Laser beam steering device and system including the same

• US 10,429,716 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jaechul
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US15/623,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20180157146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 3592012, 3592021, 3592121, 359237, 359245, 359259, 359290, 359291, 359298, 359305, 359310, 359316, 359315, 342 74, 342 81, 342359, 342441, 342445, 343720, 343721, 343753, 343754, 367107, 367128, 367129
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4814 of transmitters alone
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4911 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/08 for controlling the direction of light in light guides G02B6/35
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2848 having refractive means, e.g. imaging elements between light guides as splitting, branching and/or combining devices, e.g. lenses, holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/292 by controlled diffraction or phased-array beam steering controlled diffraction for optical switching G02F1/31
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/34 reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0071 Beam steering, e.g. whereby a mirror outside the cavity is present to change the beam direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0071 for beam steering, e.g. using a mirror outside the cavity to change the beam direction

Abstract

A laser beam steering device for two-dimensionally steering a laser beam may include a refractive index converting layer whose charge concentration is configured to change based on an electric signal applied thereto; an antenna disposed above the refractive converting layer; a laser beam reflecting layer disposed below the refractive index converting layer and including a plurality of cells arranged in a two-dimensional matrix; and a driver disposed below the laser beam reflecting layer and including a plurality of driving circuits respectively connected to the plurality of cells, the plurality of driving circuits being configured to respectively apply electric signals to the plurality of cells.

Claims

1. A laser beam steering device for two-dimensionally steering a laser beam, the laser beam steering device comprising:

a refractive index converting layer whose charge concentration is configured to change based on an electric signal applied thereto;

an antenna disposed above the refractive index converting layer;

a laser beam reflecting layer disposed below the refractive index converting layer and comprising a plurality of cells arranged in a two-dimensional matrix; and

a driver disposed below the laser beam reflecting layer and comprising a plurality of driving circuits respectively connected to the plurality of cells, the plurality of driving circuits being configured to respectively apply electric signals to the plurality of cells.

2. The laser beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the laser beam reflecting layer comprises a metal, and

wherein the plurality of driving circuits are respectively connected to the plurality of cells through via holes and configured to independently control voltages respectively applied to the plurality of cells.

3. The laser beam steering device of claim 2, wherein, in response to one of (i) a first voltage being applied to the antenna and a second voltage between a ground voltage and the first voltage being applied to the plurality of cells from the plurality of driving circuits, and (ii) the ground voltage being applied to the antenna and a third voltage between the ground voltage and a negative amount of the first voltage being applied to the plurality of cells from the plurality of driving circuits, the charge concentration of the refractive index converting layer is changed based on one of the second voltage and the third voltage being applied to respective cells of the laser beam reflecting layer.

4. The laser beam steering device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of driving circuits comprises:

a first transistor, which is connected to a select signal line via a gate of the first transistor, the first transistor being connected to a data voltage line via a first terminal of the first transistor, and the first transistor being configured to switch a data voltage according to a select signal; and

a first capacitor, which is connected to a first voltage via a first node of the first capacitor, and configured to store the data voltage input through a second node of the first capacitor.

5. The laser beam steering device of claim 4, wherein a second terminal of the first transistor is connected to the second node of the first capacitor, and

wherein a voltage stored in the first capacitor corresponds to a difference between the data voltage and the first voltage.

6. The laser beam steering device of claim 4, wherein the each of the plurality of driving circuits further comprises:

a second transistor, which is connected to a second terminal of the first transistor via a gate of the second transistor, the second transistor being connected to another first voltage via a first terminal of the second transistor, and the second transistor being further connected to the second node of the first capacitor via a second terminal of the second transistor; and

a third transistor, which is connected to the second node of the first capacitor via a first terminal of the third transistor, the third transistor being connected to a ground voltage via a second terminal of the third transistor, and the third transistor being configured to compensate for a current leaked from the first capacitor.

7. The laser beam steering device of claim 6, wherein the each of the plurality of driving circuits further comprises:

a fourth transistor, which is connected to a write signal line via a gate of the fourth transistor, the fourth transistor being connected to the second terminal of the second transistor via a first terminal of the fourth transistor, the fourth transistor being further connected to the second node of the first capacitor via a second terminal of the fourth transistor;

a fifth transistor, which is connected to a monitor signal line via a gate of the fifth transistor and is connected to the second node of the first capacitor via a first terminal of the fifth transistor; and

an amplifier, which is connected to a second terminal of the fifth transistor and is configured to output a second voltage based on a difference between a third voltage stored in the first capacitor and a reference voltage.

8. The laser beam steering device of claim 4, wherein the each of the plurality of driving circuits further comprises a latch disposed between a second terminal of the first transistor and the second node of the first capacitor.

