Light module and lidar device comprising at least one such light module

0001The present PCT application claims the priorities of the following national German patent applications, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into the subject matter of the present application:<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="DE102020100142PCT"><text>10 2020 100 142.8 of January 7, 2020</text></patcit>, <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="DE102020111075"><text>10 2020 111 075.8 of April 23, 2020</text></patcit>, <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="DE102020114782"><text>10 2020 114 782.1 of June 3, 2020</text></patcit> and<patcit id="pcit0004" dnum="DE102020124564"><text>10 2020 124 564. 5 of September 22, 2020</text></patcit>.

0002The invention relates to a light module and a LIDAR device with at least one such light module and also an optical system for a LIDAR device and an integrated circuit, in particular a driver circuit, eg for a LIDAR device. Furthermore, the invention also relates to the use of a LIDAR device and an optical unit for a LIDAR device.

0003LIDAR (abbreviation for English: light detection and ranging) is a radar-related method for optical distance and speed measurement as well as for remote measurement of atmospheric parameters. Light or laser beams are used instead of radio waves as in radar. If, for example, semiconductor lasers are used, one sometimes speaks of LADAR (abbreviation for English: light amplification by stimulation emission of radiation detection and ranging). In the prior art, preference is given to using mechanical mirrors to deflect the light or laser beams in different directions.

0004Out of<patcit id="pcit0005" dnum="DE102009060873A"><text>DE-A-10 2009 060 873</text></patcit> a driver circuit for an LED is known, it being left open how the components are to be mounted in order to minimize the parasitic inductances and capacitances in an optimal manner.

0005In<patcit id="pcit0006" dnum="DE102008062544A"><text>DE-A-10 2008 062 544</text></patcit> a laser array circuit is described.

0006Out of<patcit id="pcit0007" dnum="DE102016116368A"><text>DE-A-10 2016 116 368</text></patcit> a driver circuit for light-emitting optoelectronic components is known. According to<figref idref="f0001">1</figref> According to this document, the charging circuit 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 charges a capacitor 18 to 21 via a series resistor 3. The light-emitting optoelectronic components 22 to 25 are interconnected with their cathodes to form a first star point . A control switch 26 connects this star point to the reference potential GND if one or more of the light-emitting optoelectronic components are intended to emit light. A buffer capacitor charging circuit 9 is used for rapid charging of the actual energy reserve capacitor 18 to 21. In this known concept, the series resistance affects the energy balance.

0007Out of<patcit id="pcit0008" dnum="US10193304B"><text>US-B-10 193 304</text></patcit> a driver circuit is known in which the capacitors are charged in such a way that the current remains below the response threshold of the laser.

0008Out of<patcit id="pcit0009" dnum="EP2002519A"><text>EP-A-2 002 519</text></patcit> (please refer<figref idref="f0002">2</figref>) A compact structure with four layers (two printed circuit boards, capacitors, laser and switching IC) is known, which is too complex for the solution sought within the scope of the invention and works too slowly.

0009Out of<patcit id="pcit0010" dnum="EP3301473A"><text>EP-A-3 301 473</text></patcit> a control circuit for a single LED is known which is suitable for emitting short pulses. How the required inductance can be achieved is not described or shown.

0010Out of<patcit id="pcit0011" dnum="DE102016116369A"><text>DE-A-10 2016 116 369</text></patcit> an LED driver circuit is known in which each LED has its own drive switch, which increases the complexity and degrades the compactness of the device.

0011Out of<patcit id="pcit0012" dnum="DE102008021588A"><text>DE-A-10 2008 021 588</text></patcit> a laser control circuit is known in which a plurality of control switches are connected in parallel, so that they generate pulses with a time offset relative to one another and can cool down between the pulses, while other control switches can generate the further pulses.

0012Out of<patcit id="pcit0013" dnum="DE102017121713A"><text>DE-A-10 2017 121 713</text></patcit> control switches are known which consist of subunits in which each subunit has its own capacitor for providing the switching energy.

0013Out of<patcit id="pcit0014" dnum="DE19914362A"><text>DE-A-199 14 362</text></patcit> and<patcit id="pcit0015" dnum="DE19514062A"><text>DE-A-19 514 062</text></patcit> a control device for a gas laser is known in each case.

0014Out of<patcit id="pcit0016" dnum="US9185762B"><text>US-B-9 185 762</text></patcit> (<patcit id="pcit0017" dnum="DE102014105482A"><text>DE-A-10 2014 105 482</text></patcit>) a circuit for reducing the switch-off time of a laser diode is known.

0015From the<patcit id="pcit0018" dnum="DE102017100879A"><text>DE-A-10 2017 100 879</text></patcit> a circuit for rapidly turning on and off a single laser diode is known. A construction example is also given there.

0016Out of<patcit id="pcit0019" dnum="DE102018106860A"><text>DE-A-10 2018 106 860</text></patcit> and<patcit id="pcit0020" dnum="US20180045882A"><text>US-A-2018/0045882</text></patcit> two variants of a direct connection between a laser die of an individual laser and the die of an integrated control switch are known. The drive switch is connected between the supply voltage and the anode of the laser diode, which, as will become clear below, prevents a particularly compact solution for a laser array.

0017In<patcit id="pcit0021" dnum="DE102018106860A"><text>DE-A-10 2018 106 860</text></patcit> describes a laser diode module in which a plurality of charge storage capacitors and a plurality of laser diode dies are arranged on a substrate. The laser diodes can be electrically connected to a control IC using a bonding wire. The charge storage capacitors are connected to the control IC via a lead frame.

0018Out of<patcit id="pcit0022" dnum="US20180045882A"><text>US-A-2018/0045882</text></patcit> a laser module is known in which a laser diode die designed as an edge emitter and a charge storage capacitor are arranged on a circuit die. Arranged in the circuit die is, inter alia, a power transistor for electrically connecting the charge storage capacitor to the laser diode. The conduction path of the power transistor can be contacted via two surface contacts of the circuit die. In addition, the circuit die has two further surface contacts which are provided for electrical connection to the respective one contact of the charge storage capacitor and the laser diode die. The second contact of the charge storage capacitor is connected to one of the two surface contacts for the conduction path of the power transistor by means of a flexible printed circuit board. In the same way, the second contact of the laser diode die is connected to the other contact for the conduction path of the power transistor via a flexible printed circuit board. The electrical current that flows from the capacitor to the laser diode to ignite the laser diode flows through the two flexible printed circuit boards and via the conduction path. The circuit is completed by an electrical connection between the laser diode and the charge storage capacitor formed in the circuit die. The overall length of this circuit is comparatively large, which is why both electrical losses and impairments due to parasitic inductances are to be feared.

0019In<patcit id="pcit0023" dnum="DE102016116875A"><text>DE-A-10 2016 116 875</text></patcit> a driver circuit is described. She points out accordingly<figref idref="f0012">12</figref> of this document has a common control switch S3 for a plurality of lasers D1, D7, the common control switch S3 being connected to the cathodes of the lasers and being able to connect them to the reference potential. The energy for the laser pulse is taken from a common storage capacity C. The lasers are selected via separate switches S2. The known circuit has the disadvantage that a parasitic voltage drops across this switch S2.

0020Out of<patcit id="pcit0024" dnum="DE102006036167B"><text>DE-B-10 2006 036 167</text></patcit> a laser driver circuit is known in which the resonances of the parasitic inductances and the capacitances are tuned in such a way that they support predetermined properties of the light pulses to be generated.

0021In<patcit id="pcit0025" dnum="US6697402B"><text>U.S.-B-6,697,402</text></patcit> describes a laser driver with a laser current detection via a shunt resistor between the cathode connection and the reference potential.

0022Out of<patcit id="pcit0026" dnum="US9368936B"><text>U.S.-B-9,368,936</text></patcit> a single driver circuit is known. A coil is used as an energy store.

0023In<patcit id="pcit0027" dnum="US9155146B"><text>US-B-9 155 146</text></patcit> a circuit for supplying energy to an LED chain is described.

0024Out of<patcit id="pcit0028" dnum="DE102018106861A"><text>DE-A-10 2018 106 861</text></patcit> the control of a laser diode with an H-bridge is known.

0025From the<patcit id="pcit0029" dnum="DE19546563C"><text>DE-C-195 46 563</text></patcit> a driver circuit is known in which the charging circuit is disconnected by an inductance from the laser diode for the short time of the light pulse emission when the driving transistor initiates the light emission.

0026The object of the invention is to create a light module for use in particular in a LIDAR device, which avoids the above disadvantages of the prior art and has additional advantages.

0027Furthermore, a further object of the invention is to create a LIDAR device without moving components by means of one or more light modules according to the invention. Finally, a further object of the invention consists in specifying optimized imaging optics and optics which enable strip-shaped illumination light and which can be used primarily in a LIDAR device. Finally, a further object of the invention is to create a driver circuit, in particular for power transistors, for the brief conduction of high currents (current pulses).

