Holograghic waveguide LIDAR

• US 10,732,266 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2019
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DigiLens Inc
• Original Assignee: DigiLens Inc
• Inventors: Popovich, Milan Momcilo, Waldern, Jonathan David, Grant, Alastair John
• Primary Examiner(s): Connelly, Michelle R
• Application Number:
  US16/450,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20190361096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4818 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12138 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0808 by means of one or more diffracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/106 having diffraction gratings as scanning elements, e.g. holographic scanners holographic optical elements G02B5/32, holography G03H
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12002 Three-dimensional structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

A holographic waveguide LIDAR comprises a transmitter waveguide coupled to a beam deflector and a receiver waveguide coupled to a detector module. The transmitter waveguide contains an array of grating elements for diffracting a scanned laser beam into a predefined angular ranges. The receiver waveguide contains an array of grating elements for diffracting light reflected from external points within a predefined angular range towards the detector module.

Claims

1. A waveguide sensor, comprising:

at least one waveguide;

a source of first wavelength light;

at least one beam deflector for scanning said light; and

a detector optically coupled to said waveguide,

said at least one waveguide supporting a first plurality of grating elements for deflecting said light into a predefined range of output directions and a second plurality of gratings for diffracting light reflected from external points to said detector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating elements in the at least one waveguide are elements of a two dimensional array.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating elements in the at least one waveguide are elements of a one dimensional array.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating elements in the at least one waveguide are elongate elements with longer dimensions aligned orthogonally to the propagation direction of said waveguides.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating elements in the at least one waveguide are electrically switchable.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating elements in the at least one waveguide have at least one of aspect ratio or surface area varying across the waveguide.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one waveguide is at least two waveguides that, wherein the at least two waveguides substantially overlap.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one waveguide contains grating elements having at least two different grating vectors.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one waveguide contains grating layers operating over different angular ranges.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one waveguide includes at least one grating layer containing a fold grating.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one waveguide comprises a transmitter waveguide and a receiver waveguide, which are combined into a single waveguide containing a multiplicity of grating elements disposed in at least one grating letter, each said element operative to diffract said light into a predefined range of output directions, each said element diffracting light reflected from external points and incident within a predefined angular range into a total internal reflection (TIR) path to said detector.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 configured to detect a 3D point cloud.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein coupling between said beam deflector and the at least one waveguide is performed by one of a prism, a grating, a switchable grating, or via edge coupling.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said beam deflector is a micro-electro-mechanical system.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said source is an infrared light emitting diode or an infrared laser.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first wavelength is approximately 1550 nm.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said grating is one of a Bragg Grating, a surface relief grating or a switchable Bragg grating recorded in a holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) material, a uniform modulation HPDLC material or a reverse mode HPDLC material.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus forms a layer in a stack forming at least one of a waveguide head-mounted display (HMD) or a waveguide eye tracker.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a beamsplitter for providing optical paths between said source and said waveguide and said detector.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detector is a heterodyne detection device.