News: Optoelectronics
8 January 2021
SLD launches first dual-emission white/IR LaserLight source for automotive and consumer applications
SLD Laser of Goleta, near Santa Barbara, CA, USA has announced the production launch of what it says is the first dual-emission white light and infrared (IR) LaserLight source for automotive and consumer lighting, night-vision illumination, precision long-range sensing beyond 250m, and high-speed LiFi communications faster than 20Gb/s. The firm is demonstrating the innovation and its expanded LaserLight product line during its virtual All Digital Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2021) event exhibition and application showcase (12–15 January).
The firm says that white/IR dual emission sources are critical for automotive lighting, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle (AV) light detection & ranging (LiDAR) 3D sensing, as well as mobility applications including avionics, drones, railway and marine. Additionally, dual-emission sources are required for consumer and professional product portable lighting products, night-vision illuminators, and rangefinders for recreation and outdoor, search & rescue and security applications. SLD says that its new source delivers high-brightness white light with a beam distance of 1km, while independently producing IR illumination from the same emission spot to achieve ranging to more than 250m with 1% accuracy. Moreover, these sources generate LiDAR video imagery and data when integrated with sensor chips, to enable next-generation 3D imaging headlights.
The new LaserLight Dual White/IR sources deliver high-brightness, safe incoherent white light of 500 lumens with near-infrared emission up to 1W average power and 100W peak power that can emit either together simultaneously or independently, depending on the needs of the application. The White/IR LaserLight source technology is available in several high-volume product configurations including SLD’s MicroSpot module, FiberLight module, and SMD (surface-mount device) component. Until now, high-speed dual-emission white/IR sources have not been possible because LEDs and legacy lamp-based light sources are unable to deliver high-brightness dual-wavelength emission from the same point source, and they are incapable of being modulated at the high speeds required for accurate sensing and fast data rates, says SLD.
Utilizing the white/IR dual-emission LaserLight sources, SLD is now offering a commercial LiFi development kit with 1Gb/s data rate for customers to design LiFi into emerging optical communication applications for a myriad of mobility use cases, as well as future smart cities such as intelligent streetlights, and smart buildings such as healthcare facilities and factories. By delivering both white and IR from the same source and fusing together lighting, sensing and communication functionalities, SLD’s LaserLight LiFi kit enables users to commercialize potent intelligent illumination systems, the firm says. These systems will provide a unique combination of precision white lighting, accurate sensing and ultra-high-speed communication with unconstrained optical bandwidth, as well as secure and efficient data transmission without RF interference of the incumbent WiFi technology.
SLD’s high-brightness white light LaserLight products are also being showcased at its virtual CES event. Its automotive-certified LaserLight Fiber sources are now deployed into multiple vehicle platform headlights and are on the road globally. SLD says that it has been named a Grade A supplier for excellent quality by a leading global tier-1 supplier and was recently ranked 7th in Fortune magazine’s ‘2020 Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production’ companies. Its white light sources were once again used by the winning drivers at the BFGoodrich SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race.
SLD has expanded its white LaserLight sources with the introduction of the 1000 lumen SMD and MicroSpot, enabling low-beam and high-beam full-field illumination, as well as off-road boost and ultra-wide-angle panoramic illumination. These sources are more than 10 times brighter than LEDs, enabling safe stopping distance with precise illumination patterns and minimum glare, while meeting stringent safety regulations of UL and IEC. These LaserLight modules are 1/3 the size of LED sources, saving critical space in the car, and providing what is claimed to be unmatched design freedom for ultra-thin styling possibilities. Utilizing the 1000 lumen source, SLD has extended its FiberLight source with transport and emissive fiber illumination up to 10,000cd/m2 for ultra-bright lighting for vehicle exterior grills, logos and interiors. With 10 times the brightness of LED solutions, these sources produce brilliant and efficient illumination from thin, low-cost plug-and-play fiber optics and a modular light source.
SLD Laser is hosting virtual meetings at CES 2021 by appointment, live from SLD’s Silicon Valley light tunnel and LaserLight showroom.
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