Beam Shaping of VCSEL Arrays Using Randomized Microlens Arrays With Integrated Collimation

IF 2.4 4区工程技术 Q3 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

IEEE Photonics Journal Pub Date : 2025-08-28 DOI:10.1109/JPHOT.2025.3603888

Elias Ellingen;Robert Lange

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

In active 3D imaging systems, the circular, Gaussian-shaped output of VCSEL arrays must be converted into rectangular patterns aligned with the camera’s field of view. To maximize energy efficiency, the beam edges must be sharply confined to avoid illumination outside the target area. For this purpose, this work presents the design, fabrication, and experimental evaluation of randomized microlens arrays (RMLAs) and the novel collimating RMLAs (cRMLAs), which are tailored specifically to the emission characteristics of VCSEL arrays. The freeform optical elements were fabricated using grayscale two-photon polymerization and verified using confocal microscopy. Far-field beam profiles were recorded with a cost-efficient, camera-based setup and analyzed with respect to efficiency, field-of-view coverage, and intensity distribution. The results show that the cRMLAs offer a significant increase in beam shaping efficiency and spatial resolution. This represents the first monolithic randomized microlens array with integrated collimation. The approach enables compact and energy-efficient beam shaping in future active sensing systems.

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基于集成准直随机微透镜阵列的VCSEL阵列光束整形

在主动三维成像系统中，VCSEL阵列的圆形高斯形输出必须转换成与相机视场对齐的矩形模式。为了最大限度地提高能源效率，必须严格限制光束边缘，以避免目标区域以外的照明。为此，本研究提出了随机微透镜阵列（RMLAs）和新型准直微透镜阵列（cRMLAs）的设计、制造和实验评估，这些阵列是专门针对VCSEL阵列的发射特性量身定制的。采用灰度双光子聚合法制备了自由曲面光学元件，并用共聚焦显微镜对其进行了验证。采用经济高效的摄像机设置记录远场光束剖面，并分析其效率、视野覆盖范围和强度分布。结果表明，cRMLAs可显著提高光束整形效率和空间分辨率。这代表了第一个集成准直的单片随机微透镜阵列。该方法可以在未来的主动传感系统中实现紧凑和节能的光束整形。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

IEEE Photonics Journal ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC-OPTICS

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

8.30%

发文量

489

审稿时长

1.4 months

期刊介绍： Breakthroughs in the generation of light and in its control and utilization have given rise to the field of Photonics, a rapidly expanding area of science and technology with major technological and economic impact. Photonics integrates quantum electronics and optics to accelerate progress in the generation of novel photon sources and in their utilization in emerging applications at the micro and nano scales spanning from the far-infrared/THz to the x-ray region of the electromagnetic spectrum. IEEE Photonics Journal is an online-only journal dedicated to the rapid disclosure of top-quality peer-reviewed research at the forefront of all areas of photonics. Contributions addressing issues ranging from fundamental understanding to emerging technologies and applications are within the scope of the Journal. The Journal includes topics in: Photon sources from far infrared to X-rays, Photonics materials and engineered photonic structures, Integrated optics and optoelectronic, Ultrafast, attosecond, high field and short wavelength photonics, Biophotonics, including DNA photonics, Nanophotonics, Magnetophotonics, Fundamentals of light propagation and interaction; nonlinear effects, Optical data storage, Fiber optics and optical communications devices, systems, and technologies, Micro Opto Electro Mechanical Systems (MOEMS), Microwave photonics, Optical Sensors.