Scantinel announces new CMOS-based LiDAR chip
The company says its next-generation Photonic Single Chip integrates both a scanner and detector system, demonstrates a significant improvement in signal-to-noise ratio, and fully leverages the advantages of FMCW technology
Scantinel, a company focusing on LiDAR sensor technology, has announced the introduction of its next-generation Photonic Single Chip based on standard CMOS technology. The company says this development reinforces its leading position in the high integration of PICs.
According to Scantinel, the next-generation PIC features a fully integrated, massively parallel detector system for coherent LiDAR and includes both a scanner and detector system on a single chip. The company adds that the device has been successfully tested and demonstrated a significant per-pixel improvement in signal-to-noise ratio of about 20 dB compared to previous solid-state LiDAR scanners.
Scantinel describes the scanner-detector chip as a fully integrated, automotive-ready device that serves for automotive LiDAR Samples. The Sample includes a photonic chip and a low-noise electronics board. Due to the SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio) improvements, the company says the system has achieved a tenfold reduction in LiDAR power consumption, paving the way for faster pixel rates. Compared to market systems using proprietary technology or two-mirror scanners, Scantinel says this generation features a solid-state scanning and fully leverages the advantages of FMCW technology over existing Time of Light (TOF) LiDAR systems.
According to the company, the PIC production is fully transferred to high-volume standard CMOS fabrication, indicating the advanced maturity of the technology being developed.
“We believe in the efficient integration of proven technology building blocks using CMOS fabrication in combination with hybrid-packaging processes to enable highly reliable single-chip photonic LiDAR sensors for the automotive market,” says Vladimir Davydenko, chief scientist and cofounder of Scantinel. “Additionally, Scantinel's integrated FMCW laser technology showcases a 10 kHz linewidth and 10 dBm in-waveguide power, which are critical parameters for an integrated optical amplification system.”
Michael Richter, CEO of Scantinel, adds: “With this new PIC generation, we are underlining our worldwide leading position in highly parallelised FMCW Photonic Single Chip LiDAR based on standard CMOS.” The new samples will be available for customers in Q4 2024.
Image credit: Scantinel