0028These objects of the invention are achieved with the subjects of claims 1, 23, 25, 46, 47 and 51. Individual configurations of these subjects according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

0029The invention thus creates a light module<ul id="ul0001" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a topped carrier in which an integrated circuit die is disposed,</li><li>wherein the circuit die has a top surface,</li><li>a transistor formed in the upper side of the circuit die, in particular a power transistor,</li><li>wherein the transistor has a conduction path which can be switched on or off and has a first end region and a second end region, of which the first end region is electrically connected to a first conduction path connection field and the second end region is electrically connected to a second conduction path connection field, both of which are on the upper side of the carrier are exposed, and wherein the transistor has a control terminal for switching the conduction path on and off,</li><li>a light-emitting diode die having a light-emitting diode, in particular a light-emitting diode die having a laser diode, with an underside having a first connection field and an upper side having a second connection field,</li><li>wherein the light-emitting diode die is arranged with its first connection field lying on the first conduction path connection field of the transistor and these two connection fields are electrically connected to one another,</li><li>a charge storage component having a charge store, which has an underside having a first connection field and an upper side having a second connection field,</li><li>wherein the charge storage component is arranged with its first connection field lying on the second conduction path connection field of the transistor and these two connection fields are electrically connected to one another,</li><li>at least one first bonding wire, which electrically connects the second connection field of the light-emitting diode die to the second connection field of the charge storage component,</li><li>an output charging circuit integrated in the circuit die for charging the charge storage device with electrical charge and</li><li>a control circuit integrated in the circuit die for controlling the transistor and the charging circuit,</li><li>wherein the charging circuit is assigned a charge connection field which is exposed on the upper side of the carrier and to which the output of the charging circuit is electrically connected,</li><li>wherein the terminal pad of the charging circuit is electrically connected to the second terminal pad of the charge storage component via at least one second bonding wire, and</li><li>wherein the control circuit controls the charging circuit to charge the charge storage device to a degree of charge required for the generation of a light pulse by the light-emitting diode die and thereafter controls the transistor to switch on its conduction path.</li></ul>

0030The light module according to the invention has a carrier in which a circuit die with integrated circuits is located. The circuit die is contacted by means of a leadframe, that is to say a leadframe which has a plurality of lead tongues or leads which end in connection fields located on the upper side of the carrier. The carrier is, so to speak, the housing, typically made of plastic, in which the circuit die and the leadframe are embedded.

0031The electrical connection of the individual components of the light module are optimized with regard to the reduction of parasitic impedances, in particular parasitic inductances, so that high-current pulses can be generated within a very short time, which ensure a high-energy, powerful light pulse.

0032For this purpose, at or near the top of the circuit die is a transistor, typically a power transistor. One of the two connection fields of a light-emitting diode die is electrically connected to the conduction path of the transistor. This light emitting diode die, which is preferably a laser diode die, is conveniently connected by die-to-die bonding to an exposed terminal pad formed in the top of the carrier, over the lead frame and within the circuit die is electrically connected to one of the two end portions of the conduction path of the transistor. This connection should be as short as possible, which is why, among other things, the arrangement of the transistor directly in or under the top of the circuit-this is beneficial. So the active region of the transistor is at the top of the circuit die. The charge storage component, which is usually a capacitor, is also arranged here. The charge storage component is also in the form of a die and has a connection field on the underside which is electrically connected to the other conduction path connection field of the transistor. The charging circuit has a charging circuit integrated in the circuit die, which is driven by a control circuit also integrated in the circuit die. The connection to the charging circuit is led out of the circuit die via the lead frame to the top of the carrier and ends there in a connection field which is electrically connected to the top connection field of the charge storage component by means of a (second) bonding wire. The charge storage component itself is now in turn connected to the light-emitting diode die with a first bonding wire that is significantly shorter than the second bonding wire, specifically this second bonding wire connects the top connection fields of the light-emitting diode die and the charge storage component. Finally, the control circuit of the circuit die also controls the transistor, specifically with the interposition of a driver circuit which is also integrated in the circuit die. A possible embodiment of this driver circuit will be discussed in detail further below.

0033The hybrid construction of the light module according to the invention ensures that parasitic inductances and ohmic resistances and capacitances are minimized, specifically in the discharge circuit in particular, which is determined by the conduction path of the transistor, the light-emitting diode die and the charge storage component. The two last-mentioned components are preferably arranged directly next to one another on the upper side of the carrier, so that the first bonding wire can be made as short as possible. The connections between the upper-side conductor path connection fields of the carrier for the transistor to the actual conduction path of the transistor are also optimized, so that parasitic impedances are also minimized here as far as possible. The charging circuit includes the output of the charging circuit, the second bonding wire and the charge storage component and is also optimized with regard to the reduction of parasitic influences due to inductances and resistances as well as capacitances. In principle, it has been found that the parasitic inductance of the charging circuit can advantageously be greater than the parasitic capacitance of the discharging circuit. Then the electrical connection between the charge storage component and the charging circuit is blocked in a certain way when the discharge circuit is closed when the transistor is switched on, so that the charge storage can effectively supply the light-emitting diode with maximum electrical energy in a preferably very short time and with a rapid increase. Last but not least, the pulse-like activation of the transistor with a high edge steepness of the electrical switching pulse for the transistor also contributes to this. This in turn is supported by a driver circuit that is advantageously switched off accordingly, which will be discussed later.

0034As previously indicated, it is advantageous if<ul id="ul0002" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>the at least one first bonding wire has a first parasitic inductance and a first parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>the at least one second bonding wire has a second parasitic inductance and a second parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>the electrical connection of the first connection field of the light-emitting diode die to the first end area of ​​the conduction path of the transistor has a third parasitic inductance and a third parasitic ohmic resistance and</li><li>the electrical connection between the first connection field of the charge storage component and the second end region of the conduction path of the transistor has a fourth parasitic inductance and a fourth parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>the electrical connection of the output of the charging circuit to the charging connection field assigned to the charging circuit has a fifth parasitic inductance and a fifth parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>wherein the sum of the first parasitic inductance, the third parasitic inductance and the fourth parasitic inductance has a magnitude that is smaller than the sum of the magnitude of the third parasitic inductance and the fifth parasitic inductance and in particular less than 1/2 or less than 1/ 4 or less than 1/5 of the sum of the third parasitic inductance and the fifth parasitic inductance.</li></ul>

0035The length of the first bonding wire can in particular be less than 1/2 or less than 1/3 or less than 1/5 of the length of the second bonding wire. The value of the first parasitic inductance and/or the first parasitic ohmic resistance is advantageously smaller than the value of the second parasitic inductance and/or the second parasitic ohmic resistance. The parasitic inductances ohmic resistances of both bonding wires are preferably smaller than the other parasitic inductances or ohmic resistances mentioned above. It is also advantageous if the first parasitic ohmic resistance, the third parasitic ohmic resistance and the fourth parasitic ohmic resistance have a total size that is smaller than the size of the third ohmic resistor and the fifth ohmic resistor in total and in particular less than 1/2 or less than 1/4 or less than 1/5 of the third ohmic resistance and the fifth ohmic resistance in total.

0036As explained above, form<ul id="ul0003" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>the electrically interconnected components, namely the light-emitting diode die, the charge storage component, the at least one first bonding wire and the transistor with its conduction path together a discharge circuit having a first parasitic inductance and a first parasitic ohmic resistance, and</li><li>the charge storage component with its electrical connection to the output of the charging circuit via the at least one second bonding wire has a charging circuit which has a second parasitic inductance and a second parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>wherein the first parasitic inductance is smaller than the second parasitic inductance and in particular is less than 1/2 or less than 1/4 or less than 1/5 of the second inductance.</li></ul>

0037It is also advantageous if the first parasitic ohmic resistance is smaller than the second parasitic ohmic resistance and is in particular less than 1/2 or less than 1/4 or less than 1/5 of the second parasitic ohmic resistance.

0038It has been found that it can be expedient if several first bonding wires are connected in parallel to one another and several second bonding wires are also used in turn in parallel with one another in order to make the aforementioned electrical connections of the top connection fields of the light-emitting diode die, charge storage component and connection field for the charging circuit to realize.

0039In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, several light-emitting diode dies and several charge storage components can be provided, where<ul id="ul0004" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a charge storage component is assigned to each light-emitting diode,</li><li>the top of the carrier for each light-emitting diode die has an exposed first connection pad which is electrically connected to the first end region of the conduction path of the transistor, and for each charge storage component has an exposed second connection pad which is electrically connected to the second end region of the conduction path of the transistor,</li><li>a charging circuit assigned to each charge storage component is integrated in the circuit and a connection field is arranged exposed on the upper side of the carrier for each charging circuit,</li><li>each light-emitting diode die is arranged with its first connection field resting on the associated first conduction path connection field of the transistor and these two connection fields are electrically connected to one another,</li><li>each charge storage component is arranged with its first connection field resting on the associated second conduction path connection field of the transistor and these two connection fields are electrically connected to one another,</li><li>the second connection field of each light-emitting diode die is connected to the second connection field of the charge storage component assigned to the respective light-emitting diode die by means of at least one first bonding wire,</li><li>the connection field of each charging circuit is connected to the second connection field of the charge storage component assigned to the respective charging circuit by means of at least one second bonding wire and</li><li>wherein the control circuit controls the charging circuits sequentially to charge the respective charge storage components up to a degree of charge required for the generation of a light pulse by the light-emitting diode dies assigned to the respective charge storage component and controls the transistor to switch its conduction path on before the control of the next charging circuit.</li></ul>

0040The embodiment of the light module described above now has a single transistor which selectively closes one of a plurality of discharge circuits, each of which includes a different one of the light-emitting diodes and a different one of the charge storage devices. All of the light-emitting diodes are interconnected to form a common first star point (for example the cathodes of the light-emitting diodes) and are connected to one end region of the conduction path of the transistor. The other end area of ​​the conduction path is connected, for example, to the reference potential to which one contact of the charge storage device is also connected, whose other contact is in turn connected to the other contact of the light-emitting diode that is not connected to the transistor (for example to its anode). The charge stores are sequentially charged under the control of the control circuit. After each charging process, the transistor is then turned on, so that only the light-emitting diode lights up whose associated charge storage device is charged. This circuit concept simplifies the circuit design and the number of switching elements, since only a single transistor is required, which should advantageously be designed with a large area in order to have the required current-carrying capacity. If one were to use several such transistors, one would very quickly reach limits as far as the number of transistors per circuit die is concerned.

