Three-dimensional (3D) imaging sensors allow machines to perceive, map and interact with the surrounding world1. The size of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) devices is often limited by mechanical scanners. Focal plane array-based 3D sensors are promising candidates for solid-state LiDARs because they allow electronic scanning without mechanical moving parts. However, their resolutions have been limited to 512 pixels or smaller2. In this paper, we report on a 16,384-pixel LiDAR with a wide field of view (FoV, 70° × 70°), a fine addressing resolution (0.6° × 0.6°), a narrow beam divergence (0.050° × 0.049°) and a random-access beam addressing with sub-MHz operation speed. The 128 × 128-element focal plane switch array (FPSA) of grating antennas and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-actuated optical switches are monolithically integrated on a 10 × 11-mm2 silicon photonic chip, where a 128 × 96 subarray is wire bonded and tested in experiments. 3D imaging with a distance resolution of 1.7 cm is achieved with frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) ranging in monostatic configuration. The FPSA can be mass-produced in complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) foundries, which will allow ubiquitous 3D sensors for use in autonomous cars, drones, robots and smartphones.

Optical-phased arrays (OPAs) enable complex beamforming, random-access beam pointing, and simultaneous scan and tracking of multiple targets by controlling the phases of two-dimensional (2D) coherent emitters. So far, no OPA can achieve all desirable features including large 2D arrays, high optical efficiency, wideband operation in wavelengths, fast response time, and large steering angles at the same time. Here, we report on a large-scale 2D OPA with novel microelectro-mechanical-system (MEMS)-actuated phase shifters. Wavelength-independent phase shifts are realized by physically moving a grating element in the lateral direction. The OPA has 160 × 160 independent phase shifters across an aperture of 3.1 mm × 3.2 mm. It has a measured beam divergence of 0.042°× 0.031°, a field of view (FOV) of 6.6°× 4.4°, and a response time of 5.7 μs. It is capable of providing about 25,600 rapidly steerable spots within its FOV. The grating phase shifters are optimized for the near-infrared telecom wavelength bands from 1200 to 1700 nm with 85% optical efficiency.

We report on a laser frequency sweep linearization method by iterative learning pre-distortion for frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems. A pre-distorted laser drive voltage waveform that results in a linear frequency sweep is obtained by an iterative learning controller, and then applied to the FMCW LiDAR system. We have also derived a fundamental figure of merit for the maximum residual nonlinearity needed to achieve the transform-limited range resolution. This method is experimentally tested using a commercial vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and a distributed feedback (DFB) laser, achieving less than 0.005% relative residual nonlinearity of frequency sweep. With the proposed method, high-performance FMCW LiDAR systems can be realized without expensive linear lasers, complex linearization setups, or heavy postprocessing.