Osram Opto Semiconductors announced its partnership with GaN Systems in the development of laser driver for LiDAR applications.

Osram has continuously expanded its laser portfolio for LiDAR. Through the collaboration with GaN Systems, the company aims to solve the issues of LiDAR including its inability to transmit lasers at short pulses while maintaining high peak power. The issue is critical to ensure that the LiDAR is eye safe with a long range and high resolution. To address this need, Osram worked with GaN Systems to develop a laser driver with a one nanosecond pulse rise time, while driving all four channels at 40 A each to deliver 480 W peak power. This peak power then can be modulated at low-duty cycles to produce high resolution 3D cloud points at long range for new LiDAR designs.

(Image: Osram/GaN Systems)

“Operating at the elevated current levels and nanosecond rise times necessary for long-distance LiDAR requires the high power, high frequency and robust thermal performance that are the hallmarks of GaN Systems’ products,” said Jim Witham, CEO of GaN Systems. “It is great to see the industry recognize these performance attributes and leverage them for its systems.”

Scanning LiDAR is a key technology for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), which is designed to increase road safety and enable autonomous driving. These electronic devices react instantly to potential collisions without wasting precious seconds of reaction time. Scanning LiDAR creates high-resolution 3D images of a car’s surroundings and registers obstacles early enough for ADAS or self-driving cars to initiate the appropriate driving maneuvers, such as automatic braking to prevent collisions.