Single soliton microcomb combined with optical phased array for parallel FMCW LiDAR.

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Integrated Optics
• LiDAR Technology

Background:

• Frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) technology and optical phased arrays (OPAs) show promise for solid-state light detection and ranging (LiDAR).
• Existing LiDAR systems face limitations in speed and form factor, necessitating advancements in solid-state solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and experimentally demonstrate a silicon integrated OPA combined with an optical frequency microcomb for a parallel LiDAR system.
• To achieve parallel wavelength emission for enhanced LiDAR performance using novel waveguide and bound state in the continuum (BIC) effects.
• To enable coherent three-dimensional (3D) imaging with high frame rates using FMCW principles.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a silicon photonic optical phased array (OPA) with an optical frequency microcomb.
• Utilizing wide waveguides beyond the single-mode region and the bound state in the continuum (BIC) effect to create an ultra-long optical grating antenna array.
• Employing a single soliton microcomb for generating multiple distinct wavelength channels and FMCW for coherent 3D imaging.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of a silicon integrated OPA combined with an optical frequency microcomb for parallel LiDAR.
• Achieved parallel wavelength emission meeting Rayleigh criterion via BIC-enhanced grating antenna array.
• Demonstrated coherent 3D imaging using FMCW with a high-performance integrated OPA and microcomb, showing modulation bandwidth beyond single soliton microcomb capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The developed system paves the way for all-solid-state, ultrahigh-frame-rate coherent LiDAR.
• This integrated approach offers a significant advancement for high-performance 3D imaging applications.
• The combination of FMCW, OPA, and microcomb technology represents a key step towards next-generation LiDAR systems.