0041In the exemplary embodiment described above, a plurality of individual first and second conduction path connection fields for the transistor can be provided on the upper side of the carrier. However, since a star point of the circuit is connected to both end areas of the conduction path of the transistor (namely, for example, the anodes of all light-emitting diodes on the one hand and the one contact of all charge storage devices on the other hand), a common and therefore larger-area first conduction path connection field and a common and therefore likewise correspondingly large second conduction path connection field of the transistor can also be formed on the upper side of the carrier.

0042As already described above, the light-emitting diode die preferably has a laser diode, ie a laser diode die is formed, it being expedient to form the laser diode as an edge emitter.

0043In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a first supply voltage connection field, which is exposed on the upper side of the carrier, can be provided for a supply voltage potential, the second conduction path connection field of the transistor or, if there are several such second conduction path connection fields, a supply voltage reference potential can be applied to all of these second conduction path connection fields of the transistor or to a second conduction path connection field common to all of these second conduction path connection fields.

0044Furthermore, a buffer capacitor component forming a buffer capacitor can expediently be provided with an underside on which a first connection panel is arranged and an upper side on which a second connection panel is arranged. wherein the buffer capacitor component is arranged with its first connection field resting on the second conduction path connection field or the second conduction path connection fields or on the second conduction path connection field common to all of these second conduction path connection fields and the connection fields on both sides are connected to one another and wherein the second connection field of the buffer capacitor component electrically to the first via at least a third bonding wire Supply voltage connection panel is connected.

0045In order to minimize the length of the first bonding wires connecting the top-side connection field of the light-emitting diode die and the associated charge storage component, it is advantageous if the light-emitting diode die and the charge storage components are arranged in succession along two adjacent lines, with each light-emitting diode die and the one associated with it associated charge storage component are arranged opposite each other.

0046When using a light module with a plurality of light-emitting diode dies, each defines an optical axis along which a light beam emanating from the relevant light-emitting diode die is directed, the line along which the light-emitting diode die are arranged in succession being either<ul id="ul0005" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>arc-shaped around a center point and the optical axes of the light-emitting diodes run radially to this arc-shaped line or</li><li>runs in a straight line and the optical axes of the light-emitting diode dies run perpendicular thereto.</li></ul>

0047It is advantageous if the capacitors typically used as charge storage devices and the above-mentioned buffer capacitor are designed as a common component, which has a bottom with a common bottom connection field and a top with at least a first top connection field and a second top connection field and a dielectric between the bottom connection field on the one hand and the at least one first top connection field and the second top connection field on the other hand , wherein the buffer capacitor is formed between the second top-side connection field and the partial area of ​​the bottom-side connection field lying below this second top-side connection field and each charge storage capacitor between another of the first top-side connection fields and the partial area of ​​the bottom-side connection field lying below this respective first top-side connection field Connection panel is formed.

0048As already described above, the carrier has a potting compound in which a leadframe having a plurality of conductor tabs and the circuit die electrically connected to the conductor tabs are embedded, with the conductor tabs having the connection fields exposed on the upper side of the carrier.

0049The transistor of the light module according to the invention, which is designed in particular as a power transistor, is expediently driven by means of digital voltage signals, which naturally do not have sufficient power to drive the comparatively large-area gate of a power MOSFET, for example. A power transistor can be understood as the parallel connection of a large number of individual transistors. Each individual transistor has an individual control connection (in the form of a gate electrode, for example), the totality of the individual control connections forming the overall control connection of the power transistor. So that the power transistor can now be switched homogeneously, the digital control signal must be applied to each individual control connection. It should also be noted that the lengths of the electrical connection between the output of the control circuit, which is typically implemented using digital technology, and each of the individual control connections are of the same length and are designed correspondingly geometrically in their courses.

0050In this context, it has been found advantageous<ul id="ul0006" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>if the transistor of the circuit is designed as a voltage-controlled overall transistor implemented using analog circuit technology, having an overall control connection and an overall conduction path, for conducting an electric current via the overall conduction path and for blocking the current,</li><li>wherein the total control terminal extends over a total control terminal area of ​​the circuit die,</li><li>if the control circuit has a driver circuit designed using digital circuitry for driving the overall control terminal of the overall transistor to conduct and block the current, or that the circuit die has a driver circuit designed using digital circuitry and controllable by the control circuit for driving the overall control terminal of the overall transistor to conduct and blocking the current,</li><li>wherein the overall transistor is divided into a large number of individual transistors designed using analog circuit technology or has a large number of such individual transistors,</li><li>wherein each individual transistor has an individual control connection and the individual control connections of the individual transistors each extend over individual control connection areas of the die, which are of the same size or evenly distributed over the total control connection area of ​​the overall transistor,</li><li>wherein the driver circuit comprises a plurality of individual driver circuits each having one input and u outputs, where u is an integer greater than or equal to 2, which are hierarchically divided into different stages, the output of an individual transistor circuit of an i-th stage, with i equal to 1 to v and v being an integer greater than or equal to 2, connected to the inputs of u individual driver circuits of the (i+1)th stage (ie each individual driver circuit having a fan-out of u, where u is an integer greater than or equal to 2),</li><li>wherein the arrangement of a single driver circuit of the i-th stage and the single driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage, the inputs of which are connected to the outputs of the single driver circuit of the i-th stage, forms a self-similar structure,</li><li>where the self-similar structures of an i-th level is larger in area than the self-similar structures of an (i+1)-th level and the self-similar structures of the i-th level with an (i+1)-th level with the self-similar structure of an i -th stage from which it arose, are nested within each other, and</li><li>wherein the outputs of the v-th stage individual driver circuits are connected to the control pad pads of the individual transistors.</li></ul>

0051The nesting of individual self-similar structures per driver stage ensures that, as described above, the electrical connecting lines (including the electrical connections and circuit components of the individual driver circuits of the individual driver stages) are of the same length and are identical or similar in terms of their geometric alignment and their geometric course , namely, for example, are symmetrical or mirror-symmetrical.

0052By "fanning out" the single transistor drive signal of the control circuit to a large number of individual digital signals, each of which only has to drive comparatively small-area electrodes of the individual transistors, it is possible to optimize the switch-on times and the edge steepness, so that with a high-energy current pulse , which is switched by the power transistor, worked and the light-emitting diode, preferably the charger diode, can be controlled.

0053In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that each individual driver circuit has an input and four outputs, that each of the individual driver circuits of the i-th stage and the four individual driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage together with the electrical connection of the four outputs of the Individual driver circuit of the i-th stage forms an H-shaped structure with the inputs of the four individual driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage, wherein the (i+1)-th stage single driver circuits are arranged at the four ends of the H-shaped structure and the i-th stage single driver circuit is arranged midway between the four ends, and that the H-shaped structures of stage to stage have the same orientation.

0054Furthermore, it can be useful if each individual driver circuit has an input and two outputs, that each of the individual driver circuits of the i-th stage is arranged in the middle between the two individual driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage and together with the electrical connection of the two outputs of the individual driver circuit of the i-th stage with the inputs of the two individual driver circuits of the ( i+1)-th stage forms a rectilinear structure and if these self-similar structures are rotated by 90° to each other from stage to stage.

0055It can also be advantageous if the individual driver circuits are in the form of inverter circuits and the individual transistors are in the form of power transistors, in particular MOSFETs. The digital inverter circuit is the simplest concept for the individual driver circuits used in the multiple driver stages of the driver circuit according to this embodiment of the invention.

0056With regard to the geometric design and arrangement of the connection fields of the light module, it can be expedient if the top of the carrier has a rectangular shape with two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges that are shorter than these longitudinal edges, with the at least one first conduction path connection field of the transistor on one of the two Transverse edges is arranged and on the other transverse edge connection fields for the power supply of the control circuit, the at least one charging circuit, the at least one charge storage component and the at least one light-emitting diode die are arranged.

0057In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that one of two transfer signal connection fields of at least one pair of transfer signal connection fields are arranged on each of the longitudinal edges of the top side of the carrier, which are electrically connected to one another and the supply of transfer signals intended for the circuit die such as a reset signal, a diagnostic signal, a bus communication signal, a trigger signal for triggering the generation of a light pulse by the at least one light-emitting diode die, are used, with the transfer signals when several light modules are arranged side by side from one light module to the respectively adjacent light module or from a light module after processing in whose circuits can be passed on to the respective adjacent light module.

0058In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the light modules are arranged next to one another with the longitudinal edges of their top sides being arranged adjacent to one another, in particular when the longitudinal edges are aligned parallel, with the transfer signal connection fields of the same pairs of transfer signal connection fields of two respectively adjacent light modules being electrically connected to one another are connected.

0059It can also be advantageous if the light-emitting diode dies of all light modules arranged next to one another are arranged on a common line curved in the shape of a circular arc or on a straight line.

0060The above-mentioned objects are also achieved according to the invention by a LIDAR device for optically scanning a space and for recording a distance image representing the space, with<ul id="ul0007" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>at least one light module according to one or more of the above-mentioned configurations, wherein a light beam with an elliptical or oval-shaped light beam cross-section with a first half-axis and with a second half-axis longer than the first half-axis emits from each light-emitting diode die of each light module when the relevant light-emitting diode die is activated or starts out with a circular cross-section,</li><li>a transmitter optical element for expanding the light beam of each of the light-emitting diode dies by stretching the elliptical or oval-shaped light beam cross-section along the second semi-axis and compressing the light beam cross-section along the first semi-axis or vice versa to form a light beam fan with a line-like and/or slit-like cross-section directed towards the space to be scanned or by stretching the circular light beam cross section to a space to be scanned directed light beam fans with a line-like and/or slit-like cross-section,</li><li>The conical light beams generated by the LED dies arranged next to one another enter the room as light beam fans at different angles,</li><li>a photo sensor with a large number of photo detectors, which are arranged in a number of rows or columns equal to the total number of light-emitting diode dies of the at least one light module, each row or column having the same number of photo detectors,</li><li>a receiver optical element for directing potential reflection light from the space to be scanned onto the photosensor, with reflection light potentially arising due to the respective light beam fan impinging on another of the plurality of rows or columns of photodetectors of the photosensor, and</li><li>an evaluation unit for evaluating signals from the photodetectors to determine distance information and/or to determine a distance image of the space to be scanned.</li></ul>

0061The LIDAR device according to the invention thus works with a plurality of light-emitting diodes, which are activated sequentially in order to convert them to light beam stripes in linear form after passing through the individual bundles of light beams that are emitted, which typically have an elliptical or oval cross-section, or else have a circular cross-section. Each light beam line hits a different linear or strip-shaped area of ​​the scene to be imaged, ie of the distance image to be recorded. The light that is successively reflected from there per stripe reaches the individual rows or columns of a 2D photosensor with a large number of photodetectors, in particular designed as photodiodes, via imaging receiving optics. The exposure of the photo sensor thus takes place in the manner of a "rolling shutter". The individual photodetector signals are then evaluated by an evaluation unit. The evaluation can be evaluated either according to the time-of-flight concept or depending on the intensity.

