Laser Components, a company providing comprehensive optoelectronics product lines, including Pulsed Laser Diodes, VCSELs, Si-APD-Array, and CMOS SPAD, for next generation LiDAR, announced cutting-edge advancements and achievements that are moving the sensors industry forward. In response to Industrial and Automotive LiDAR market demand, Laser Components has consistently successfully developed novel technique and offered standard and customized solution year by year. LEDinside / TrendForce was honored to have an exclusive interview with Winfried Reeb, Head of Business Unit Active Components, to share the latest progress and advances in the technologies of Trenched Chip Pulsed Laser Diodes and photodiodes that usher in a new era of 3D sensing market to meet high sensing range requirement.
Winfried Reeb, Head of Business Unit Active Components, Laser Components
Regarding industrial LiDAR, Reeb indicated that all the industrial LiDAR market bloomed in 2021, as well as range-finding for industry, military and defense markets. However, car makers have paid much attention on electric vehicle, therefore, ADAS development has been still slow, pushing large-scale deployments out by several years.
Laser Components has been providing Pulsed Laser Diodes and Avalanche Detector for more than 20 years and has accumulated a wealth of experience in the automotive industry. Regarding laser diode requirements for LiDAR applications, discrete solutions available on the market usually have a pulse length of 5-10 ns. Reeb indicated that the standard QuickSwitch Pulsed Laser Diode with 2.5 ns pulse length and 76-93W @80V is already a perfect match for the automotive and industrial LiDAR market. For all applications requiring higher peak power levels, customized arrays and special designs are able to be implemented. The huge benefit of shorter pulses is the ability to detect with a very high resolution at short and long distances. The other benefit is that LiDAR can work with higher peak power reaching 93W or even more which allows measurement of longer distances while still being “eye safe” as those lower power laser. Furthermore, Reeb indicated that Laser Components has successfully developed new generation Trenched Chip Pulsed Laser Diodes, and its optical power has increased by 20%. Market introduction is planned for still this year.
In addition to the LiDAR market needs, Laser Components has also provided photodiodes, including Si-APD arrays and CMOS SPADs. Linear Si-APD arrays include 8, 12, and 16 element arrays with 620 µm x 190 µm active area per element. Reeb indicated that the advantages of APDs include their small size, high sensitivity, fast speed response, and easy evaluation electronics, which is suitable for scanning LiDAR. A CMOS SPAD, on the other hand, possesses a high sensitivity up to single photon counting but requires special electronics, which is suitable for flash LiDAR.
While 905nm emitters in combination with silicon detectors are still used for most consumer and automotive applications Laser Components has also a strong business field for 1550nm. Especially on the detector side. With the IAG-series Laser Components offers an InGaAs-avalanche photodiode which could be used with a gain > 35, while other APD products in the market only allow a gain of 10-12. Reeb indicated that integration of their IAG series is a big benefit for their customers to build laser range finders or 3D Scanner to measure very long distances.
Regarding company achievements, Reeb indicated that Laser Components has successful achievements for laser diodes in industrial applications. Laser Components is confident that their novel and innovative products will create new market opportunities and fulfill customer requirement.
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