9. The laser beam steering device of claim 8, wherein the each of the plurality of driving circuits further comprises a sixth transistor, which is connected to a write signal line via a gate of the sixth transistor, the sixth transistor being connected to the latch via a first terminal of the sixth transistor, the sixth transistor being further connected to the second node of the first capacitor via a second terminal of the sixth transistor, and the sixth transistor being configured to apply the data voltage to the first capacitor according to a write signal.

10. The laser beam steering device of claim 9, wherein the each of the plurality of driving circuits further comprises an eighth transistor, which is connected to the second node of the first capacitor via a first terminal of the eighth transistor, the eighth transistor being further connected to the first voltage via a second terminal of the eighth transistor, and the eighth transistor being configured to reset a voltage stored in the first capacitor based on a reset voltage applied to a gate of the eighth transistor.

11. The laser beam steering device of claim 8, wherein the each of the plurality of driving circuits further comprises:

a seventh transistor, which is connected to a monitor signal line via a gate of the seventh transistor and is connected to the second node of the first capacitor via a second terminal of the seventh transistor; and

an amplifier, which is connected to a first terminal of the seventh transistor and configured to output a second voltage based on a difference between a third voltage stored in the first capacitor and a reference voltage.

12. The laser beam steering device of claim 1, further comprising an insulation layer disposed between the refractive index converting layer and the antenna,

wherein the insulation layer comprises an oxide semiconductor.

13. A system comprising:

a laser beam source configured to emit a laser beam;

a laser beam steering device configured to steer the laser beam incident thereon emitted from the laser beam source; and

a light receiver configured to receive the laser beam,

wherein the laser beam steering device comprises;

a refractive index converting layer whose charge concentration is configured to change based on an electric signal applied thereto;

an antenna disposed above the refractive index converting layer;

a laser beam reflecting layer disposed below the refractive index converting layer and comprising a plurality of cells arranged in a two-dimensional matrix; and

a driver disposed below the laser beam reflecting layer and comprising a plurality of driving circuits respectively connected to the plurality of cells, the plurality of driving circuits being configured to respectively apply electric signals to the plurality of cells.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the laser beam reflecting layer comprises a metal, and

wherein the plurality of driving circuits are respectively connected to the plurality of cells through via holes and configured to independently control voltages respectively applied to the plurality of cells.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein, in response to one of (i) a first voltage being applied to the antenna and a second voltage between a ground voltage and the first voltage being applied to the plurality of cells from the plurality of driving circuits, and (ii) the ground voltage being applied to the antenna and a third voltage between the ground voltage and a negative amount of the first voltage being applied to the plurality of cells from the plurality of driving circuits, the charge concentration of the refractive index converting layer is changed based on one of the second voltage and the third voltage being applied to respective cells of the laser beam reflecting layer.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of driving circuits comprises:

a first transistor, which is connected to a select signal line via a gate of the first transistor, the first transistor being connected to a data voltage line via a first terminal of the first transistor, and the first transistor being configured to switch a data voltage according to a select signal; and

a first capacitor, which is connected to a first voltage via a first node of the first capacitor, and configured to store the data voltage input through a second node of the first capacitor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a second terminal of the first transistor is connected to the second node of the first capacitor, and

wherein a voltage stored in the first capacitor corresponds to a difference between the data voltage and the first voltage.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the each of the plurality of driving circuits further comprises:

a second transistor, which is connected to a second terminal of the first transistor via a gate of the second transistor, the second transistor being connected to the first voltage via a first terminal of the second transistor, and the second transistor being further connected to the second node of the first capacitor via a second terminal; and

a third transistor, which is connected to the second node of the first capacitor via a first terminal of the third transistor, the third transistor being connected to a ground voltage via a second terminal of the third transistor, and the third transistor being configured to compensate for a current leaked from the first capacitor.

19. A method of two-dimensionally steering a laser beam, the method comprising:

selecting at least one row of driving circuits from among a plurality of driving circuits that are included in a laser beam steering device and arranged in a two-dimensional matrix;

storing data voltages in capacitors included in the at least one row of driving circuits;

retaining the data voltages stored in the capacitors in the at least one row of driving circuits until other data voltages are stored in remaining capacitors included in the plurality of driving circuits; and

after the other data voltages are stored in the remaining capacitors included in the plurality of driving circuits, emitting the laser beam from a laser beam source to the laser beam steering device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of driving circuits comprises a voltage storage element connected to a capacitor and is configured to apply a data voltage to the capacitor, and

wherein the storing the data voltages in the capacitors further comprises:

storing the data voltages in voltage storage elements included in the at least one row of driving circuits;

retaining the data voltages stored in the voltage storage elements until the other data voltages are stored in remaining voltage storage elements included in the plurality of driving circuits; and

after the other data voltages are stored in the remaining voltage storage elements and a write signal is applied, simultaneously applying the stored data voltages to the capacitors.