Fast LiDAR systems based on ferroelectric liquid crystal Dammann grating

ABSTRACT

This article reveals a ferroelectric liquid crystal Dammann grating (FLCDG) based polarisation-modulation system for three-dimensional imaging (3D-imaging) device, which seriously increases the detection speed for Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). Innovatively the FLC modulator with FLCDG that offers a high-speed shutter having frame frequency >50k frames/s. The proposed FLCDG replaces the iterative scanning and enables LiDAR as a one-shot capturing system. The proposed device shows a fast-switching speed (~5 μs) and precisely detects the translational as well as the rotational movement. Furthermore, low fabrication cost, lightweight, and small size make this device perfectly suitable modern LiDARs, particularly for short distances.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Light Ranging and Detection (LiDAR)
• 3d-imaging
• Dammann grating
• Ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC)

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the support of The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Displays and Optoelectronics through the Innovations and Technology Commission of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Gov. Innovations and Technology Commission of Hong Kong grant number PRP/049/19FX.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the [The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Displays and]; ITC Hong Kong [PRP/049/19FX].