Fig. 4 shows a plurality of integrated optical circuits 407, which are arranged such that a first main direction of extension x and a second main direction of extension y open out a radiation or emission plane for the laser light. In other words, the integrated optical circuits 407 are arranged on a common carrier substrate as a two-dimensional planar array. The laser beam is emitted in the direction of the third main extension direction z. The deflection devices 408 are arranged spaced apart above a common carrier substrate. Fig. 4 shows by way of example a beam path 409 of the laser light at the output of the integrated optical circuit 407 and a deflected laser beam 410 after deflection by the deflection device 408. In this example, the deflection device 408 is an elliptical lens.

The devices 100, 200, 300 and 400 for deflecting a laser beam are used, for example, in a lidar system, a pico projector or a head-up display, preferably for a vehicle.