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Cited by 438Advanced Optical Sensing TechnologiesSemiconductor Lasers and Optical DevicesPhotonic and Optical Devices

A large-scale microelectromechanical-systems-based silicon photonics LiDAR

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Zhang, Xiaosheng, Kwon, Kyungmok, Henriksson, Johannes, Luo, Jianheng, Wu, Ming C.·2022·Nature
DOI 10.1038/s41586-022-04415-8PMC PMC8907073
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Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) imaging sensors allow machines to perceive, map and interact with the surrounding world 1. The size of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) devices is often limited by mechanical scanners. Focal plane array-based 3D sensors are promising candidates for solid-state LiDARs because they allow electronic scanning without mechanical moving parts. However, their resolutions have been limited to 512 pixels or smaller 2. In this paper, we report on a 16,384-pixel LiDAR with a wide field of view (FoV, 70° × 70°), a fine addressing resolution (0.6° × 0.6°), a narrow beam divergence (0.050° × 0.049°) and a random-access beam addressing with sub-MHz operation speed. The 128 × 128-element focal plane switch array (FPSA) of grating antennas and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-actuated optical switches are monolithically integrated on a 10 × 11-mm 2 silicon photonic chip, where a 128 × 96 subarray is wire bonded and tested in experiments. 3D imaging with a distance resolution of 1.7 cm is achieved with frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) ranging in monostatic configuration. The FPSA can be mass-produced in complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) foundries, which will allow ubiquitous 3D sensors for use in autonomous cars, drones, robots and smartphones.

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  • The recently demonstrated large-scale silicon photonic MEMS switch matrix and large-scale silicon photonic MEMS LiDAR show the potential of the combination of silicon photonics and MEMS.

    “The recently demonstrated large-scale silicon photonic MEMS switch matrix40 and large-scale silicon photonic MEMS LiDAR41 clearly show the potential of the combination of silicon photonics and MEMS.”

    From Integrated silicon photonic MEMS (2023) · cites this paper as [41]

  • Even VLSI (>10,000 components) prototypes have now been demonstrated.

    “Even VLSI (>10,000 components) prototypes have now been demonstrated30,32,34.”

    From Roadmapping the next generation of silicon photonics (2024) · cites this paper as [30]

  • These include 2D FPAs utilizing MEMS switches, or 1D FPA with wavelength steering.

    “These include 2D FPAs, utilizing MEMS switches29,30, or 1D FPA with wavelength steering.”

    From Roadmapping the next generation of silicon photonics (2024) · cites this paper as [30]

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Research works printed but not linked: 37

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Zhang, X., Kwon, K., Henriksson, J., Luo, J., & Wu, M. C.
Affiliations
University of California, Berkeley (US)
Corresponding author
Wu, Ming C.
ORCID
Venue
Nature
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2022-03-09
Volume
603
Issue
7900
Pages
253-258
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
DOI
10.1038/s41586-022-04415-8
PMC
PMC8907073
OpenAlex
W4220706180
Cited by
438
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 74 · 2025: 136 · 2024: 115 · 2023: 78 · 2022: 35
FWCI
40.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Instrumentation › Advanced Optical Sensing Technologies
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Semiconductor Lasers and Optical Devices
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Photonic and Optical Devices
Keywords
MEMS optical switch, solid-state LiDAR, monolithic integration, CMOS foundry fabrication, autonomous vehicles

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