Real-Time CGH Generation by CUDA-OpenGL Interoperability for Adaptive Beam Steering with a MEMS Phase SLM.

Real-time, simultaneous, and adaptive beam steering into multiple regions of interest replaces conventional raster scanning with a less time-consuming and flexible beam steering framework, where only regions of interest are scanned by a laser beam. CUDA-OpenGL interoperability with a computationally time-efficient computer-generated hologram (CGH) calculation algorithm enables such beam steering by employing a MEMS-based phase light modulator (PLM) and a Texas Instruments Phase Light Modulator (TI-PLM). The real-time CGH generation and display algorithm is incorporated into the beam steering system with variable power and scan resolution, which are adaptively controlled by camera-based object recognition.

All-MEMS Lidar Using Hybrid Optical Architecture with Digital Micromirror Devices and a 2D-MEMS Mirror.

In a lidar system, replacing moving components with solid-state devices is highly anticipated to make a reliable and compact lidar system, provided that a substantially large beam area with a large angular extent as well as high angular resolution is assured for the lidar transmitter and receiver. A new quasi-solid-state lidar optical architecture employs a transmitter with a two-dimensional MEMS mirror for fine beam steering at a fraction of the degree of the angular resolution and is combined with a digital micromirror device for wide FOV scanning over 37 degree while sustaining a large aperture area of 140 mm squared. In the receiver, a second digital micromirror device is synchronized to the transmitter DMD, which enables a large FOV receiver.

Optical Enhancement of Diffraction Efficiency of Texas Instruments Phase Light Modulator for Beam Steering in Near Infrared.

Phase light modulator (PLM) by MEMS mirror array operating in a piston-mode motion enables a high-speed diffractive beam steering in a random-access and flexible manner that makes a lidar system more intelligent and adaptive. Diffraction efficiency is determined by the range of the piston motion of the MEMS array; consequently, a larger range of the piston motion is required for beam steering in infrared, such as for lidar. We demonstrated how the range of the piston motion is optically enhanced by a factor of two with a light-recycling optics based on Talbot self-imaging.

Diffraction Efficiency of MEMS Phase Light Modulator, TI-PLM, for Quasi-Continuous and Multi-Point Beam Steering.

The recent development of the Micro Electromechanical System (MEMS) Phase Light Modulator (PLM) enables fast laser beam steering for lidar applications by displaying a Computer-Generated Hologram (CGH) without employing an iterative CGH calculation algorithm. We discuss the application of MEMS PLM (Texas Instruments PLM) for quasi-continuous laser beam steering by deterministically calculated CGHs. The effect on the diffraction efficiency of PLM non-equally spaced phase levels was quantified.