US-12625237-B2 - LIDAR system with individualized semiconductor optical amplifier dies

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system for a vehicle. The LIDAR sensor system includes a light source configured to output a beam. The LIDAR sensor system includes a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) array including a plurality of individualized SOA dies. A first individualized SOA die of the plurality of individualized SOA dies is spaced apart from a second individualized SOA die of the plurality of individualized SOA dies such that a spacing is defined between the first individualized SOA die and the second individualized SOA die. The SOA array is configured to receive the beam from the light source and amplify the beam.

Inventors

• James Ferrara
• Pruthvi Jujjavarapu
• Sen Lin
• Andrew Steil Michaels
• Gevorg Martuni Nahapetian
• Parth Panchal
• Imbert Yuyen Wang

Assignees

• AURORA OPERATIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240821

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor system for a vehicle, the LIDAR sensor system comprising: a light source configured to output a beam; a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) array comprising a plurality of individualized SOA dies, wherein a first individualized SOA die of the plurality of individualized SOA dies is spaced apart from a second individualized SOA die of the plurality of individualized SOA dies such that a spacing is defined between the first individualized SOA die and the second individualized SOA die; an output interface coupled to the SOA array, the output interface comprising a plurality of microlenses corresponding to the plurality of individualized SOA dies and respectively configured to receive an amplified light beam from a respective SOA die and focus the amplified light beam to a respective transmit channel; and an alignment channel configured to provide an alignment signal, wherein a microlens of the plurality of microlenses further corresponds to the alignment channel; wherein the SOA array is configured to receive the beam from the light source and amplify the beam; and wherein the first and second individualized SOA dies are aligned such that a lateral dimension of the first and second individualized SOA dies is angled greater than about 10 degrees from a length dimension defined by the LIDAR system while maintaining the spacing defined between the first and second individualized SOA dies.
2. 2 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1 , further comprising a modulator configured to receive the beam from the light source and modify at least one of phase or frequency of the beam.
3. 3 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink coupled to the plurality of individualized SOA dies.
4. 4 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of individualized SOA dies respectively comprise: a semiconductor layer; one or more waveguide layers on the semiconductor layer; one or more spacer layers between the one or more waveguide layers; and one or more amplification layers above the one or more waveguide layers.
5. 5 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more amplification layers of a respective individualized SOA die comprise at least one of an n-doped semiconductor layer, a multiple quantum wells (MQW) layer, a p-doped semiconductor layer, or an insulating layer.
6. 6 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more waveguide layers of a respective individualized SOA die form a waveguide region, the waveguide region comprising: a lateral portion angled within about 10 degrees of a lateral dimension of the individualized SOA die; a first angled portion extending from a first end of the lateral portion, the first angled portion angled greater than about 10 degrees from the lateral dimension of the individualized SOA die; and a second angled portion extending from a second end of the lateral portion, the second angled portion angled greater than about 10 degrees from the lateral dimension of the individualized SOA die.
7. 7 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the LIDAR sensor system further comprises a receiver photonics die, the receiver photonics die configured to receive a received beam from an environment of the LIDAR sensor system.
8. 8 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 7 , further comprising: a reflective surface configured to redirect the beam from a first orientation to a second orientation; and a lens interface configured to focus the beam onto the reflective surface; wherein the LIDAR sensor system emits the beam at the second orientation into the environment of the LIDAR sensor system.
9. 9 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 8 , further comprising: a second reflective surface configured to receive the received beam at the second orientation and redirect the received beam from the second orientation to the first orientation; and a second lens interface configured to focus the received beam into the receiver photonics die.
10. 10 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 8 , wherein the receiver photonics die is substantially transparent to the beam, and wherein the receiver photonics die is disposed above the reflective surface such that the beam passes through the receiver photonics die after being reflected by the reflective surface.
