Material-sensing light imaging, detection, and ranging (LIDAR) systems

US10983219B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN · US

Inventors

• Nicholas A. Kotov · Ypsilanti, US
• Sharon Glotzer · Chelsea, US
• Brian Shahbazian · Petaluma, US
• Ryan Branch · Indianapolis, US
• Lizhi Xu · Shanghai, CN
• Wonjin Choi · Seoul, KR
• Minjeong Cha · Ann Arbor, US
• Matthew Spellings · Mercer, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 12, 2018
• Grant date: Apr 20, 2021
• Expiry date: Oct 12, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/931
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Material-Sensing Light Imaging, Detection, And Ranging (LIDAR) systems optionally include a laser configured to generate a light pulse, a beam steerer configured to produce a polarization-adjusted light pulse emitted towards an object, at least one polarizer configured to polarize reflected, scattered, or emitted light returned from the object, and a processor configured to detect at least one material of the object based on an intensity and polarization of the polarized reflected, scattered or emitted light from the object. The beam steerer may include a kirigami nanocomposite. Methods are also provided, including, for example, generating a light pulse, adjusting a polarization of the light pulse to produce a polarization-adjusted light pulse emitted towards an object, polarizing reflected, scattered, or emitted light returned from the object, and detecting at least one material of the object based on an intensity and polarization of the polarized reflected, scattered or emitted light from the object.