Structured protective windows for light isolation
The present disclosure relates to structured protective windows that have high transmission efficiency and can isolate light between different sections of the window. The structured protective windows are less prone to glass breakage compared to conventional protective windows that are typically used to protect and isolate light transmitting and light receiving components in LiDAR exterior automotive applications.
1 . A structured protective window, comprising:
a base material having a thickness, a light transmitting section and a light receiving section; and
a plurality of curved optical isolation channels located in the thickness of the base material, each optical isolation channel having a width, a radius, and having a vertical side wall that is substantially parallel to the thickness, wherein adjacent optical isolation channels have a vertical overlap of Formula A and a horizontal overlap of Formula B,
wherein the optical isolation channels attenuate scattered light from internally transmitting within the base material from the light transmitting section to the light receiving section,
10 μm≤vertical overlap≤radius of smaller optical isolation channel−width of optical isolation channels, Formula A:
30 μm+(2×width of optical isolation channels)≤horizontal overlap≤radius of smaller optical isolation channel−2×width of optical isolation channels). Formula B:
2 . The structured protective window of claim 1 , wherein the vertical overlap is from about 50 to about 500 μm.
3 . The structured protective window of claim 1 , wherein the horizontal overlap is from about 50 to about 500 μm.
4 . The structured protective window of claim 1 , wherein radii of adjacent curved optical isolation channels is different.
5 . The structured protective window of claim 1 , wherein an optical isolation material is applied to at least one vertical side wall and/or at least one channel bottom of the plurality of optical isolation channels.
6 . The structured protective window of claim 5 , wherein the optical isolation material comprises an opaque material, an absorptive material, and/or a reflective material.
7 . The structured protective window of claim 5 , wherein the optical isolation material comprises a light absorbing material applied on a light reflective material.
8 . The structured protective window of claim 5 , wherein the optical isolation material is also applied to an optical isolation channel bottom.
9 . The structured protective window of claim 1 , wherein the base material is comprised of single glass material or a single polymer material.
10 . The structured protective window of claim 1 , wherein the attenuation is from about 1 to about 20 dB.
11 . The structured protective window of claim 1 , wherein the attenuation is from about 10 to about 150 dB.
12 . The structured protective window of claim 1 , wherein the optical isolation channels extend through about 5% to about 100% of the thickness of the base material.
13 . The structured protective window of claim 1 , wherein the width of the optical isolation channels is about 10 μm to about 1 mm and a depth of the optical isolation channels is about 50 μm to about 10 mm.
14 . The structured protective window of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of curved optical isolation channels comprise a first row of optical isolation channels each having same dimensions facing another row of optical isolation channels each having their own same dimensions.
15 . The structured protective window of claim 14 , wherein the first row is at least partially surrounded by a second row of optical isolation channels.
16 . An optical system comprising the structured protective window of claim 1 , a light source and a light sensor.