0062One advantage of the previously described LIDAR device is that it works without any mechanics in that it does not require any movable components. The receiver optical element is therefore expediently an imaging lens or an imaging lens such as is typically used in cameras. The transmitter optical element can have a cylindrical lens and a Powell lens or can have a lens that combines the function of these two types of lenses.

0063The advantage of using a Powell lens is that inhomogeneities with regard to the intensity distribution over the cross-sectional area of ​​the light beam can be compensated. Such light intensity inhomogeneities typically occur with Gaussian emitters and can be found in particular with edge emitter light-emitting diodes or laser diodes. These light intensity inhomogeneities over the longitudinal extent of the light beam stripes, as used according to the invention in the LIDAR device, can be compensated for by the Powell lens or also by special lenses with corresponding surfaces.

0064In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least two light modules can be provided, the light-emitting diodes of each light module being arranged next to one another along a circular arc line extending over a predetermined angle, and adjacent light modules being arranged rotated relative to one another by the predetermined angle.

0065In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least two light modules can be provided, with the light-emitting diode dies of each light module being arranged next to one another along a straight line and adjacent light modules being arranged at an angle to one another, so that the optical axes of those light-emitting diode dies of the light modules , which are arranged at the same position within the succession of light-emitting diode dies of each light module, intersect at a common point. The advantage of this arrangement of the light-emitting diode dies is that the distance of each light-emitting diode die to the transmitter optics element lens is now the same.

0066According to an alternative of the LIDAR device according to the invention, it is provided with<ul id="ul0008" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a light module with a single light-emitting diode die according to one or more of the above, wherein a light beam with an elliptical or oval-shaped light beam cross-section with a first semi-axis and a second semi-axis that is longer than the first semi-axis or with a circular one emits from the light-emitting diode die when it is activated cross-section runs out</li><li>a transmitter optical element for expanding the light beam of the light-emitting diode die by stretching the elliptical or oval-shaped light beam cross-section along the second semi-axis and compressing the light beam cross-section along the first semi-axis or vice versa to form a light beam fan with a line-like and/or slit-like cross-section directed towards the space to be scanned Stretching of the circular light beam cross-section to a space to be scanned directed light beam fans with a line-like and/or slit-like cross-section,</li><li>a movable optical deflection element for deflecting the light beam fan at different angles into the space to be scanned for scanning the space by means of the light beam fan sweeping over it,</li><li>a photo sensor with a large number of photodiodes arranged in rows and columns,</li><li>a receiver optical element for directing potential reflection light from the space to be scanned onto the photo sensor,</li><li>wherein potential reflection light arising from each fan of light beams deflected into space at a different angle impinges on a different one of the plurality of rows or columns of photodetectors of the photosensor, and</li><li>an evaluation unit for evaluating signals from the photodetectors to determine distance information and/or to determine a distance image of the space to be scanned.</li></ul>

0067This variant of the LIDAR device works with a movable mechanical element, namely, for example, with a swiveling mirror or polymer optics. Examples of such fundamentally known movable optical elements can be found in<patcit id="pcit0030" dnum="EP3660574A"><text>EP-A-3 660 574</text></patcit> or<patcit id="pcit0031" dnum="US20200264462A"><text>US-A-2020/0264462</text></patcit> as micro-mechanical/micro-electrical systems (MEMS) in the form of MEMS mirrors and in<patcit id="pcit0032" dnum="WO2008035983A"><text>WO-A-2008/035983</text></patcit> and<patcit id="pcit0033" dnum="WO2018154139A"><text>WO-A-2018/154139</text></patcit> as a polymer optical element with a piezo drive. In LIDAR systems with movable optical deflection elements, the circuit concept according to the invention can be used advantageously for the high-energy electrical control of the light-emitting diode die with the greatest possible edge steepness, with the result that high-intensity, sufficiently long light pulses can be generated.

0068In an expedient development of the variant of the LIDAR device described above, it can be provided that the optical deflection element works refractively and is designed in particular as a prism, or that the optical deflection element works reflectively and is designed in particular as a mirror.

0069Both of the aforementioned variants of the LIDAR device use a photo sensor in which the photo detectors are arranged in rows and columns. Depending on the design, the electronic switching elements assigned to the individual photodetectors require space either between adjacent photodetector rows or adjacent photodetector columns on the sensor chip, which is why the individual photodetector rows or photodetector columns cannot capture the entire strip-shaped illuminated scene. However, if the photo sensor or the entire LIDAR device is allowed to oscillate about an axis, with the respective oscillation or inclination angle being recorded, then when capturing the scene for each angle of inclination in the course of the oscillation, those strip-shaped areas of the illuminated scene can also be recorded previously mapped to the spaces between adjacent rows. This increases the resolution with which the scene is recorded.

0070It is therefore advantageous in this respect to provide a tilting movement device for tilting the at least one light module or for tilting the arrangement of a plurality of light modules or for tilting the photo sensor, with the evaluation of the signals from the photo detectors of the photo sensor taking place as a function of the respective tilt angle at which the light-emitting diodes -The light module or modules emit light and/or the photo sensor receives reflected light.

0071Alternatively or additionally, it can also be provided that<ul id="ul0009" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>each light-emitting diode which emits a light beam as a scanning light beam with an elliptical, oval or circular light beam cross-section,</li><li>the transmitter optical element widens the scanning light cone to form a scanning light fan that lies in a light fan plane,</li><li>the scanning light fans of the scanning light beams of all light-emitting diodes are offset from one another by an angular offset,</li><li>scanning points illuminated by a scanning light fan in the space to be scanned potentially emanate reflected radiation essentially in the form of reflected light cones and</li><li>the receiver optical element images reflection light cones, which potentially emanate from scanning points of the space to be scanned that are illuminated by one of the scanning light fans, onto a photodetector column or line of the photosensor.</li></ul>

0072In a further expedient embodiment of the invention, it can be provided<ul id="ul0010" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>that the light-emitting diode dies are arranged next to one another in a row whose orientation is the same as the orientation of a photodetector column of the photosensor, and</li><li>that each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, which are arranged next to one another in a row whose alignment is the same as the alignment of a photodetector line of the photosensor.</li></ul>

0073In an expedient embodiment of the invention, it can also be provided that<ul id="ul0011" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>that the light-emitting diode dies are arranged next to one another in a row whose alignment is the same as a photodetector row of the photosensor, and</li><li>that each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, which are arranged next to one another in a row whose alignment is the same as the alignment of a photodetector line of the photosensor.</li></ul>

0074In a further expedient embodiment of the invention, it can be provided<ul id="ul0012" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>that the light-emitting diode dies are arranged next to one another in a row whose orientation is the same as the orientation of a photodetector column of the photosensor, and</li><li>that each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, which are arranged next to one another in a row whose orientation is the same as the orientation of a photodetector column of the photosensor.</li></ul>

0075Furthermore, in an expedient embodiment of the invention, it can be provided<ul id="ul0013" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>that the light-emitting diode dies are arranged next to one another in a row whose alignment is the same as a photodetector row of the photosensor, and</li><li>that each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, which are arranged next to one another in a row whose orientation is the same as a photodetector column of the photosensor.</li></ul>

0076As far as the optical properties of the LIDAR device are concerned, it is advantageous if the transmitter optical element has a lens having an optical axis with a particularly essentially cuboid shape and with a height, a width and a thickness aligned in the extension of the optical axis and with a first main side and a second main side facing away from it, through which the optical axis runs,<ul id="ul0014" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>the first major side having a flat surface,</li><li>the second major face having a surface formed as a superposition of a convex protrusion and a concave indentation located midway along the width of the lens,</li><li>wherein the protrusion runs around an imaginary first axis lying outside the lens and the indentation runs around a second axis also lying outside the lens, which is directed perpendicularly to the first axis.</li></ul>

0077This configuration of the main sides of the transmitter optical element is advantageous in that the intensity with which individual partial sections of a strip-shaped area of ​​the scene are illuminated is made more uniform. The transmitter optical element can have one or more lenses. The two main sides then form the end faces of one lens or the group of several lenses. The first main side can face the scene to be recorded, so that the second main side faces the light module or modules. However, it is also possible that the first main side faces the light module or modules and the second main side faces the scene.

0078In the transmitter optical element described above, it is advantageously provided that the first axis lies in a half-space adjoining the first main side of the lens and the second axis lies in a half-space adjoining the second main side of the lens.

