Osram LiDAR lasers extend range
Two new infrared high-power SMT components allow autonomous vehicles to 'see' farther and more effectively
Osram has announced the world's first AEC-Q102 qualified four-channel and single-channel pulse lasers for LiDAR laser applications. The two new products offer performance of 125 Watt per channel and an efficiency of up to 33 percent.
The requirements for safety systems in (semi-) autonomous vehicles are complex. They must be reliable, work in all lighting and weather conditions, identify potential hazards and obstacles in time to take appropriate driving decisions. There is now widespread agreement that only a combination of LiDAR, camera and radar is able to fulfil autonomous driving requirements.
Osram introduced the first 905 nm laser to the market more than ten years ago. Today it is the most commonly used wavelength in LiDAR solutions. For instance, the 905 nm has a significant advantage compared to 1550 nm wavelength solutions, especially in terms of total system costs.
A central aspect in terms of safety is the range of the used infrared light source. A powerful laser is required to be able to look as far ahead as possible. Both new laser products show a high output power of 125 Watt at 40 A per channel. Thanks to its particularly low thermal resistance of only 30 K/W for the single-channel-version (SPL S1L90A_3 A01) and 17 K/W for the four-channel device (SPL S4L90A_3 A01), heat is easily dissipated from the component - even at high currents, according to the company.
The four-channel version features a chip with four emission areas that deliver an outstanding optical power at 480 Watt. The laser enables a much longer detection range, at a size of just 3.35 mm x 2.45 mm x 0.65 mm, making it only slightly larger than the single-channel-version (2.0 mm x 2.3 mm x 0.65 mm).
“Thanks to their higher power and extended duty cycle range of up to 0.2 percent, our customers can reach a longer detection range in the application and better resolution. Additionally, eye safe system designs can be achieved with these high power 905 nm products. Due to its excellent package design, the new products enable short pulse widths of around 2 ns," explains Rena Lim, product manager at Osram Opto Semiconductors.
