LIDAR Pixel with Dual Polarization Receive Optical Antenna

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system comprising:

one or more LIDAR pixels, wherein at least one of the one or more LIDAR pixels includes:

a transmit optical antenna configured to emit a transmit beam having a first polarization orientation and a second polarization orientation;

a receive optical antenna configured to detect a first polarization orientation of a return beam and a second polarization orientation of the return beam;

a first receiver configured to generate a first signal in response to receiving the first polarization orientation of the return beam from the receive optical antenna and a first local oscillator signal having the first polarization orientation; and

a second receiver configured to generate a second signal in response to receiving the second polarization orientation of the return beam from the receive optical antenna and a second local oscillator signal having the second polarization orientation.

22 . The LIDAR system of claim 21 , wherein the first polarization orientation of the transmit beam is orthogonal to the second polarization orientation of the transmit beam.

23 . The LIDAR system of claim 21 , wherein the first polarization orientation of the return beam is orthogonal to the second polarization orientation of the return beam.

24 . The LIDAR system of claim 21 , wherein the transmit optical antenna comprises a 2D polarization grating coupler.

25 . The LIDAR system of claim 21 , wherein the receive optical antenna comprises a 2D polarization splitting grating coupler.

26 . The LIDAR system of claim 21 , wherein the at least one of the one or more LIDAR pixels comprises:

a first waveguide coupled to the transmit optical antenna, the first waveguide providing a first transmit signal to the transmit optical antenna; and

a second waveguide coupled to the transmit optical antenna, the second waveguide providing a second transmit signal to the transmit optical antenna;

wherein an amplitude or phase of the first transmit signal and the second transmit signal are modulated.

27 . The LIDAR system of claim 21 , wherein the transmit beam is infrared, and wherein the return beam is infrared.

28 . The LIDAR system of claim 21 , wherein the at least one of the one or more LIDAR pixels comprises:

a first waveguide coupled to the receive optical antenna, the first waveguide providing the first polarization orientation of the return beam to the first receiver; and

a second waveguide coupled to the receive optical antenna, the second waveguide providing the second polarization orientation of the return beam to the second receiver.

29 . The LIDAR system of claim 28 , wherein the at least one of the one or more LIDAR pixels comprises:

a third waveguide configured to provide the first local oscillator signal from a first pixel input port to the first receiver; and

a fourth waveguide configured to provide the second local oscillator signal from a second pixel input port to the second receiver.

30 . The LIDAR system of claim 21 , wherein the first receiver and the second receiver are coherent receivers.

31 . The LIDAR system of claim 21 , wherein the transmit beam and the return beam are a narrow-band near-infrared wavelength.

32 . An autonomous vehicle control system for an autonomous vehicle, the autonomous vehicle control system comprising:

a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system including one or more LIDAR pixels, wherein at least one of the one or more LIDAR pixels includes:

a transmit optical antenna configured to emit a transmit beam having a first polarization orientation and a second polarization orientation;

a receive optical antenna configured to detect a first polarization orientation of a return beam and a second polarization orientation of the return beam;

a first receiver configured to generate a first signal in response to receiving the first polarization orientation of the return beam from the receive optical antenna and a first local oscillator signal having the first polarization orientation; and

a second receiver configured to generate a second signal in response to receiving the second polarization orientation of the return beam from the receive optical antenna and a second local oscillator signal having the second polarization orientation.

33 . The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 32 , wherein the first polarization orientation of the transmit beam is orthogonal to the second polarization orientation of the transmit beam.

34 . The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 32 , wherein the first polarization orientation of the return beam is orthogonal to the second polarization orientation of the return beam.

35 . The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 32 , wherein the at least one of the one or more LIDAR pixels comprises:

a first waveguide coupled to the transmit optical antenna, the first waveguide providing a first transmit signal to the transmit optical antenna; and

a second waveguide coupled to the transmit optical antenna, the second waveguide providing a second transmit signal to the transmit optical antenna;

wherein an amplitude or phase of the first transmit signal and the second transmit signal are modulated.

36 . The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 32 , wherein the at least one of the one or more LIDAR pixels comprises:

a first waveguide coupled to the receive optical antenna, the first waveguide providing the first polarization orientation of the return beam to the first receiver; and

a second waveguide coupled to the receive optical antenna, the second waveguide providing the second polarization orientation of the return beam to the second receiver.

37 . The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 36 , wherein the at least one of the one or more LIDAR pixels comprises:

a third waveguide configured to provide the first local oscillator signal from a first pixel input port to the first receiver; and

a fourth waveguide configured to provide the second local oscillator signal from a second pixel input port to the second receiver.

38 . An autonomous vehicle (AV) comprising:

a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor including:

a transmit optical antenna configured to emit a transmit beam having a first polarization orientation and a second polarization orientation;

a receive optical antenna configured to detect a first polarization orientation of a return beam and a second polarization orientation of the return beam;

a first receiver configured to generate a first signal in response to receiving the first polarization orientation of the return beam from the receive optical antenna and a first local oscillator signal having the first polarization orientation; and

a second receiver configured to generate a second signal in response to receiving the second polarization orientation of the return beam from the receive optical antenna and a second local oscillator signal having the second polarization orientation.

39 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 38 , wherein the first polarization orientation of the transmit beam is orthogonal to the second polarization orientation of the transmit beam.

40 . The autonomous vehicle of claim 38 , wherein the first polarization orientation of the return beam is orthogonal to the second polarization orientation of the return beam.