0079In an alternative configuration of the transmitter optical element, this has a lens having an optical axis with an in particular substantially cuboid shape and with a height, a width and a thickness aligned in the extension of the optical axis and with a first main side and a second main side facing away from it, through which the optical axis runs, on,<ul id="ul0015" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the first main side is formed as a superimposition of a flat surface with a concave first indentation arranged in the middle of the width extension of the lens and with a bending of the lens directed towards the second main side in the areas on both sides of this indentation towards the second main side,</li><li>wherein the second major side is formed as a superposition of a convex first protrusion and a convex second protrusion located in the middle of the width extension of the lens,</li><li>wherein the first protrusion extends around an imaginary first axis arranged outside the lens,</li><li>wherein the second protrusion extends about an imaginary second axis, which is also arranged outside the lens and is directed perpendicularly to the first axis, and</li><li>wherein the indentation extends around an imaginary third axis, which is also arranged outside the lens and is directed parallel to the second axis.</li></ul>

0080It can also advantageously be provided that the first axis and the second axis and the third axis lie in a half-space adjoining the first main side of the lens and that the bending of the lens in its areas on both sides of the indentation of the first main side around a fourth axis extends, which runs parallel to the second axis and to the third axis and is located in a second half-space adjacent to the second main side.

0081A possible configuration of the lens can be given by the fact that<ul id="ul0016" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>the first major face has an area defined by a function of the shape<maths id="math0001"><math display="block"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>RY</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>−</mo><mi>signature</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi></mfenced><mo>*</mo><mi>square</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>−</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">y</mi><mn>2</mn></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>*</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>*</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mtd></mtr></mtable></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0001.tif" /></maths> with<ul id="ul0017" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>RY= R0Y+AR2^∗x²+AR3^∗|x³|,</li><li>Sign() as a signum function of a function parameter,</li><li>Sqrt() as the root of a function parameter,</li><li>x for a point along the width of the lens,</li><li>y for a point along the height of the lens,</li><li>z for a point along the thickness and thus along the optical axis of the lens, starting from the xy-center plane of the lens, and</li><li>R0Y as the radius of curvature of the lens,</li></ul></li><li>the second major face has an area defined by a function of the shape<maths id="math0002"><math display="block"><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mfenced><mi mathvariant="normal">i.e</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mfenced><mo>,</mo></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0002.tif" /></maths> with d as the thickness of the lens in the optical center,</li><li>where the parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero and</li><li>at least two of the parameters AR2, AR3, PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are non-zero.</li></ul>

0082It can be provided that the parameters AR2 and AR3 are different from zero and at least two of the parameters PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are different from zero and/or that the parameters PB4 and PB6 are different from zero and at least one of the parameters PC2 and PC3 is non-zero and/or that the parameters PC2 and PC3 are non-zero.

0083The area of ​​application of the LIDAR device according to the invention with light modules according to the invention is diverse. For example, the one or more light modules and the LIDAR device can be used for<ul id="ul0018" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>the detection of objects in the vicinity of or in a partial area of ​​the surroundings of a stationary or mobile platform, in particular an autonomously moving platform, in particular an autonomously moving platform, such as a robot or a stationary or moving, in particular autonomously moving vehicle, such as e.g a watercraft, land vehicle or aircraft, in particular for the transport of people or freight, or</li><li>the detection of objects in the automation of manufacturing processes, or</li><li>the non-invasive imaging of living organisms and/or biological organs of a living being, or</li><li>the examination of biological tissue, or</li><li>the creation of three-dimensional distance images of objects in a detection space, and/or</li><li>surveillance of the surroundings of buildings.</li></ul>

0084The advantages of the driver circuit for the power transistor for generating stable digital signals via the relatively large drive electrode of the power transistor have already been described above. According to the invention, this driver circuit is now provided as an integrated electrical circuit for switching electrical currents<ul id="ul0019" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a die</li><li>a voltage-controlled overall transistor implemented in analog circuit technology, having an overall control connection and an overall conduction path, for conducting an electric current via the overall conduction path and for blocking the current,</li><li>wherein the total control terminal extends over a total control terminal area of ​​the die,</li><li>a driver circuit implemented in digital circuit technology for driving the overall control connection of the overall transistor for conducting and blocking the current,</li><li>wherein each individual transistor has an individual control connection and the individual control connections of the individual transistors each extend over individual control connection areas of the die, which are of the same size or evenly distributed over the total control connection area of ​​the overall transistor,</li><li>wherein the driver circuit comprises a plurality of individual driver circuits each having one input and u outputs, where u is an integer greater than or equal to 2, which are hierarchically divided into different stages, the output of an individual transistor circuit of an i-th stage, with i equal to 1 to v and v being an integer greater than or equal to 2, connected to the inputs of u individual driver circuits of the (i+1)th stage (ie each individual driver circuit having a fan-out of u, where u is an integer greater than or equal to 2),</li><li>wherein the arrangement of a single driver circuit of the i-th stage and the single driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage, the inputs of which are connected to the outputs of the single driver circuit of the i-th stage, forms a self-similar structure,</li><li>where the self-similar structures of an i-th level is larger in area than the self-similar structures of an (i+1)-th level and the self-similar structures of the i-th level with an (i+1)-th level with the self-similar structure of an i -th stage from which it arose, are nested within each other, and</li><li>wherein the outputs of the v-th stage individual driver circuits are connected to the control pad pads of the individual transistors.</li></ul>

0085In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that each individual driver circuit has an input and four outputs, that each of the individual driver circuits of the i-th stage and the four individual driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage together with the electrical connection of the four outputs of the individual driver circuit the i-th stage forms an H-shaped structure with the inputs of the four individual driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage, wherein the (i+1)-th stage single driver circuits are arranged at the four ends of the H-shaped structure and the i-th stage single driver circuit is arranged midway between the four ends, and that the H-shaped structures of stage to stage have the same orientation.

0086In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that each individual driver circuit has an input and two outputs, that each of the individual driver circuits of the i-th stage is arranged in the middle between the two individual driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage and together with the electrical connection of the two outputs of the individual driver circuit of the i-th stage with the inputs of the two individual driver circuits of the ( i+1)-th stage forms a rectilinear structure and that these self-similar structures are twisted by 90° to each other from stage to stage.

0087In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can also be provided that the individual driver circuits are in the form of inverter circuits and that the individual transistors are in the form of power transistors, in particular MOSFETs.

0088The optical unit of the LIDAR device for illuminating the scene has already been discussed above. According to one variant, the LIDAR device is provided with one or more light modules,<ul id="ul0020" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>each light-emitting diode die emitting a light beam with an elliptical or circular cross-section,</li><li>each light ray having a light ray axis,</li><li>wherein the light beam axes lie essentially in a common light beam axis plane and the light beam axis plane defines an optical axis,</li><li>with a lens arranged on the optical axis of the light beam axis plane, which expands each light beam in a direction perpendicular to the laser beam axis plane, so that a light fan results for each of the light beams in a light fan plane perpendicular to the light beam axis plane,</li><li>with a photo sensor with a photo detector array, which has a plurality of photo detector rows, each with a large number of photo detector pixels, and</li><li>with imaging optics for real optical imaging of a scene illuminated by the light fans onto the photo sensor,</li><li>wherein the imaging optics images the projection of the light beam fans in the far field onto an ideally homogeneously white and/or essentially ideally diffusely uniformly and uniformly reflecting projection plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the light beam axis plane in the form of a projection image of the light beam fans onto the photo sensor as an image of the scene.</li></ul>

0089In this LIDAR device<ul id="ul0021" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>Is the lens shaped that the value of the illumination intensity of a first section of the image of the projection of a first light beam fan onto a first photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photo sensor differs from the value of the illumination intensity of a second section of the image of the projection of the first light beam fan onto a second photodetector pixel different from the first Photodetector pixels or a second light beam fan onto one of the first photodetector pixel different second photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photosensor deviates by no more than 10% or by no more than 5% or by no more than 2%,</li><li>the lens has a first surface and a second surface facing away from it,</li><li>is the first surface defined by a function of shape<maths id="math0003"><math display="block"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>RY</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>−</mo><mi>signature</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi></mfenced><mo>*</mo><mi>square</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>−</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">y</mi><mn>2</mn></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>*</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>*</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mtd></mtr></mtable></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0003.tif" /></maths> with<ul id="ul0022" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>RY= R0Y+AR2^∗x²+AR3^∗|x³|,</li><li>Sign() as a signum function of a function parameter,</li><li>Sqrt() as the root of a function parameter,</li><li>x for a point along the width of the lens,</li><li>y for a point along the height of the lens,</li><li>z for a point along the thickness and thus along the optical axis of the lens, starting from the xy-center plane of the lens, and</li><li>R0Y as the radius of curvature of the lens,</li></ul></li><li>is the second surface defined by a function of shape<maths id="math0004"><math display="block"><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mfenced><mi mathvariant="normal">i.e</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mfenced><mo>,</mo></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0004.tif" /></maths> with d as the thickness of the lens in the optical center,</li><li>where the parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero and</li><li>at least two of the parameters AR2, AR3, PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are non-zero.</li></ul>

0090It can be provided that the parameters AR2 and AR3 are different from zero and at least two of the parameters PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are different from zero and/or that the parameters PB4 and PB6 are different from zero and at least one of the parameters PC2 and PC3 is non-zero and/or that the parameters PC2 and PC3 are non-zero. The first surface may face the scene such that the second surface faces the light module or modules. A reverse construction or installation of the lens is also possible.

0091As already described above, it is desirable, particularly when used in LIDAR devices, to be able to generate light pulses with as high an energy as possible. This is done by driving a (preferably power) transistor in pulses with a high edge steepness of the driving pulse. The preparation of the transistor drive usually takes place by means of circuit components designed using digital circuit technology, which ultimately have to drive a comparatively large-area power transistor. Special precautions must be taken for the uniformly distributed over the surface of the drive electrode of the power transistor drive, which, as far as is known, have not yet been satisfactorily solved in the prior art.

