FIELD

An optoelectronic light source is provided. Data glasses comprising such an optoelectronic light source are also provided.

BACKGROUND

Documents WO 2020/212221 A1 and WO 2010/069282 A2 refer to arrangements of semiconductor lasers.

SUMMARY

An object to be achieved is to provide an optoelectronic light source that has improved beam combination characteristics.

This object is achieved, inter alia, by an optoelectronic light source and by data glasses as defined in the independent patent claims. Exemplary further developments constitute the subject-matter of the dependent claims.

In particular, the optoelectronic light source comprises a plurality of semiconductor lasers, the laser beams of which are formed, instance collimated or focused, by a common reflective optical element that may be formed of a metallic monolithic block arranged close to the semiconductor lasers. Moreover, an AR/VR engine comprises such an optoelectronic light source with corresponding reflective free beam optics. In this context, AR means augmented reality, and VR stands for virtual reality.

For example, herein an approach for a μ-projection light engine as it could be used in AR/VR data glasses is described. The described configuration combines a small form factor with a high optical efficiency. The key components thereof can be produced by low cost and high volume production technologies, like stamping and/or coining. The number of required optical elements can be minimized. Both aspects may lead to low manufacturing cost.

The optoelectronic light source described herein may especially be used for data glasses like AR/VR data glasses. For this kind of product, the overall size of the product is an essential topic and key performance indicator, KPI. One way to realize compact systems is in this context the so-called flying spot laser beam, FSLB, approach, also referred to as laser beam scanning, LBS. The image in this case is realized by a laser beam or a plurality of laser beams which are deflected by at least one MEMS mirror.

Such a MEMS mirror needs to be illuminated by a laser beam, for instance by a collimated or a focused laser beam. In a monochromatic glasses architecture, this can be just one laser beam, or it can be a plurality of laser beams with slight wavelength offsets for suppression of optical artifacts in the generated images. The effect behind that is a virtual widening of the emission spectrum by sequentially overlapping slightly different wavelength spectra of one wavelength. In an RGB full color configuration this is an overlap of a red, green and blue laser beam, for example, collimated or focused laser beam. Alternatively, also an overlap of a plurality of red, green and blue laser beams is feasible.

In at least on embodiment, the optoelectronic light source comprises:a plurality of semiconductor lasers each configured to emit a laser beam and arranged on a mounting platform, anda redirecting optical element configured to redirect the laser beams,

whereinthe redirecting optical element comprises for each one of the plurality of semiconductor lasers a separate reflection zone, the reflection zones are shaped differently from one another, andafter passing the redirecting optical element, the laser beams run in a common plane. For example, the reflection zones are configured to shape, for instance to collimate or focus the respective laser beam.

With this optoelectronic light source, for example, the technical problems related to laser beam shaping and the overlap of the emission from the individual semiconductor laser emitters can be solved. This can be done in an efficient, precise, compact and cost-effective way.

Typical boundary conditions are, for example:the laser beams, for instance the collimated laser beams, have a diameter of about 1 mm, for example, at least 0.5 mm and/or at most 3 mm;a target beam shape is round, in particular, circular;a target beam profile is of the flat top type;a target inclination angle in-between individual laser beams, for instance collimated or focused laser beams on, for example, the MEMS mirror is approximately 5° or smaller, in particular at most 3° or at most 1.5°;all laser beam inclinations lay in one plane; by that, the beam inclination can be compensated for electronically by mirror/laser synchronization, also referred to as bore-sight correction.

Alternative solutions are the usage of dichroic beam combiners, freely propagating beam combination by means of dichroic mirrors, or packing emission spots as close as possible in one plane, either by sub-assemblies which goes down to a typical range of 300 μm to 500 μm by using multi-ridge laser emitter dies where the pitch of the emission points can go down to, for example, 5 μm to 10 μm.

The laser beam shaping, for instance the focusing of laser beam or the collimating of laser beam, can be done with a single lens, for example, an achromatic system, whereas the laser beam inclination offset is corrected electronically. Moreover, free beam configurations with lenses may be used, or planar light combiner, PLC, elements. Such PLC elements comprise a monolithic integrated waveguide which is guiding the laser light based on total internal reflection, TIR, effects.

