Silicon-Assisted Packaging of High Power Integrated SOA Array
A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) assembly comprising a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) array and a U-turn chip. The SOA array includes an input SOA and a plurality of SOAs. The input SOA and the plurality of SOAs are arranged parallel to one another. The U-turn chip includes an optical splitter and a waveguide assembly. The optical splitter is configured to receive amplified input light propagating in a first direction from the input SOA, and divide the amplified light into beams. The waveguide assembly guides the beams to a corresponding SOA of the plurality of SOAs, and adjusts a direction of prorogation of each of the guided beams to be substantially parallel to a second direction that is substantially opposite the first direction.
1 . A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system for a vehicle, the LiDAR system comprising:
a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) chip comprising:
at least one first SOA emitting amplified light in a first direction through the SOA chip;
at least one second SOA emitting amplified light in a second direction through the SOA chip;
wherein the at least one first SOA and the at least one second SOA are configured to provide different amounts of amplification; and
a particular chip facet, wherein an optical input of the SOA chip and optical outputs of the SOA chip are positioned on the particular chip facet.
2 . The LiDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first SOA emitting amplified light in the first direction implements pre-amplification to offset losses associated with chip-to-chip coupling between the SOA chip and an adjacent chip.
3 . The LiDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second SOA emitting amplified light in the second direction implements amplification of received light to a predetermined output level.
4 . The LiDAR system of claim 1 , comprising:
an optical splitter configured to receive input light propagating from the SOA chip, and divide the input light into a plurality of beams.
5 . The LiDAR system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one second SOA emitting amplified light in the second direction through the SOA chip comprises a particular number of second SOAs respectively coupled to the particular number of waveguides receiving the plurality of beams from the optical splitter.
6 . The LiDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the SOA chip comprises a III-V semiconductor material.
7 . The LiDAR system of claim 1 , comprising:
a light source for providing a light beam to the optical input of the SOA chip.
8 . The LiDAR system of claim 7 , wherein the optical outputs of the SOA chip provide a plurality of amplified beams for directing into an environment of the vehicle, the plurality of amplified beams configured to reflect from an object in the environment.
9 . The LiDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the LiDAR system is part of a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LiDAR system.
10 . The LIDAR system of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is parallel to and opposite the second direction.
11 . An autonomous vehicle (AV) control system, comprising:
one or more processors for executing instructions based on signals from a LiDAR system, the LiDAR system comprising;
a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) chip comprising:
at least one first SOA emitting amplified light in a first direction through the SOA chip;
at least one second SOA emitting amplified light in a second direction through the SOA chip;
wherein the at least one first SOA and the at least one second SOA are configured to provide different amounts of amplifications; and
a particular chip facet, wherein an optical input of the SOA chip and optical outputs of the SOA chip are positioned on the particular chip facet of the SOA chip.
12 . The AV control system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one first SOA emitting amplified light in the first direction implements pre-amplification to offset losses associated with chip-to-chip coupling between the SOA chip and an adjacent chip.
13 . The AV control system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one second SOA emitting amplified light in the second direction implements amplification of received light to a predetermined output level.
14 . The AV control system of claim 11 , comprising:
an optical splitter configured to receive input light propagating from the SOA chip, and divide the input light into a plurality of beams.
15 . The AV control system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one second SOA emitting amplified light in the second direction through the SOA chip comprises a particular number of second SOAs respectively coupled to the particular number of waveguides receiving the plurality of beams from the optical splitter.
16 . The AV control system of claim 11 , wherein the SOA chip comprises a III-V semiconductor material.
17 . The AV control system of claim 11 , comprising:
a light source for providing a light beam to the optical input of the SOA chip.
18 . The AV control system of claim 11 , wherein the optical outputs of the SOA chip provide a plurality of amplified beams for directing into an environment of the autonomous vehicle, the plurality of amplified beams configured to reflect from an object in the environment.
19 . The AV control system of claim 11 , wherein the LiDAR system is part of a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LiDAR system.
20 . An autonomous vehicle, comprising:
an autonomous vehicle control system, the autonomous vehicle control system comprising:
one or more processors for executing instructions based on signals from a LiDAR system, the LiDAR system comprising;
a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) chip comprising:
at least one first SOA emitting amplified light in a first direction through the SOA chip;
at least one second SOA emitting amplified light in a second direction through the SOA chip;
wherein the at least one first SOA and the at least one second SOA are configured to provide different amounts of amplifications; and
a particular chip facet, wherein an optical input of the SOA chip and optical outputs of the SOA chip are positioned on the particular chip facet of the SOA chip.