This disclosure generally relates to spatial multiplexing, and more specifically, to spatial multiplexing with surface-emitting lasers.
Surface-emitting light sources can be configured in one and two-dimensional arrays and integrated with micro-lens arrays or arrays of other optical elements for optical communications applications. One such optical application is spatial multiplexing, wherein optical data signals are wirelessly transmitted to a receiver via arrangements of light sources and optical elements. Other applications include visible or IR illumination, structured lighting, IR heating and specialized optical designs. In many configurations and applications of surface-emitting light sources, like uniform illumination applications, the pitch of each micro-lens is similar to that of the light source array, so that each light source has its own micro-lens.
One drawback of these systems is that the micro-lens arrays typically have a larger pitch than the minimum pitch of the light sources in the source array. In addition, the beam from the light sources expands as it propagates toward the micro-lens array, thus requiring the micro-lens to be larger. This is a significant penalty in utilization of the expensive light source chip area.
In other optical applications a single micro-lens array is not sufficient to meet specific characteristics and requirements of the system, such as when a narrow divergence beam is required from a source or array of sources. Most surface-emitting light sources, have relatively large beam divergence, from a few degrees to 90 degrees or more, which is impractical for many applications, and have not yet been addressed. Moreover, while a single micro-lens may somewhat reduce divergence, depending on the source area, there is a limit defined by the light source's characteristics, especially the effective source diameter and by the focal length of the micro-lens. In some cases, the micro-lens may be used to increase the divergence of the source by being configured to sharply focus the light near the emission surface.
The present disclosure relates to optical systems, methods, and devices, comprising various geometries of arrays of micro-lenses and surface-emitting light sources to accomplish various optical assemblies, such as spatial multiplexing and multi-zone illumination. In embodiments, the surface-emitting light sources, may be light-emitting diodes and vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers.
In various embodiments, one or more arrays of micro-lenses may be aligned to a plurality of light sources, i.e., a light source array, such that light sources are offset relative to a principal axis of the micro-lens array, and emitted light beams propagate from a normal axis of each light source through the lens array. Multiple light sources may be offset from a principal axis of the same micro-lens, such that emitted beams through the same micro-lens propagate in different directions.
The array of light sources may comprise a plurality of subsets of light sources, which in various embodiments, may be offset relative to specific micro-lenses in the one or more arrays. The subsets and micro-lens arrays may be aligned such that one or more emitted light beams from the source combine after passing through the micro-lens array(s), thus increasing power of the combined beam. In such embodiments, the positioning of light source subsets relative to one or more corresponding micro-lenses may be repeated. In this manner, similar patterns (e.g., zones) of illumination may be realized.
In embodiments one or more light sources and/or subsets of light sources may be independently electrically connected from other light sources and/or subsets of light sources. Accordingly, a plurality of light sources may be independently illuminated such that light beams are sequentially propagated through the one or more micro-lenses.
The drawings are provided to illustrate example embodiments described herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
Various non-limiting embodiments are further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Various aspects of the present disclosure described herein in are generally directed to devices, systems and methods for, among other things, spatial multiplexing of optical communications using lens arrays and one or more light sources. In embodiments, the light sources may be an array of light sources, such as light-emitting diodes and vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). Micro-lenses may be spherical lenses, cylindrical lenses, diffractive optical elements, including Fresnel lenses, or other types comprising any of a plurality of characteristics (e.g., concavity, convexity, focal length, size, etc.) to obtain the desired field of illumination.
The degree of offset of the light source's positioning relative to the lens' principal axis can alter both the divergence and the direction of the beam spread after the light passes through the lens array. As depicted in
The light source, as described herein may be a single light source, such as a diode or VCSEL, as well as a one or two-dimensional arrays of a light source. In embodiments, the light source and the micro-lens are positioned close to each other, to minimize the divergence of the light beam from the light source prior to passing through the micro-lens. In embodiments, the light source and lens may be positioned less than 0.1 mm apart from each other.
In
In embodiments, light source 210a, 210b may form a single light source array, or be a part of a separate light source arrays. In any case, the light sources may be electrically connected, and powered together, or be electrically independent. In one example, the light sources may be driven independently to individually address two separated zones. Alternatively, the plurality of light sources may be driven together or independently, depending on the desired field of illumination. The alignment of the light sources relative to the micro-lens, including the distance between the light sources and the micro-lens, may also be adjusted. In such examples, the light sources are aligned substantially parallel to a principal axis the lens array, or at varying angles depending one or more considerations including the desired field of illumination, the type of micro-lens, and the focal length of the lens.
