Progress of Photonic-Crystal Surface-Emitting Lasers: A Paradigm Shift in LiDAR Application

Nowadays, the flurry of autonomous vehicles is in full swing regarding light detection and ranging (LiDAR) depth perception. For such visual perception, plays an important role. We human beings recognize distinguish surrounding details when eye focuses on retina. LiDAR system, pulsed lasers are employed to measure relevant range. Thus, appropriate sources with high performance urgent demand. Auspiciously, a revolutionary semiconductor laser technology, namely photonic-crystal surface-emitting (PCSEL), emerges over past two decades. PCSEL exhibits not only symmetric beam profile narrow divergence but also high-power operation controllability. Therefore, it may be holy grail for ultracompact time-of-flight (ToF) system. Hereupon, comprehensive analyses PCSEL-relevant scientific publications patent documents conducted. thereby review development progress technology. Moreover, systematic simulation performed, providing real-time visualization point clouds different divergence. technology unprecedented merits indeed turns new leaf paradigm shift application ongoing. It believed that lens-free adjustment-free apparatus simplicity can expected.