In the optoelectronic light source described herein, the use of mirrors for the beam shaping is proposed. The mirror surfaces can be arranged in a monolithic block. The monolithic mirror block can be an element of the laser housing. Typically, short wavelength semiconductor lasers need to be packaged hermetically to ensure the live time requirements under all environmental operation conditions. In this case, the mirror block can form the side wall of the package, or can be one component of the side wall of the package. For purposes of consistent terminology, such mirrors or redirecting optical element may also be called deflecting mirrors.

An optical surfaces of the mirrors can have an inclination relative to each other. By that, the laser beams, for instance the reflected, focused or collimated laser beams, can be guided to a common point where they are overlapped to one spot. In the described data glasses, this may be the position where an imaging unit, like the MEMS mirror for the laser beam scanning, LBS, configuration is placed. The inclined laser beams are all arranged in one plane to enable an electronic correction of the beam inclination by the synchronization of a one-dimensional mirror with the lasers.

The optical shape of the mirrors can be spherical, aspherical or can have free form optics. The mirror can redistribute and shape the typical elliptical emission of a semiconductor laser with the high beam divergency to a collimated or focused round beam. For the application in AR/VR data glasses, the formation of a flat top beam profile may be beneficial.

The use of reflective elements for the beam shaping offers a high optical efficiency due to low losses on the reflective element and due to the high numerical aperture of a mirror. Compared to the losses of other solutions by beam clipping, losses on dichroic filter layers, coupling losses and Fresnel losses, the reflective concept described herein offers a much higher optical efficiency. Beside of that, laser beam shaping and beam combination can be realized by just one optical element. The described optical element, that is, the redirecting optical element, can be manufactured by cost effective stamping and coining processes in metal, for example.

According to at least one embodiment, the semiconductor lasers are configured to emit near ultraviolet, visible and/or near infrared radiation. For this purpose, the semiconductor lasers may comprise a semiconductor layer sequence. The semiconductor layer sequence may comprise one or a plurality of active regions, wherein the active region, or each one of the active regions, include at least one quantum well. The quantum well may be a quantum dot, a quantum line, or a quantum layer, or combinations thereof.

According to at least one embodiment, the semiconductor layer sequence is based on a III-V compound semiconductor material. The semiconductor material is for example a nitride compound semiconductor material such as AlnIn1-n-mGamN or a phosphide compound semiconductor material such as AlnIn1-n-mGamP or also an arsenide compound semiconductor material such as AlnIn1-n-mGamAs, wherein in each case 0≤n≤1, 0≤m≤1 and n+m≤1 applies. The semiconductor layer sequence may comprise dopants and additional constituents. For simplicity's sake, however, only the essential constituents of the crystal lattice of the semiconductor layer sequence are indicated, i.e. Al, As, Ga, In, N or P, even if these may in part be replaced and/or supplemented by small quantities of further substances. The semiconductor layer sequence is particularly preferably based on the AlInGaN material system.

According to at least one embodiment, the redirecting optical element comprises for each one of the plurality of semiconductor lasers a separate reflection zone. In particular, the reflection zones are exclusively assigned to only one of the laser beams in each case. The reflection zone may directly adjoin one another and may be separated from each other, for example, by means of a ridge or a burr or a flash. By means of such a ridge or burr or flash, a kink or break may result between the reflection zones so that accidently impinging laser radiation from a not assigned semiconductor laser is deflected away and preferably hindered from leaving the optoelectronic light source.

According to at least one embodiment, the reflection zones are shaped differently from one another. This does not exclude that different reflection zones are shaped in a mirror-symmetric manner with respect to one another. Thus, each laser beam can be shaped or collimated or focused individually by means of the different reflection zones.

According to at least one embodiment, the reflection zones are configured to shape, for instance to collimate or to form the respectively assigned laser beam. That is, an angle of divergence is reduced by means of the respective reflection zone. The respective laser beam may be a parallel bundle of rays or may be convergent to a point within or without the housing of the optoelectronic light source, or may still diverge with a considerable smaller angle of divergence.