0092The prior art is exemplified by the<figref idref="f0023">23</figref> explained.<figref idref="f0023">23</figref> shows an exemplary circuit according to the prior art, reduced to the essentials, for driving a laser diode LD by means of a driver circuit I and, for example, a field effect transistor M and a control circuit CTR, which is not specified in more detail, which in this case is, for example, the block CTR of circuit after<figref idref="f0005">figure 5</figref> acts. The exact structure of the pre-driver or control circuit CTR, which is not specified in any more detail, is not relevant to the considerations made below and is therefore not explained further.

0093The driver circuit I has an input and an output. The laser diode LD includes a cathode and an anode. The laser diode LD can also be a light-emitting diode. The field effect transistor M includes a gate connection, a drain connection and a source connection.

0094The pre-driver circuit (implemented here as a control CTR by way of example) is connected to the input of the driver circuit I in an electrically conductive manner. The output of the driver circuit I is connected to the gate terminal of the field effect transistor M in an electrically conductive manner. In<figref idref="f0023">23</figref> the field effect transistor M is shown by way of example as a normally on p-channel MOSFET. The drain connection of the field effect transistor M is electrically connected to the cathode of the laser diode LD. The anode of the laser diode LD is electrically connected to a first reference potential HV. The source connection of the field effect transistor M is electrically connected to a second reference potential Gnd. The absolute value of the second reference potential Gnd is smaller than the first reference potential HV.

0095In such a circuit for driving a laser diode LD or light-emitting diode, the control circuit CTR and the driver circuit I and the field effect transistor M are implemented as separate blocks in a CMOS architecture or as discrete components.

0096For driving pulsed laser diodes or light-emitting diodes using short high-current pulses, GaN field-effect transistors in particular are known in the prior art as discrete components with an external discrete pre-driver, or CMOS high-current transistors with an integrated pre-driver.

0097The invention is therefore based on the further object of providing a solution which avoids the above disadvantages of the prior art and has further advantages. An essential aspect of the invention is to avoid the hitherto noticeable and disruptive limitation of the maximum achievable switching speed, which occurs due to the considerable signal propagation times, in particular of the gate signal, due to the areal expansion of high-current MOS transistors with low resistance.

0098The core of the invention presented here is therefore a light module, and in particular a laser module, which allows the emission of comparatively long, high-energy, intensive laser or light pulses with a high edge steepness. It is assumed that the laser module comprises n lasers arranged linearly next to one another. The lasers are preferably semiconductor lasers, which preferably have a common cathode contact. If in the following laser module or laser or When speaking of lasers, this is synonymous and generally to be understood as a light module with light sources in the form of LEDs.

0099The proposed laser module thus has a linear laser array of n lasers, where n stands for a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and, for example, greater than or equal to 4 or greater than or equal to 8 or greater than or equal to 16. The number n of lasers is preferably a power of 2. The lasers are preferably arranged next to one another along a first (imaginary) line with a first distance from laser to laser. The lasers are preferably designed in the same way. The lasers are preferably manufactured in a common crystal.

0100Each of the n lasers is preferably assigned precisely one of n capacitors as the respective energy source for its laser pulse. Whether or not a laser emits a laser pulse with the next pulse signal is preferably determined by whether or not the capacitor assigned to this laser was charged by a charging circuit before the pulse signal was generated. The n capacitors are preferably arranged next to one another along a second (imaginary) line. This second line of array of capacitors is preferably parallel to the first line of array of lasers. The second capacitor-to-capacitor distance for the n capacitors arranged along this second line is preferably equal to the first laser-to-laser distance spaced apart by the lasers along the first line. This results in a linear capacitor array made up of n capacitors.

0101Furthermore, the laser module has a control switch, which is used to ignite and operate the laser with electrical charge from the capacitor assigned to the respective laser.

0102In order for a laser to be able to emit a laser pulse when the pulse signal arrives, the capacitor assigned to this laser must first have been charged by a charging circuit assigned to this capacitor. The laser module therefore preferably comprises n charging circuits, each charging circuit being able to selectively charge a different one of the n capacitors (hereinafter referred to as the capacitor associated with this charging circuit) via a charging line inductance. During the development of the invention, it was recognized that the size of this charging line inductance has a positive effect on the discharge rate of the respective capacitor and thus on the steepness of the pulse edge, since this inductance separates the charging circuit from the capacitor for high frequencies. In this way, the output capacitances of the charging circuit no longer have an effect in the case of steep laser flanks and a large charging line inductance. The laser pulse thus becomes potentially steeper due to the blocking charging line inductance.

0103Thus, each of the n capacitors is preferably assigned one of the n lasers as the laser associated with this capacitor. The control switch is closed when the pulse signal arrives. In this case, the control switch is preferably a transistor of an integrated circuit. By closing the control switch, the control switch discharges that capacitor of the n capacitors which is charged, via the laser assigned to this capacitor and a discharge line inductance which preferably connects this capacitor to the anode of the laser. The associated laser can only emit a laser pulse with the arrival of the pulse signal and the subsequent closing of the drive switch if the capacitor associated with this laser has previously been charged by the charging circuit. By closing the control switch when the electrical pulse signal arrives, the control switch preferably connects the cathode of the laser to a reference potential. Of course, circuits are also conceivable or imaginable or possible in which the anode and the cathode of the laser are interchanged. These functionally equivalent circuits and arrangements are expressly included in the invention.

0104It is thus an essential finding according to the invention that the value of the charging line inductance should be as high as possible, while the inductance of the discharging line should be as small as possible. The connection line from, for example, the anode of the laser to its capacitor and the lead inductance from the capacitor to the reference potential contribute to the discharge line inductance. The total discharge line inductance should be as low as possible. When the invention was created, it was recognized that it is advantageous to use several thin bonding wires for the connection instead of one thick bonding wire with a high current carrying capacity, since the total inductance of the several bonding wires connected in parallel is lower than the parasitic inductance of the thick bonding wire. Although there is a transformer coupling effect between the parallel bond wires, the advantages of the low total inductance and thus the fast switching times far outweigh the disadvantages.

0105The charging line inductance is maximized. The bonding wire length for connecting the first terminal of the capacitor to its associated charging circuit is therefore preferably maximized in order to increase the charging line inductance as far as possible and to obtain maximum separation between the parasitic output capacitances of the charging circuit and the anode of the laser.

0106Thus, the value of the charging line inductance is preferably greater and in particular significantly greater than the value of the discharging line inductance.

0107The laser module preferably comprises an integrated circuit in which the cathodes of the lasers of the linear laser array made up of n lasers (ie the laser line) are bonded together to form a star point without a wire. For this purpose, the laser module is preferably connected directly to a contact of the control switch with a common rear side contact, which in the example presented here represents the common cathode of the n lasers, so that this control switch is connected to the cathodes of the n lasers with one connection with practically no inductance is. The crystal (ie the die) of the integrated circuit dissipates the heat loss of the n-laser. The rear side of the linear laser array is thus preferably connected in a thermally and electrically conductive manner to a contact of the control switch, which is preferably integrated monolithically into the crystal of the integrated circuit that is preferably used. This connection can be made by gluing or soldering or another suitable electrically and thermally conductive connection technique, such as thermocompression of bond balls or another flip-chip assembly technique. The stack of the crystal (die) of the linear laser array or the crystal (die) of the individual diode lasers and the crystal (die) of the integrated circuit with the control switch and preferably with the charging circuit is preferably thermally and preferably also electrically conductive the back of the integrated circuit on a heat sink, mounted for example by means of thermally and preferably electrically conductive bonding or soldering.

0108As already mentioned, the control switch and preferably the n charging circuits for the n capacitors of the single-row capacitor array are part of the integrated circuit. The drive switch is preferably electrically connected wirelessly to the first star point, which connects the cathodes of the n lasers to one another, for example.

0109As mentioned, the drive circuit and the n charging circuits are preferably integrated in the crystal of the integrated circuit in the active surface opposite the rear side of the crystal. Thus, the n charging circuits are part of the active surface of the integrated circuit, which means that they are placed essentially directly under the surface of the crystal or on its surface. In parallel with the laser linear array of n lasers, the linear capacitor array of n capacitors is now also mounted on the active surface of the monolithic crystal (die) of the integrated circuit.

0110This parallelism relates not only to a temporal parallelism, but also to a spatial parallelism. The n lasers of the laser array are preferably arranged along a first straight line. The n capacitors of the capacitor array are preferably arranged along a second straight line, which firstly is preferably parallel to the second line or secondly can be thought of as lying on the underside of the capacitor array. Likewise, the first line can be thought of as lying on the underside of the laser array. The first line and the second line then define a plane which is preferably the same as or at least substantially parallel to the active surface of the crystal of the electrical circuit and is only slightly spaced therefrom by fastening means such as glue or solder that one can speak of an essentially equality of the plane and the surface of the die.

0111Each of the n capacitors of the capacitor array has a first terminal and a second terminal. The first connection of each capacitor of the linear capacitor array is connected to the anode of the laser of the linear laser array of n lasers associated with this capacitor by a multiple bond with a first bonding wire length in order to reduce the discharge feed line inductance. The second connections of the n capacitors of the capacitor array are interconnected to form a second neutral point. This second star point is connected to a reference potential contact on the active surface of the crystal of the integrated circuit with a plurality of bonding wires with a second bonding wire length for further reduction of the discharge feed line inductance. This construction has significant advantages. If only one of the capacitors of the n capacitors of the capacitor array has been charged by its associated charging circuit and all other capacitors are not charged, these uncharged capacitors are essentially charged to a voltage close to 0V or to such a low voltage that "ignition " of the lasers associated with these other capacitors is far from sufficient. When the pulse signal arrives, the control switch now connects the first star point to the reference potential. Firstly, the previously charged capacitor in question is thereby discharged via the laser assigned to it. Secondly, however, the first connections of all other capacitors are also connected to the reference potential via their lasers. Since the associated capacitors of these lasers are essentially uncharged, these remaining capacitors force the potential of the second terminals of these capacitors, which form the second neutral point, to also move close to the reference potential. The first connections of the capacitors of the linear capacitor array are preferably connected via a bonding wire having a third bonding wire length and crossing the second star point to the charging circuit of the n charging circuits assigned to the respective capacitor of the n capacitors of the capacitor array. The third bonding wire length is preferably longer than the second bonding wire length. The second bonding wire length is preferably longer than the first bonding wire length.

