Projectors of structured light
Optical apparatus includes a beam source, which is configured to generate an optical beam having a pattern imposed thereon. A projection lens is configured to receive and project the optical beam so as to cast the pattern onto a first area in space having a first angular extent. A field multiplier is interposed between the projection lens and the first area and is configured to expand the projected optical beam so as to cast the pattern onto a second area in space having a second angular extent that is at least 50% greater than the first angular extent.
1 - 15 . (canceled)
16 . An optoelectronic device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate; and
a monolithic array of light-emitting elements, arranged on the substrate in a two-dimensional pattern that is not a regular lattice.
17 . The device according to claim 16 , wherein the light-emitting elements comprise vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) diodes.
18 . The device according to claim 16 , wherein the two-dimensional pattern of the light-emitting elements is an uncorrelated pattern.
19 - 20 . (canceled)
21 . The device according to claim 16 , and comprising a projection lens, which is mounted on the semiconductor substrate and is configured to collect and focus light emitted by the light-emitting elements so as to project an optical beam containing a light pattern corresponding to the two-dimensional pattern of the light-emitting elements on the substrate.
22 - 33 . (canceled)
34 . A method for producing an optoelectronic device, the method comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate; and
forming a monolithic array of light-emitting elements on the substrate in a two-dimensional pattern that is not a regular lattice.
35 . The method according to claim 34 , wherein the light-emitting elements comprise vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) diodes.
36 . The method according to claim 34 , wherein the two-dimensional pattern of the light-emitting elements is an uncorrelated pattern.
37 . The method according to claim 34 , wherein forming the monolithic array comprises forming first and second sets of the light-emitting elements, wherein the first and second sets are interleaved on the substrate in respective first and second patterns, and
wherein the method comprises separately driving the first and second sets of the light-emitting elements so that the device selectably emits light in either or both of the first and second patterns.
38 . The method according to claim 37 , and comprising:
projecting the light emitted by the light emitting elements onto an object;
capturing first images of the object in a low-resolution mode while only the first set of the light-emitting elements is driven to emit the light, thereby projecting a low-resolution pattern onto the object; and
capturing second images in a high-resolution mode while both of the first and second sets of the light-emitting elements are driven to emit the light, thereby projecting a high-resolution pattern onto the object.
39 . The method according to claim 34 , and comprising mounting a projection lens on the semiconductor substrate so as to collect and focus light emitted by the light-emitting elements, thereby projecting an optical beam containing a light pattern corresponding to the two-dimensional pattern of the light-emitting elements on the substrate.
40 - 42 . (canceled)
43 . An optoelectronic device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a monolithic array of light-emitting elements, arranged on the substrate in a two-dimensional pattern; and
a projection lens, which is mounted on the semiconductor substrate and is configured to collect and focus light emitted by the light-emitting elements so as to project an optical beam containing a light pattern corresponding to the two-dimensional pattern of the light-emitting elements on the substrate.
44 . The device according to claim 43 , and comprising a diffractive optical element (DOE), which is mounted on the substrate and is configured to expand the projected optical beam by producing multiple, mutually-adjacent replicas of the pattern.
45 . The device according to claim 44 , wherein the projection lens and the DOE are formed on opposing sides of a single optical substrate.
46 . The device according to claim 43 , wherein the projection lens comprises a diffractive lens.
47 . A method for producing an optoelectronic device, the method comprising:
providing a semiconductor substrate;
forming a monolithic array of light-emitting elements on the substrate in a two-dimensional pattern; and
mounting a projection lens on the semiconductor substrate so as to collect and focus light emitted by the light-emitting elements, thereby projecting an optical beam containing a light pattern corresponding to the two-dimensional pattern of the light-emitting elements on the substrate.
48 . The method according to claim 47 , and comprising mounting a diffractive optical element (DOE) on the substrate so as to expand the projected optical beam by producing multiple, mutually-adjacent replicas of the pattern.
49 . The method according to claim 48 , wherein the projection lens and the DOE are formed on opposing sides of a single optical substrate.
50 . The method according to claim 47 , wherein the projection lens comprises a diffractive lens.