11. 11 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the alignment channel comprises a respective individualized SOA die of the plurality of individualized SOA dies.
12. 12 . The LIDAR sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the alignment channel lacks a respective individualized SOA die.
13. 13 . An autonomous vehicle (AV) control system, comprising: a LIDAR system, the LIDAR system comprising: a light source configured to output a beam; a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) array comprising a plurality of individualized SOA dies, wherein a first individualized SOA die of the plurality of individualized SOA dies is spaced apart from a second individualized SOA die of the plurality of individualized SOA dies such that a spacing is defined between the first individualized SOA die and the second individualized SOA die; an output interface coupled to the SOA array, the output interface comprising a plurality of microlenses corresponding to the plurality of individualized SOA dies and respectively configured to receive an amplified light beam from a respective SOA die and focus the amplified light beam to a respective transmit channel; and an alignment channel configured to provide an alignment signal, wherein a microlens of the plurality of microlenses further corresponds to the alignment channel; wherein the SOA array is configured to receive the beam from the light source and amplify the beam; and wherein the first and second individualized SOA dies are aligned such that a lateral dimension of the first and second individualized SOA dies is angled greater than about 10 degrees from a length dimension defined by the LIDAR system while maintaining the spacing defined between the first and second individualized SOA dies.
14. 14 . The AV control system of claim 13 , wherein the SOA array comprises a plurality of channels, the plurality of channels respectively comprising the plurality of individualized SOA dies.
15. 15 . The AV control system of claim 13 , further comprising a heat sink coupled to the plurality of individualized SOA dies.
16. 16 . The AV control system of claim 13 , wherein a respective individualized SOA die of the plurality of individualized SOA dies comprises a waveguide region, the waveguide region comprising: a lateral portion angled within about 10 degrees of a lateral dimension of the individualized SOA die; a first angled portion extending from a first end of the lateral portion, the first angled portion angled greater than about 10 degrees from the lateral dimension of the individualized SOA die; and a second angled portion extending from a second end of the lateral portion, the second angled portion angled greater than about 10 degrees from the lateral dimension of the individualized SOA die.
17. 17 . The AV control system of claim 13 , wherein the LIDAR system further comprises: a receiver photonics die, the receiver photonics die configured to receive a received beam from an environment of the LIDAR system; a reflective surface configured to redirect the beam from a first orientation to a second orientation; and a lens interface configured to focus the beam onto the reflective surface; wherein the LIDAR system emits the beam at the second orientation into the environment of the LIDAR system.
18. 18 . The AV control system of claim 17 , further comprising: a second reflective surface configured to receive the received beam at the second orientation and redirect the received beam from the second orientation to the first orientation; and a second lens interface configured to focus the received beam into the receiver photonics die.
19. 19 . The AV control system of claim 17 , wherein the receiver photonics die is substantially transparent to the beam, and wherein the receiver photonics die is disposed above the reflective surface such that the beam passes through the receiver photonics die after being reflected by the reflective surface.
20. 20 . An autonomous vehicle (AV), comprising: a LIDAR system, the LIDAR system comprising: a light source configured to output a beam; a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) array comprising a plurality of individualized SOA dies, wherein a first individualized SOA die of the plurality of individualized SOA dies is spaced apart from a second individualized SOA die of the plurality of individualized SOA dies such that a spacing is defined between the first individualized SOA die and the second individualized SOA die; an output interface coupled to the SOA array, the output interface comprising a plurality of microlenses corresponding to the plurality of individualized SOA dies and respectively configured to receive an amplified light beam from a respective SOA die and focus the amplified light beam to a respective transmit channel; and an alignment channel configured to provide an alignment signal, wherein a microlens of the plurality of microlenses further corresponds to the alignment channel; wherein the SOA array is configured to receive the beam from the light source and amplify the beam; and wherein the first and second individualized SOA dies are aligned such that a lateral dimension of the first and second individualized SOA dies is angled greater than about 10 degrees from a length dimension defined by the LIDAR system while maintaining the spacing defined between the first and second individualized SOA dies.

