LDV with Diffractive Optical Element for Transceiver Lens

• US 20130208256A1
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Optical Air Data Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Optical Air Data Systems, LLC
• Inventors: MAMIDIPUDI, Priyavadan, Dakin, Elizabeth A., Rogers, Philip L., Dakin, Daniel C., Changkakoti, Rupak, Leclair, Lance
• Application Number:
  US13/473,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20130208256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/4.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/95 for meteorological use
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4811 common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4815 using multiple transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4818 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0927 Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0944 Diffractive optical elements, e.g. gratings, holograms gratings per se G02B5/18; holograms used as optical elements per se G02B5/32
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A transceiver device that includes one or more light sources configured to emit a light beam that includes one or more different wavelengths, and includes a diffractive optical element configured to initiate one or more wavelength specific responses from the light beam to form one or more transmission light beams and to direct the one or more transmission light beams substantially towards a target; and further includes one or more sensor devices configured to receive the one or more transmission light beams and one or more reception light beams that are reflected back from the target. The diffractive optical element (e.g., a holographic element) is used in either a monostatic, bistatic or multistatic design to reduce the required size and/or number of optical elements, lasers and receivers. The transceiver device may be used in a LIDAR system in order to measure air and wind parameters at multiple altitudes.

Claims

1. A transceiver device, comprising:

one or more light sources configured to emit a light beam that includes one or more different wavelengths;

a diffractive optical element configured to initiate one or more wavelength specific responses from the light beam to form one or more transmission light beams and to direct the one or more transmission light beams substantially towards a target; and

one or more sensor devices configured to receive the one or more transmission light beams and one or more reception light beams that are reflected back from the target.

2. The transceiver device of claim 1, wherein the diffractive optical element includes one or more holographic optical elements.

3. The transceiver device of claim 2, wherein the one or more holographic optical elements are each configured to perform a plurality of optical tasks.

4. The transceiver device of claim 2,

wherein the one or more holographic optical elements include a first holographic optical element and a second holographic optical element, and

wherein the first holographic optical element is configured to initiate the one or more wavelength specific responses from the light beam, and

wherein the second holographic optical element is configured to initiate the one or more wavelength specific responses from the one or more transmission and reception light beams.

5. The transceiver device of claim 2, wherein one of the one or more holographic optical elements is configured to invoke the plurality of wavelength specific responses on both the light beam and one or more transmission light beams.

6. The transceiver device of claim 2, wherein one of the one or more holographic optical elements is configured to invoke the plurality of wavelength specific responses on both the light beam and one or more reception light beams.

7. The transceiver device of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources and the one or more sensor devices are configured to form a monostatic configuration.

8. The transceiver device of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources and the one or more sensor devices are configured to form a bistatic configuration.

9. The transceiver device of claim 1, wherein the one or more light sources and the one or more sensor devices are configured to form a multistatic configuration.

10. The transceiver device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more light sources, the diffractive optical element, and the one or more sensor devices are formed as a LIDAR system in a photonic integrated circuit.

11. The transceiver device of claim 1, further comprising an optical directive element configured to direct the light beam to the diffractive optical element, and to direct the one or more transmission light beams to the one or more sensor devices.

12. The transceiver device of claim 1, wherein the light beam, the one or more transmission light beams, and the one or more reception light beams have wavelengths in the range of approximately 800 nanometers to approximately 2100 nanometers.

13. The transceiver device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more filter assemblies configured to filter out ambient light and to filter out specific wavelengths contained within the light beam; and

one or more lenses configured to focus, magnify, and direct the one or more transmission light beams and the one or more reception light beams towards the one or more sensor devices.

14. The transceiver device of claim 1, further comprising one or more light waveguides configured to direct light beams between the one or more light sources, the one or more sensor devices, and the diffractive element.

15. An optical system, comprising:

a multi-wavelength light sources configured to emit a light beam that includes one or more different wavelengths; and

a diffractive optical element configured to initiate one or more wavelength specific responses from the light beam to form one or more transmission light beams;

wherein the diffractive optical element is configured to diffract the one or more different wavelengths such that each of the one or more different wavelengths have a pre-selected focal distance and angular deflection.

16. The optical system of claim 15, wherein the diffractive optical element includes a holographic optical element.

17. The optical system of claim 15, wherein the optical system is configured to withstand storage temperatures in the range of approximately −

60°

C. to approximately 85°

C.

18. The optical system of claim 15, wherein the optical system is configured to withstand operating temperatures in the range of approximately −

60°

C. to approximately 70°

C.

19. The optical system of claim 15, wherein the optical system is configured to meet Mil-spec 883 F standards for mechanical vibration, temperature, humidity and IP65 rating.

20. The optical system of claim 15, wherein the light beam and the one or more transmission light beams have wavelengths in the range of approximately 800 nanometers to approximately 2100 nanometers.

21. A method for converting, within a transceiver device, a Gaussian light beam into one or more Bessel light beams, comprising:

generating a first light beam that includes the Gaussian light beam;

receiving the first light beam, over a fiber optic, at a holographic optical element;

initiating, by the holographic optical element, one or more wavelength specific responses from the first light beam; and

converting, using the one or more wavelength specific responses, the first light beam into a second light beam having a ring configuration,

wherein the second light beam includes the one or more Bessel light beams.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving the second light beam, including the one or more Bessel light beams, at the holographic optical element;

initiating, by the holographic optical element, the one or more wavelength specific responses from the second light beam; and

converting, using the one or more wavelength specific responses, the second light beam into the first light beam that includes the Gaussian light beam.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more Bessel light beams are configured to have intensities that are highest near a central axis of the holographic optical element, and wherein the intensities diminish as a distance from the central axis of the holographic optical element increases.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the converting is performed by dividing the holographic optical element into separate masks for each of the one or more Bessel lights beams to be created, and tiling each of the separate masks.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the converting is performed by nesting multiple singularities within the holographic optical element.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein a propagation distance of the one or more Bessel light beams is proportional to a size of the holographic optical element.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more Bessel light beams have greater intensities than a Bessel beam created using a non-holographic element.