0112The laser module defined in this way can be used in a LIDAR system. It is proposed to use the following basic structure of a LIDAR system:

0113The proposed LIDAR system preferably comprises said linear laser array of n lasers, a photosensor with a 2D photodetector array of nxm photodetectors (sometimes also referred to as photodiodes below), with m photodetectors (m as an integer larger and primarily very much larger than 1) in every n of columns or rows, a drive circuit for the n lasers, nxm receiving circuits for the nxm photodetectors and an evaluation circuit for the measurement signals of the nxm receiving circuits. The optics of the LIDAR system includes on the laser side, ie for the laser beams, preferably a Powell lens, or functionally equivalent optics, which is to be included below by the term Powell lens, and on the photodetector side, ie in the beam path from the scene sequentially illuminated in strips by the laser to the photo sensor, preferably a second lens system, hereinafter referred to as receiver lens. Each laser of the n lasers emits a respective laser beam when supplied with an electric current. The Powell lens preferentially expands each laser beam into a light fan. In reality, each fan of light will have a strongly elliptical radiation cross-section transverse to its direction of propagation. In terms of this invention, it is assumed in the description for the sake of simplicity that the short semi-axis of the cross-sectional ellipse or cross-sectional oval has a length of practically 0 cm. Since the real cross-section is different from 0 cm, this does not restrict the invention. This assumption of 0 cm fan thickness only serves to simplify the description. Each light fan has an opening angle. Each light fan has a light fan level and a fan origin point. The Powell lens is arranged relative to the linear laser array of the n lasers in such a way that the surface normals of the n light fan planes of the light fans of the n lasers are preferably in a common plane below one another and together with the straight line along which the n lasers are preferably arranged are. The n lasers of the laser array preferably generate n laser beams, the n light fans of which are tilted perpendicularly to their respective fan plane into an essentially common fan origin point by a respective fan angle with respect to a freely selectable light fan of the n light fans, namely about an essentially common axis of rotation this fan origin point.

0114A similar tilting takes place on the photodetector side. Each of the photodetectors typically already has a reception lobe due to the design, which describes the spatial direction-dependent sensitivity of the respective photodetector. All n×m photodetectors are preferably designed in the same way. They are preferably integrated monolithically on a semiconductor crystal. There is preferably one or n rows of photodetectors, with the m photodetectors being arranged linearly along a straight line for each row of photodetectors in the relevant row of photodetectors. However, it is also conceivable to use only one line of photodetectors. The nxm photodetectors are preferably semiconductor components. For example, avalanche photodiodes (English:<i>avalanche photodiode</i> (APD)) and/or single-photon avalanche photodiodes<i>single photon avalanche diode</i> (SPAD)) in question. The receiver lens deforms the nxm receiving lobes of the nxm photodetectors into nxm receiving fans. Here too, for the sake of simplicity, it is again assumed that the reception compartments have a reception compartment thickness of essentially 0 cm. In reality, this assumption is not correct and the receiving fan is actually a receiving lobe with a typically strongly elliptical cross-section, analogous to the light fan of the laser. This simplification of the assumption of a reception fan thickness of 0 cm is also intended here only to simplify the description and therefore does not restrict the invention. The nxm reception compartments now each have a reception compartment level. There are thus nxm reception fan levels defined by the second optics. Each receiving fan level of the nxm receiving fan levels of the nxm photodetectors is not parallel to the n laser fan levels of the n light fans of the n lasers. Each receiving fan level of the n×m receiving fan levels of the n×m photodetectors is preferably perpendicular to each of the n laser fan levels of the n light fans of the n lasers. There are thus preferably k=nxm crossing lines, which represent the sensitivity line of a pairing of the receiving fan of one of the nxm receiving fans assigned to one of the nxm photodetectors, and a light fan of the n light fans assigned to one of the n lasers. The Powell lens performs two functions in the system. These functions can be distributed to the two surfaces of the Powell lens. However, the two functions can also be implemented with a single lens surface. These two functions are<ol id="ol0001" compact="compact"><li>a. the vertical focusing of all lasers and</li><li>b. the so-called horizontal flat-fielding of the laser power, i.e. the uniform distribution of the laser power in order to illuminate a line of the image to be recorded homogeneously, with this uniform distribution being the same for all lasers.</li></ol>

0115A cylinder surface essentially implements the function a. Higher order terms expand the mathematical function that describes the cylinder surface to minimize aberrations. The vertical radius of curvature is a function of the horizontal distance from the center of the lens, giving better focus at the ends of the lines.

0116A polynomial for the surface shape of the lens implements the function b. The polynomial describes the thickness of the lens as a function of the horizontal distance from the center. This allows the lens to redistribute the energy of the laser beams horizontally in almost any way.

0117A horizontal curvature of the lens, described by a polynomial, as a function of the horizontal distance from the center results in a further optimization. This polynomial allows correction of the (pincushion) distortion of the lens.

0118All polynomials also have a weak influence on the other functions (vertical focusing, horizontal energy distribution, distortion correction) so that all parameters have to be tuned to each other during optimization. For this purpose, one function is always optimized iteratively first. Then the errors that have arisen in the other functions are corrected one after the other. Cyclic repetition stabilizes the construction with errors that typically become smaller and smaller. The whole thing is now repeated until the errors are small enough.

0119The parameters determined by way of example in the course of the development of the invention have not yet been fully optimized, but they are better than in the prior art.

0120The equations for the lens are: Equation for the surface structure of the front side:<maths id="math0005"><math display="block"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>RY</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>−</mo><mi>signature</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi></mfenced><mo>*</mo><mi>square</mi><mfenced><msup><mi>RY</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>−</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mi>PB</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>4</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>6</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mrow><mspace width="1ex" /><mi>with</mi><mspace width="1ex" /><mi>RY</mi></mrow><mo>=</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mn>0</mn><mi mathvariant="normal">Y</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mtd></mtr></mtable></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0005.tif" /></maths> Here Sign() stands for the Signum function and Sqrt() for the root of the function parameter.

0121Here z stands for the distance to the xy center plane, with the optical axis being the z-axis.

0122Equation of the surface structure of the back:<maths id="math0006"><math display="block"><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mfenced><mi mathvariant="normal">i.e</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mfenced></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0006.tif" /></maths> Here mean:<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>x</dt><dd>horizontal axis</dd><dt>y</dt><dd>vertical axis</dd><dt>e.g</dt><dd>optical axis</dd><dt>R0Y</dt><dd>Radius of curvature of the cylinder term that determines the focal length. R0Y = 12.6 mm was used as an example in invention. This radius of curvature is determined by the distance from laser to laser and the distance between the sensors in the sensor line, as well as by the focal length of the receiver lens. It counts</dd></dl><maths id="math0007"><math display="block"><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">f</mi><mi>tx</mi></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">p</mi><mi>tx</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">f</mi><mi>rx</mi></msub><mo>/</mo><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">p</mi><mi>rx</mi></msub></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0007.tif" /></maths> with<dl id="dl0002" compact="compact"><dt>f_tx</dt><dd>Focal length of the lens of the lasers</dd><dt>f_rx</dt><dd>Focal length of the lens of the sensor line</dd><dt>p_tx</dt><dd>Distance from laser to laser</dd><dt>p_rx</dt><dd>Distance from receiver to receiver in the sensor line</dd><dt>i.e</dt><dd>Thickness of the lens at the optical center. In the invention, d=2.2 mm was used as an example</dd></dl><ul id="ul0023" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>AR2, AR3 Coefficients of the higher-order polynomials for the curvature gradient</li><li>PB2, PB3, PB4, PB6 Coefficients that describe the horizontal thickness progression of the lens</li><li>PC2, PC3 Coefficients that describe the curvature of the lens (both surfaces the same).</li></ul>

0123Various lenses were tested during the development of the invention. The parameters of a first lens were as follows:<ul id="ul0024" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>AR2=0, AR3=0</li><li>PB2=-0.0085, PB3=0.0008, PB4=0, PB6=0</li><li>PC2=0, PC3=0</li></ul>

0124The parameters of a second lens were as follows:<ul id="ul0025" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>AR2=0.01, AR3=0.0006</li><li>PB2=-0.0085, PB3=0.0008, PB4=0, PB6=0</li><li>PC2=0, PC3=0</li></ul>

0125The parameters of a third lens were as follows:<ul id="ul0026" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>AR2=0.01, AR3=0.0005</li><li>PB2=-0.015, PB3=0.0015, PB4=-0.000024, PB6=0</li><li>PC2=0, PC3=0</li></ul>

0126The parameters of a fourth lens were as follows:<ul id="ul0027" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>AR2=0.028, AR3=-0.0028</li><li>PB2=-0.0115, PB3=0.00038, PB4=-0.000034, PB6=0.00000013</li><li>PC2=0.028, PC3=-0.0032</li></ul>

0127The electrical functions of an exemplary LIDAR system according to the invention are described below.