Offsetting the source from the micro-lens axis allows for the spatial multiplexing of multiple lasers for a single lens. In this case, at least some of the micro-lenses will be offset, depending on the size of the micro-lens relative to the source dimensions and minimum pitch in the source array. This can be a case where all of the light sources going through the same lens may be on together when the offsets are being used to shape the combined beam output. It can also be a case where the sources are being independently driven so that the same micro-lens can send beams in different directions based on the offset from the lens axis of each light source that is turned on. More than one source can be turned on together in some applications. This allows for more compact designs through efficient use of the larger pitch micro-lens area.
In other configurations, such as specialized applications of those assemblies, the light sources under the micro-lenses are addressed individually or in groups, and the optical axis of the source is deliberately offset from the micro-lens optical axis to propagate the light at a non-normal angle to the array. Then the micro-lens array can be used to shape the beam output of the source array to cover a camera field of view or other applications. In addition, by addressing the individual sources or groups of sources that have different optical axis offsets, light may be directed in different directions at different times. This can be the basis of an all solid-state scanning capability by sequentially switching from zone to zone.
In
In
In embodiments, the light sources 310 and 350 may be an array comprising a plurality of light sources, and the depicted micro-lenses may each be an array of micro-lenses, each receiving light beams from one or more of the light sources. In various embodiments of micro-lens arrays and light source arrays, the combined field of illumination may be similar to the beam spreads 340 and 390, depending on the specific orientation and alignment of various light sources and arrays.
Additionally, the size and type of the lens arrays, and the distances between the lens arrays may be adjusted based on the desired size and position of the resulting field of illumination. In other words, the relative differences between the light source, first lens array, and second lens array may be varied depending on the direction and size of the desired field of illumination. In
In the depicted example, each light source, 410a and 410b, is shifted off-axis from a principal optical axis of their respective first micro-lenses 420a and 420b. The resulting diverging beams 440 and 450, consequently enter the second micro-lens 430, which is also shifted off-axis from the light sources and micro-lenses. The second lens micro-lens 430 increases the deflection angle of each diverging light beam, and collimates the diverging beams 460 and 470. Individually, each light source interacts with a first and second lens, similar to the configuration in
In these embodiments, light sources 410a and 410b may form a single light source array, or may be separate light source arrays, each having one or more light sources producing beams, 440 and 450. In this and other embodiments disclosed herein, each light source array may comprise a plurality of subsets of light sources that, are each offset in position relative to a principal axis of a micro-lens in the micro-lens array. The light sources may propagate beams substantially parallel to a principal axis of its respective micro-lens in the micro-lens array, and each emitted light beam passes through the one or more micro-lenses in a different direction, forming the resulting field of illumination. Like other embodiments, each light source may be electrically connected or independent, and driven accordingly to produce a desired field of illumination.
The depicted configuration illustrates multiplexing across both sets of micro-lenses and is exemplary of a plurality of configurations utilizing two or more light sources and micro-lenses to generate a greater field of illumination. By combining example embodiments from
Each light source in a light source array 610 may be aligned on axis or off-axis to a principal axis of the micro-lens 620 as disclosed herein so that a light source transmitting through one micro-lens of the array 620 is aligned with a light source transmitting through a different micro-lens in the array 620 to propagate in the same angular position. A plurality of light beams propagating in different angular directions can be formed with light contributed from different sources to increase the available optical power in each beam from a very compact source. Thus, the combined beam comprises light beams from the same or different subsets of light sources in the light source array. Alternatively, each source can be positioned relative to the corresponding micro-lens so that a separate beam is formed from each source.
In embodiments, the micro-lenses may be any of a plurality of types of lenses, such as cylinder lenses, and the amount of offset between the light beams and lenses may be adjusted to result in the desired field of illumination. Multiple beams projected in the far-field can be independent or combined such that output of a plurality of rows may overlap in each line 650 and result in higher power per line. Multiple lines or illumination zones can be realized by turning on the sources in combination.
This concept is illustrated in
While certain example embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions disclosed herein. Thus, nothing in the foregoing description is intended to imply that any particular feature, characteristic, step, module, or block is necessary or indispensable. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions disclosed herein. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of certain of the inventions disclosed herein.
This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 62/823,122, filed Mar. 25, 2019, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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