Description

BACKGROUND Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) systems use lasers to create three-dimensional representations of surrounding environments. A LIDAR system includes at least one emitter paired with a receiver to form a channel, though an array of channels may be used to expand the field of view of the LIDAR system. During operation, each channel emits a laser beam into the environment. The laser beam reflects off of an object within the surrounding environment, and the reflected laser beam is detected by the receiver. A single channel provides a single point of ranging information. Collectively, channels are combined to create a point cloud that corresponds to a three-dimensional representation of the surrounding environment. The emitter and/or receiver often includes photonic circuitry formed on a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon die. Silicon photonics dies can provide for precise formation of the photonic circuitry through, for example, photolithography. Other optical components of a LIDAR sensor system may also be formed on semiconductor substrates, while still others are formed on or connected to components made using other semiconductor materials such as, for example, a group III-V semiconductor, gallium arsenide (GaAs), and/or other suitable materials. SUMMARY Aspects and advantages of implementations of the present disclosure will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be learned from the description, or may be learned through practice of the implementations. Example aspects of the present disclosure are directed to LIDAR systems. As further described herein, the LIDAR systems can be used by various devices and platforms (e.g., robotic platforms, etc.) to improve the ability of the devices and platforms to perceive their environment and perform functions in response thereto (e.g., autonomously navigating through the environment). In particular, the technology of the present disclosure is directed to a manufacturing process for a LIDAR system with individualized semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) dies. The individualized SOA dies can be spaced apart from one another. For instance, the SOA dies may be mounted and spaced apart on a thermally-dissipative substrate. Individuating the SOA dies can provide for improved coupling of the amplifiers to upstream or downstream components of the LIDAR system, such as a photonics die or optics. Furthermore, the thermal isolation of the SOA channels corresponding to the SOA dies may be improved, thereby reducing thermal crosstalk, improving screening for faults and defects, or improving yield. A semiconductor wafer is used to manufacture the LIDAR system having individualized SOA dies. To manufacture this LIDAR system, a plurality of SOA regions can be formed on (e.g., a surface) of the semiconductor wafer. For instance, each SOA region can correspond to one or more SOAs, such as an SOA channel. The semiconductor wafer can then be diced to split and isolate the SOA regions from each other. For instance, dicing the semiconductor wafer can produce a plurality of individualized SOA dies. The individualized SOA dies can respectively include the plurality of SOA regions. The SOA dies can then be aligned with one or more inputs or outputs of the LIDAR system to effectuate the SOA dies as amplifiers (e.g., an amplifier array) in a LIDAR system. One example implementation of this technology is a photonic integrated circuit having a light source coupled to a silicon photonics die. The light source (e.g., a seed laser) directs a beam to a modulator. The modulator is configured to modulate the beam to produce a modulated beam. The modulator can be configured to modulate phase and/or frequency of the light source such that the modulated beam can include a phase-modulated beam and/or a frequency-modulated beam. The modulated beam is provided to an amplifier stage formed of one or more channels, each channel having one or more SOAs. The amplifier stage is configured to amplify the beam to produce an amplified beam. According to example aspects of the present disclosure, the amplifier stage can be or can include an array of semiconductor optical amplifiers formed on a plurality of individualized SOA dies. The amplified beam is emitted at an object, reflected by the object, and received by a receiver chip. A LIDAR system can determine a distance to the object and/or velocity of the object based on the reflected beam. Systems and methods according to the present disclosure can provide numerous technical effects and benefits. In one aspect, the present disclosure can provide for an improved method of manufacturing a LIDAR system including a plurality of individualized SOA dies. By dicing at least a portion of the individualized SOA dies from a common semiconductor wafer, process uniformity of the individualized SOA dies may be improved. Additionally or alternatively, by forming an SOA array as a plurality of individualized dies, the surface area of the se