1D control of a phase light modulator
An apparatus includes micromirrors in rows and columns of a two-dimensional (2D) array, electrode lines coupled to the micromirrors, where the electrode lines are coupled to respective sets of the micromirrors, and signal driving circuits coupled to the electrode lines, the signal driving circuits configured to control the respective sets of the micromirrors via respective electrode lines.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
micromirrors in rows and columns of a two-dimensional (2D) array;
electrode lines coupled to the micromirrors; and
signal driving circuits coupled to the electrode lines, wherein respective signal driving circuits are configurable to provide respective first signals to control respective first sets of the micromirrors via the electrode lines and wherein each respective first signal causes all micromirrors within each respective first set of the micromirrors to be in the same position, the signal driving circuits further configurable to provide respective second signals to second sets of the micromirrors via the electrode lines and wherein each respective second signal causes positions of micromirrors within each respective second set of micromirrors to vary according to a pattern of the respective second signal.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the respective first sets of the micromirrors are the rows or the columns of the micromirrors.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the micromirrors are phase light modulator (PLM) micromirrors having heights adjustable by the signal driving circuits.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal driving circuits comprise:
digital-to-analog converters (DACs); and
signal amplifiers, wherein the DACs are coupled through the signal amplifiers to the rows of the micromirrors.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the signal driving circuits include digital signal circuits coupled to the DACs, and wherein the DACs are configurable to convert digital signals from the digital signal circuits to analog signals on the electrode lines.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the digital signal circuits are 4-bit digital signal circuits or 8-bit digital signal circuits.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode lines are first electrode lines, wherein the respective sets of the micromirrors are the rows of the micromirrors, and wherein the apparatus further comprises second electrode lines coupled to the micromirrors, wherein the second electrode lines are coupled to the columns of the micromirrors.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first electrode lines are spaced by a first distance, and wherein the second electrode lines are spaced by a second distance that is different than the first distance.
9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the signal driving circuits are first signal driving circuits, wherein the apparatus further comprises second signal driving circuits coupled to the second electrode lines, and wherein the second signal driving circuits are configurable to control the micromirrors in columns of the micromirrors via the second electrode lines.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first signal driving circuits are configurable to provide a first component signal of a phase ramp signal and the second signal driving circuits are configurable to provide a second component signal of the phase ramp signal, and wherein the first and second component signals provide a combined displacement of heights of the micromirrors in the rows and the columns of the micromirrors.
11 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first electrode lines are electrically isolated from the second electrode lines.
12 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first electrode lines and the second electrode lines are coupled to the same micromirrors in respective comb structures.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein first signal driving circuits of the signal driving circuits are coupled to first electrode lines of the electrode lines at a first end of the electrode lines, and wherein second signal driving circuits of the signal driving circuits are coupled to second electrode lines of the electrode lines at a second end of the electrode lines opposite to the first end.
14 . A device, comprising:
first micromirrors in first rows and first columns of a first two-dimensional (2D) array;
second micromirrors in second rows and second columns of a second 2D array;
first electrode lines coupled to the first micromirrors, wherein the first electrode lines are coupled to respective sets of the first micromirrors extending in a first direction;
second electrode lines coupled to the second micromirrors, wherein the second electrode lines are coupled to respective sets of the second micromirrors extending a second direction different than the first direction;
signal driving circuits coupled to the first and second electrode lines, wherein the signal driving circuits are configurable to independently control the respective sets of the first micromirrors via the first electrode lines and to independently control the respective sets of the second micromirrors via the second electrode lines; and
a mirror configurable to optically couple the first micromirrors to the second micromirrors serially with respect to a light beam.
15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the respective sets of the first micromirrors is one of the first rows of the first micromirrors or one of the first columns of the first micromirrors.
16 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the signal driving circuits include first signal driving circuits and second signal driving circuits, wherein:
the first signal driving circuits are respectively coupled to the first electrode lines; and
the second signal driving circuits are respectively coupled to the second electrode lines.
17 . A laser scanning system, comprising:
a laser source configurable to emit a laser beam; and
a laser scanning device configurable to steer the laser beam from the laser source by deflecting the laser beam from a surface of the laser scanning device in a range of deflection angles, the laser scanning device comprising:
a phase light modulator (PLM) comprising:
micromirrors in rows and columns of a two-dimensional (2D) array on a surface of the PLM; and
electrode lines coupled to respective sets of the micromirrors; and
signal driving circuits coupled to the electrode lines and configurable to adjust heights of the micromirrors by a control signal via the electrode lines to position all micromirrors in a row of the rows of micromirrors to be at a same height and to vary heights of all micromirrors in a particular column of the columns of micromirrors according to a phase ramp signal of the control signal, wherein adjusting the heights of the micromirrors causes the steering of the laser beam.
18 . The laser scanning system of claim 17 , further comprising a controller coupled to the signal driving circuits and configurable to control the signal driving circuits to provide the control signal for adjusting the heights of the micromirrors.
19 . The laser scanning system of claim 17 , wherein the signal driving circuits comprise:
digital-to-analog converters (DACs) configurable to convert the control signal from a digital signal to an analog signal provided via the electrode lines to the respective sets of the micromirrors; and
signal amplifiers, wherein the DACs are coupled through the signal amplifiers to the electrode lines.
20 . The laser scanning system of claim 17 , wherein the laser scanning system is a laser imaging, detection, and ranging (LIDAR) system of an automotive vehicle, and wherein the laser scanning device and the laser source are part of a LIDAR device on the automotive vehicle.