ROHM has developed a high-power laser diode - the RLD90QZW8. It is ideal for industrial equipment and consumer applications requiring distance measurement and spatial recognition.

In recent years, LiDAR is being increasingly adopted in a wide range of applications that require automation - including AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), robot vacuums, and autonomous vehicles - where it is necessary to accurately measure distance and recognize space. In this context, there is a need to improve the performance and output of laser diodes when used as light sources to increase detection distance and accuracy.

To meet this demand, ROHM established original patented technology to achieve a narrower emission width that contributes to longer range and higher accuracy in LiDAR applications. In 2019, ROHM released a 25W laser diode RLD90QZW5 followed by a 75W laser diode RLD90QZW3 in 2021. In response to the growing market demand for even higher output, ROHM developed a new 120W laser diode.

The RLD90QZW8 is a 120W infrared high output laser diode developed for LiDAR used in distance measurement and spatial recognition in 3D ToF systems. Original device development technology allows ROHM to reduce the temperature dependence of the laser wavelength by 66% over general products, to just ⊿11.6nm (Ave. 0.10nm/°C). This makes it possible to narrow the bandpass filter while extending the detection range of LiDAR. At the same time, a uniform light intensity of 97% is achieved over the industry's smallest class* of emission width of 270µm, representing a range of 264µm that contributes to higher resolution. Additional features that include high power-to-light conversion efficiency (PCE) enables efficient optical output that contributes to lower power consumption in LiDAR applications.

A variety of design support materials necessary for integrating and evaluating the new product is available free of charge on ROHM’s website that facilitate market introduction. In order to drive laser diodes with high nano-second order speed required for LiDAR applications, ROHM developed a reference design available now that combines ROHM’s 150V EcoGaN™ HEMT and gate drivers.

ROHM has also acquired certification under the IATF 16949 automotive quality management standard for both front-end and back-end processes at its manufacturing facilities. As a result, product development of laser diodes for automotive applications (AEC-Q102 compliant) is underway, with commercialization planned by the end of 2024.

Application Examples
Consumer: Robot vacuums, Laser rangefinders
Industrial: AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), service robots, 3D monitoring systems (sensors for human/object detection)
and more...

Reference Designs
Reference designs for LiDAR incorporating these new products together with ROHM’s 150V EcoGaN™ and high-speed gate driver (BD2311NVX series) are now available on ROHM’s website.
Reference Design Part Nos.
・REFLD002-1
(120W High Power Laser Diode [RLD90QZW8] built-in)
・REFLD002-2
(75W High Power Laser Diode [RLD90QZW3] built-in)

EcoGaN™ is a trademark or registered trademark of ROHM Co., Ltd.

Terminology

LiDAR
Short for Light Detection and Ranging, a type of application that uses ToF (Time of Flight) system (comprised of a light source and ToF or image sensor) to sense ambient conditions.

3D ToF System
An abbreviation for Time of Flight, a spatial measurement system which, as its name implies, measures the flight time of a light source. Refers to a system that uses ToF to perform 3D spatial recognition and distance measurement.

Bandpass Filter
A filter that allows only signals in a specific light wavelength band to pass through. In optical devices, a narrow bandpass filter range allows for efficient extraction of light close to the peak waveform. This minimizes the effects of disturbance light noise such as sunlight, enabling lower power consumption at the same distance or longer range at the same optical output.

IATF 16949
IATF is the short for International Automotive Task Force, a quality management standard for the automotive industry. Based on the international standard ISO 9001 with additional specific requirements, compliance with IATF 16949 enables automakers and suppliers to meet international quality standards.

AEC-Q102
AEC stands for Automotive Electronics Council, an organization (comprised of major automotive manufacturers and US electronic component makers) responsible for establishing reliability standards for automotive electronics. Q102 is a standard specifically intended for optical devices.

TrendForce 2023 Infrared Sensing Application Market and Branding Strategies
Release: 01 January 2023
Format: PDF
Language: Traditional Chinese / English
Page: 164