According to at least one embodiment, after passing the redirecting optical element, the laser beams run in a common plane. This applies in particular for beam axes of the laser beams. Moreover, this may apply with a tolerance of at most 2° or of at most 1° or of at most 0.5°.

According to at least one embodiment, the redirecting optical element is a deflecting optical element. Hence, the redirecting optical element may be impermeable for the laser beams, and no laser radiation can travel through the redirecting optical element.

According to at least one embodiment, the redirecting optical element is or comprises a monolithic mirror block. All the reflection zones may be formed in the monolithic mirror block, for example, by stamping or coining or pressing. It is possible that all the reflection zones are located on a single beam shaping side of the redirecting optical element facing the plurality of semiconductor lasers.

According to at least one embodiment, the laser beams run in parallel with one other before impinging on the redirecting optical element. This may apply with a tolerance of at most 30° or of at most 10° or of at most 5° or of at most 2° or of at most 1°.

According to at least one embodiment, the laser beams run in an inclined manner after being reflected at the redirecting optical element, in particular immediately after being reflected at the redirecting optical element. Hence, a distance between the laser beams decreases along a path of the laser beams, at least immediately after the redirecting optical element, and, for example, as far as an imaging unit.

According to at least one embodiment, the laser beams run towards a common crossing point after being reflected at the redirecting optical element. Said single crossing point may be located within the housing, that is, between the redirecting optical element and a cover top side of the cover facing away from the plurality of semiconductor lasers.

According to at least one embodiment, a change in direction of the laser beams at the redirecting optical element is at least 60° or at least 80° and/or is at most 120°. Thus, the change in direction is about a right angle. Because after the redirecting optical element may run in an inclined manner towards each other, said change in direction may be larger than 90°.

According to at least one embodiment, the optoelectronic light source further comprises a housing. Preferably, the housing is air-tight. Hence, a live time of the semiconductor lasers which are arranged in the housing can be increased. Further, the reflection zones of the redirecting optical element may also be located within the housing so that the reflection zones can be protected from corrosion and pollution.

According to at least one embodiment, the housing includes a base plate, a housing ring and a cover. The housing ring is preferably located between the base plate and the cover. The mounting platform is preferably also located within the housing. For example, the mounting platform is an additional part in the housing, or the mounting platform can be an integral part of the base plate, like a step in the base plate.

According to at least one embodiment, the redirecting optical element is part of the housing ring. In this case, the housing ring can be a metallic ring. As an alternative, the housing ring comprises a non-metallic base material which is coated with at least one metal to become the mirror, or is coated with a dielectric mirror, or with a combination of a dielectric mirror and at least one metal. Such reflection-enhancing coatings may also be present on a metallic ring.

According to at least one embodiment, the housing ring comprises an outer ring on a side remote from the plurality of semiconductor lasers and an inner ring facing the plurality of semiconductor lasers. For example, at least one of the outer ring and the inner ring are metallic rings. Preferably, the inner ring is of a softer material than the outer ring. In this case it is possible that the redirecting optical element forms the inner ring or is an integral part of the inner ring.

According to at least one embodiment, the cover is transmissive for the laser beams. For example, the cover is of a glass or of a light-transmissive material like sapphire. To enhance transmission, the cover may be provided with an optical coating like an antireflective coating.

According to at least one embodiment, the cover has a further optical element. Hence, the cover is configured to at least one of: changing a direction of at least one of the laser beams, and combining at least two of the laser beams. If the cover is only a plane-parallel plate, then only an offset of the beams occurs, but no change in direction; that is, prior to impinging on and after passing the cover, in case of a plane-parallel plate, directions of the respective laser beam are in parallel with each other.

According to at least one embodiment, the further optical element comprises or is an optical grating for at least one of the laser beams. It is possible that there is at least on grating on each main side of the cover.

According to at least one embodiment, the further optical element comprises or is a light guide for at least two of the laser beams.

