Sensing with Coherent Light
3D sensing enables machines to understand and interact with real-world environments by digitizing features and objects in their environment with the smallest details. With the help of automation and machine learning, 3D sensing is transforming key industries such as automotive, manufacturing and imaging in today’s society. Through its ability to capture real-world objects’ length, width and height with more clarity from a distance, 3D sensing is a game-changer for these and other growth industries.
Applications requiring accurate 3D measurements are increasing and creating new markets for optical 3D sensors. Medical and industrial robotics applications require micrometer to millimeter accuracy from short-range sensors whereas consumer and automotive applications require mm to cm accuracy from longer-range sensors. Technologies used to address the diverse requirements of these applications have been primarily based on manually assembled discrete components from different manufacturing platforms resulting in increased system size and cost as well as limiting their mass production capabilities
3D sensing with coherent light delivers unique advancements in the way that sensors are manufactured, designed and used. Due to its large optical bandwidth and high sensitivity, coherent 3D sensing technology can be tailored to address both high accuracy and long-range applications, making the coherent technology the primary solution to address large market segments of 3D sensing. Furthermore, coherent sensing technology lends itself to NeoPhotonics chip-scale manufacturing that addresses the shortcomings of the current discrete solutions by enabling the integration of application-specific functions in mass-produced photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
Next-generation 3D sensors will use “coherent” technology, which was pioneered by NeoPhotonics for communications networks to greatly increase the range, accuracy, and sensitivity by measuring the phase of the reflected light. 3D Coherent Sensors fabricated using chip-scale manufacturing will reduce costs and enable high volume manufacturing.
NeoPhotonics Technologies for 3D Coherent Sensors:
- Low phase noise semiconductor lasers
- High power semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA)
- Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) platforms
Autonomous Mobility
Lidar capabilities are the fundamental technology for autonomous vehicle navigation system operation as well as for drone navigation and mapping applications.
Requirements for Autonomous Mobility system applications:
- Long range: Our low phase noise lasers and high power Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers deliver longer distance imaging performance
- Small size: We specialize in the design, manufacture and control of laser and SOA devices, combining specific elements from optimized materials to produce the smallest and lowest power consumption components
- Enabled through Photonic Integration: We create integrated optoelectronic devices that combine with signal processing methodologies to deliver high performance capability
- Cost efficiency: Enabled through chip-scale integration
Industrial Metrology
Industrial Metrology applications require:
- High accuracy: Delivered by combining high performance, low noise and widely-tunable lasers with appropriate receiver capability
- High speed data collection: Metrology applications leverage high speed photonics capabilities
- Small size: Enabled through Photonic Integration.