LIDAR WITH SEGMENTED MODULATOR
A light detection and ranging system can have a modulator coupled to a light source with the modulator consisting of a first PN junction with a first width and a second PN junction with a second width. In order for the total transfer function to add to arccosine, the first width and second width are configured differently.
1 . An apparatus comprising a modulator connected to an optical phase array, the modulator consisting of a first section having a first intrinsic width and a second section having a second intrinsic width, the first intrinsic width being different than the second intrinsic width.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical phase array comprises solid-state optical emitters.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the modulator is connected to an antennae on a single chip substrate.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each section has at least one junction defining the intrinsic width.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first section has a greater number of junctions than the second section, the junctions defining the intrinsic width of the first section and the second section.
6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each junction comprises a PiN configuration.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the modulator is a micro-ring modulator with a Lorentzian transfer function.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the modulator is a Mach Zehnder modulator with a cosine transfer function.
9 . A method comprising:
connecting a modulator to an optical phase array, the modulator consisting of a first section having a first intrinsic width and a second section having a second intrinsic width, the first intrinsic width being different than the second intrinsic width;
activating the optical phase array to generate light energy; and
altering the phase of the light energy with the modulator by applying voltage to the first section and second section.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the light energy is used to detect a downrange target as part of a light detection and ranging system.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the modulator corrects a nonlinear transfer function with built-in distortion.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the intrinsic widths of the first section and the second section are selected to provide an overall arc cosine transfer function.