According to at least one embodiment, the further optical element comprises or is a meta-optical element for at least one of the laser beams. The term ‘meta-optical’ means, for example, that said element comprises in particular repeating structural units with a structural size below the wavelength of the laser beams or below 50% of said wavelength.

According to at least one embodiment, a common focal point of the laser beams is located between the redirecting optical element and a cover top side of the cover facing away from the plurality of semiconductor lasers. For example, the common focal point is located within the cover.

According to at least one embodiment, the laser beams are combined within the cover. For example, in this case the cover comprises the at least one light guide, or comprises the at least one meta-optical element.

According to at least one embodiment, beam diameters of the laser beams at the reflection zones amount to at least 0.6 mm or to at least 1.0 mm or to at least 1.5 mm. By means of such comparably large beam diameters, the redirecting optical element can be configured to shape, for instance to collimate or to form the laser beams with a low remaining divergence angle. For example, the remaining divergence angle is at most 5° or at most 2° or at most 1°. As an option, the laser beam diameters at the reflection zones amount to at most 3 mm or to at most 2 mm or to at most 1.5 mm.

According to at least one embodiment, the plurality of semiconductor lasers is composed of three or more than three lasers and includes at least one laser to emit blue light, at least one laser to emit green light and at least one laser to emit red light. Hence, the optoelectronic light source can be an RGB light source.

According to at least one embodiment, the semiconductor lasers are arranged next to one another, seen in top view of the mounting platform. For example, a distance between the semiconductor lasers is at least 0.1 mm and/or at most 0.7 mm.

According to at least one embodiment, a plane of mirror symmetry of the redirecting optical element runs through a central one of the semiconductor lasers, or between two middle ones of the semiconductor lasers, depending if there is an odd or even number of semiconductor lasers.

According to at least one embodiment, each semiconductor lasers in the plurality of semiconductor lasers is an edge emitting laser. In this case, emission regions of the semiconductor lasers can be located on a side of the semiconductor lasers facing the mounting platform.

According to at least one embodiment, the mounting platform is a submount. In particular, the mounting platform is a common submount for all the semiconductor lasers.

Data glasses are additionally provided. The data glasses may comprise an optoelectronic light source as indicated in connection with at least one of the above-stated embodiments. Features of the data glasses are therefore also disclosed for the optoelectronic light source and vice versa.

In at least one embodiment, the data glasses are configured for virtual or augmented reality applications, and comprise one or a plurality of the optoelectronic light sources described above, as well as at least one imaging unit downstream of the at least one optoelectronic light source, and at least one picture-making element downstream of the at least one imaging unit. The at least one optoelectronic light source is configured to illuminate the at least one picture-making element by means of the at least one imaging unit so that a picture or a video can be produced by and/or projected onto the at least one picture-making element. For example, the at least one picture-making element is a screen or a two-dimensional waveguide or a holographic mirror. There can be relay optics between the imaging unit and the at least one assigned picture-making element.

According to at least one embodiment, the imaging unit is a microelectromechanical system, MEMS, mirror. It is possible that zero state deflections of the MEMS mirror are different for each one of the laser beams. Hence, different angles of the laser beams toward the imaging unit can be compensated for.

According to at least one embodiment, the imaging unit comprises at least one liquid crystal on silicon, LCoS, element. For example, there is one common LCoS element for all the semiconductor lasers, or there is one LCoS element per semiconductor laser.

According to at least one embodiment, a first optical distance between the plurality of semiconductor lasers and the redirecting optical element is at least 0.3 mm or at least 0.5 mm or at least 0.8 mm. Alternatively or additionally, said first optical distance is at most 5 mm or at most 3 mm or at most 1.5 mm.

According to at least one embodiment, a first optical distance between the optoelectronic light source and the imaging unit is at least 2 mm or at least 5 mm or at least 10 mm. Alternatively or additionally, said first optical distance is at most 10 cm or at most 5 cm or at most 25 mm.

An optoelectronic light source and data glasses described herein are explained in greater detail below by way of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. Elements which are the same in the individual figures are indicated with the same reference numerals. The relationships between the elements are not shown to scale, however, but rather individual elements may be shown exaggeratedly large to assist in understanding.

