Photonic-electronic integrated circuit-based coherent LiDAR engine

Lukashchuk et al. recently published a paper titled "Photonic-electronic integrated circuit-based coherent LiDAR engine" in the journal Nature Communications.

Open access link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-47478-z

Abstract: Chip-scale integration is a key enabler for the deployment of photonic technologies. Coherent laser ranging or FMCW LiDAR, a perception technology that benefits from instantaneous velocity and distance detection, eye-safe operation, long-range, and immunity to interference. However, wafer-scale integration of these systems has been challenged by stringent requirements on laser coherence, frequency agility, and the necessity for optical amplifiers. Here, we demonstrate a photonic-electronic LiDAR source composed of a micro-electronic-based high-voltage arbitrary waveform generator, a hybrid photonic circuit-based tunable Vernier laser with piezoelectric actuators, and an erbium-doped waveguide amplifier. Importantly, all systems are realized in a wafer-scale manufacturing-compatible process comprising III-V semiconductors, silicon nitride photonic integrated circuits, and 130-nm SiGe bipolar complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. We conducted ranging experiments at a 10-meter distance with a precision level of 10 cm and a 50 kHz acquisition rate. The laser source is turnkey and linearization-free, and it can be seamlessly integrated with existing focal plane and optical phased array LiDAR approaches.

a Schematics of photonic-electronic LiDAR structure comprising a hybrid integrated laser source, charge-pump based HV-AWG ASIC, photonic integrated erbium-doped waveguide amplifier. b Coherent ranging principle. c Packaged laser source. RSOA is edge coupled to Si₃N₄ Vernier filter configuration waveguide, whereas the output is glued to the fiber port. PZT and microheater actuators are wirebonded as well as butterfly package thermistor. d Zoom-in view of (c) highlighting a microring with actuators. e Micrograph of the HV-AWG ASIC chip fabricated in a 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology. The total size of the chip is 1.17–1.07 mm². f The Erbium-doped waveguide is optically excited by a 1480 nm pump showing green luminescence due to the transition from a higher lying energy level to the ground state.

a Schematics of the integrated circuit consisting of a 4-stage voltage-controlled differential ring oscillator which drives charge pump stages to generate high-voltage arbitrary waveforms. b Principles of waveform generation demonstrated by the output response to the applied control signals in the time domain. Inset shows the change in oscillation frequency in response to a frequency control input, from 88 MHz to 208 MHz, which modifies the output waveform. c Measured arbitrary waveforms generated by the ASIC with different shapes, amplitudes, periods and offset values. d Generation of the linearized sawtooth electrical waveform used in LiDAR measurements. Digital and analog control signals are modulated in the time domain to fine-tune the output. 

a Electrical waveform generated by the ASIC. Blue circles highlight the segment of ~ 16 μs used for ranging and linearity analysis. The red curve is a linear fit to the given segment. b Time-frequency map of the laser chirp obtained via heterodyne detection with auxiliary laser. RBW is set to 10 MHz. c Optical spectrum of Vernier laser output featuring 50 dB side mode suppression ratio. d Optical spectrum after EDWA with >20 mW optical power. e Instantaneous frequency of the optical chirp obtained via delayed homodyne measurement (inset: experimental setup). The red dashed line corresponds to the linear fit. The excursion of the chirp equates to 1.78 GHz over a 16 μs period. f Nonlinearity of the laser chirp inferred from (e). RMSE nonlinearity equates to 0.057% with the major chirp deviation from the linear fit lying in the window ± 2 MHz. g The frequency beatnote in the delayed homodyne measurement corresponds to the reference MZI delay ~10 m. The 90% fraction of the beatnote signal is taken for the Fourier transformation. h LiDAR resolution inferred from the FWHM of the MZI beatnotes over >20,000 realizations. The most probable resolution value is 11.5 cm, while the native resolution is 9.3 cm corresponding to 1.61 GHz (90% of 1.78 GHz).

a Schematics of the experimental setup for ranging experiments. The amplified laser chirp scans the target scene via a set of galvo mirrors. A digital sampling oscilloscope (DSO) records the balanced detected beating of the reflected and reference optical signals. CIRC - circulator, COL - collimator, BPD - balanced photodetector. b Point cloud consisting of ~ 10⁴ pixels featuring the doughnut on a cone and C, S letters as a target 10 m away from the collimator. c The Fourier transform over one period, highlighting collimator, circulator and target reflection beatnotes. Blackman-Harris window function was applied to the time trace prior to the Fourier transformation. d Detection histogram of (b). e Single point imaging depth histogram indicating 1.5 cm precision of the LiDAR source.