0128The control circuit now causes one of the n lasers to emit a laser light pulse at a transmission time. For this purpose, before the emission, a control circuit causes, for example, one of the n charging circuits of the laser module described above to charge the capacitor assigned to it. All other capacitors should be uncharged and remain uncharged for the duration of the process for emitting a light pulse by the laser assigned to the capacitor to be charged. After completion of the charging process, which is stopped, for example, in a time-controlled manner after a predefined or calculated time or is stopped after a capacitor target voltage has been reached or exceeded, the charging circuit is preferably separated from the capacitor to be charged, for example by a switch and/or by switching the output to high impedance disconnected from the charging circuit. After one of the combinations of laser and capacitor of the n pairs of laser and associated capacitor is armed in this way by charging the capacitor, the capacitor can be suddenly discharged via the laser and the control switch by closing the same. For this purpose, a control circuit, which is preferably part of the control circuit, preferably generates a pulse signal which preferably closes said control switch and thus, for example, connects the cathode of the laser to the reference potential. The charged capacitor is preferably connected to this reference potential by its second connection and is preferably connected to the anode of the laser by its first connection. Thus, the previously charged capacitor is abruptly discharged via the laser assigned to it. The laser emits a light pulse. The other lasers of the n lasers do not emit a light pulse since their associated capacitors are not charged or not sufficiently charged. In theory it is possible to charge more than one capacitor and then gradually use different charging patterns and then back down to the simple case of a single charged capacitor.

0129The light pulse is now expanded into a light fan via the said Powell lens and emitted into the free space in front of the device. In this free space, the light pulse then hits an object assumed here as an example after a first light propagation time and is reflected back there as a reflected light pulse. After a second light propagation time, the reflected light pulse then reaches the second optics, which distributes the photons of the reflected light pulse to the n×m photodetectors. The second optic then assigns a photon of the reflected light pulse to one of the nxm photodetectors if the direction of the propagation vector of the photon in question lies in the corresponding sensitivity fan assigned to this photodetector - or to put it another way - if the direction from which the photon came lies in the sensitivity compartment.

0130Each photodetector and the receiving circuit assigned to it thus preferably detect the reflected light of this laser pulse within their respective receiving fan. In addition, the receiving circuits preferably have means for detecting the transit time of the light pulse from the time of transmission to the time of reception in the photo sensor. Thus, preferably for each laser pulse nxm light propagation time information is obtained, which represents the light propagation time of a light pulse from the time of emission (emission time) by a laser to the time of reception (receipt time) by a respective photodetector as a light pulse reflected by the scene. This time-of-flight information can be broken down into a length or distance using the speed of light, for example the speed of light in air. be converted into a distance.

0131If this measurement is carried out for each of the n lasers, the resulting n measurements result in k=n×m light transit time values ​​and thus k=n×m distances, namely a distance for each pixel assigned to a photodiode.

0132In order to obtain these distances, the respective receiving circuit forwards the respective measured value for the time at which the respective laser pulse was received at the respective photodiode to the evaluation circuit. This receives information from the control circuit as to which of the n lasers has emitted the light pulse. From this, the evaluation circuit can then determine which sensitivity line belongs to which distance. It should be pointed out that a sensitivity line in the sense of this invention is formed from the pair of the receiving fan of one of the n×m photodiodes and one of the light fans of the n lasers.

0133After all n lasers of the laser array have emitted a light pulse once, there are k distances for the k sensitivity lines. If these are plotted on the sensitivity line, there is exactly one point for each sensitivity line that caused the reflection of the light pulse for the light fan of this sensitivity line and was received by the photo sensor with the sensitivity fan of this sensitivity line. In this way, k=n×m distances in three-dimensional space are thus determined, which can preferably be converted from the distance sensitivity line coordinate system, for example, into a Cartesian coordinate system for further use.

0134The evaluation circuit thus creates a three-dimensional pixel cloud from the angle of the laser fan of the respective laser pulse and the angle of the respective reception fan of the respective photodetector and the respective reception time of the respective laser pulse at the respective photodetector based on the respective transmission time.

0135It is particularly advantageous if the n surface normals of the n light fans have angular distances (a_1,2, a_2,3, a_3,4, until a_n-2,n-1, a_n-1,n) which are essentially the same between any two adjacent light fans.

0136It is also particularly advantageous if the nxm surface normals of the nxm sensitivity compartments are m angular distances (b_1,2, b_2,3, b_3,4, till B_m-2,m-1, b_m-1,_m) in the horizontal, which are essentially the same between any two adjacent sensitivity bins.

0137It is particularly advantageous to use the laser module described above in a previously described LIDAR system.

0138The invention also includes a laser module with a linear laser array made up of n lasers, where n is a positive integer. The n-lasers are preferably mounted on a module carrier and/or a driver IC. Each laser beam of each laser has a laser beam axis. All laser beam axes and/or at least two laser beam axes intersect at one point. Based on this, an assemblage of p laser modules, where p is a positive integer, can be defined, where each laser module comprises a linear laser array of n lasers, where n is a positive integer, and where the lasers of each modules can be numbered consecutively in the same way and with each laser beam of each laser having a laser beam axis and with the laser beam axes of the respective k-th laser, with 0&lt;k≤n, of all p laser modules intersect at a common point and/or where the laser beam axes of the respective kth laser, with 0&lt;k≤n, of at least two of the p laser modules intersect at one point.

0139However, it is better if the laser beam axes of all nxp lasers of all p laser modules intersect at a common point. Alternatively, at least two laser beam axes of at least two lasers of the nxp lasers of all p laser modules can intersect at one point. The driver IC is preferably said integrated circuit. Such a driver IC preferably has a rectangular shape. The driver IC then has two narrow sides and two long sides as edge sections. The driver IC preferably has contacts or a contact DisC on a first edge section of rectangular shape, which is formed by one narrow side, which are intended and suitable for making contact with one or more rear-side contacts of diode lasers. On a second edge section of its rectangular shape, which is formed by the other narrow side, the IC has contacts VDDA, GNDA, VDDD, GNDD, VDDP, GNDP, VDDH, GND, which are used to power the driver IC and/or said laser D1 to Dn and/or the associated energy stores, ie the capacitors C1 to Cn. The first edge section is opposite the second edge section.

0140The driver IC preferably has at least one transfer contact for a signal, which can be forwarded to other driver ICs, on a third edge section of its rectangular shape, which is formed by one longitudinal side. The driver IC has another transfer contact, which is electrically connected to the transfer contact of another driver IC, at a fourth edge portion of its rectangular shape, which is formed by the other long side.

0141One of the transfer contacts is preferably a contact for a reset signal RES, which puts the driver IC into a defined state. A transfer contact is preferably a contact for a trigger signal TRIG, which in a predetermined signal state causes the driver IC to drive its lasers D1 to Dn, provided that this is provided on the basis of the system state. One or more transfer contacts for receiving are preferably intended for contacting signals of a data bus. The one or more transfer contacts on the one edge portion of the driver IC are preferably directly electrically connected to one or more corresponding transfer contacts on the opposite edge of an adjacent driver IC. However, it is also conceivable that a linear data bus (e.g a LIN bus) is at least temporarily interrupted by the driver ICs as bus nodes and internal device parts of the driver IC can receive the data on one side of the driver IC and on the other side of the IC can also send them on modified if necessary. In that case, the signals of the one or more transfer contacts on one edge portion of the driver IC before being passed on to one or more corresponding transfer contacts on the opposite edge portion of an adjacent driver IC in a sub-device of the driver IC, in particular in a data bus interface.

0142Furthermore, this invention includes a combination of laser modules to in particular a LIDAR system with at least two laser modules, i.e. with at least a first laser module and a second laser module, the laser modules essentially having a cuboid shape with two narrow sides and two long sides and the laser modules are arranged with their long sides next to each other.

0143The laser modules each have a driver IC in a cuboid housing, as described above, which is arranged next to one another on a carrier.

0144The driver ICs of the laser modules are typically identical in terms of the transfer contacts used in their driver ICs. In each case one transfer contact of the driver IC of the first laser module is then preferably electrically connected to the corresponding transfer contact of the driver IC of the second laser module by means of a single bonding wire for each such transfer contact pair. This has the advantage that only small losses occur. This is advantageous in particular for fast, synchronous transmission of the trigger signal TRIG, since all lasers are to ignite successively in a timely manner and thus emit their radiation packet.

0145The invention also includes a special capacitor array for a laser module and/or for an assembly of laser modules and/or for use in conjunction with a driver IC, each as previously described. The capacitor array has, for example, a rectangular shape and has a top and a bottom. On its upper side, the capacitor array has n contacts K1' to Kn' lined up along a first edge of the rectangle. The capacitor array has another contact KG' that extends along a second edge of the rectangle on top of the capacitor array. The second edge of the rectangle is opposite the first edge of the rectangle. The further contact KG' extends along the third and fourth edges by a distance which is shorter than the extent of the third and fourth edges of the rectangle and ends at a distance from the contacts K1' to Kn'. The capacitor array has a bottom contact KR that covers the bottom of the capacitor array. Each of the n contacts K1' to Kn' forms a capacitance C1 to Cn with the rear-side contact KR, with the further contact KG' forming a further capacitance CVDD with the rear-side contact KR, and with the capacitors C1 to Cn and CVDD having a common dielectric, the extends between the n contacts K1' to Kn' and the further contact KG' on the one hand and the underside contact KR on the other hand.

0146The presented devices can be used as a LIDAR system or as part of such a LIDAR system in a mobile device. In this case, for example, the mobile device can be in particular a robot or a missile or a spacecraft or a ship's hull or a watercraft or a vehicle or a rail vehicle or aircraft or a spacecraft. By oscillating the mobile device, the resolution of the distance information of the illuminated scene can be increased.

0147The devices presented can be used as a LIDAR system or as part of such a LIDAR system in automation technology. They can be used, for example, in a device for detecting the shape of an object or a building, or in a device for automating processes, or in a device for three-dimensionally detecting the shape of three-dimensional bodies.

0148The proposed laser module enables the generation of short light pulses for a LIDAR system that requires no moving parts. However, the advantages are not limited to this.

0149The light module, the common capacitor component, the combination of several light modules, the circuit die and the integrated circuit for switching electric currents, as described above and defined in terms of their features in the wording of the claims, are to be regarded as independent inventions which are also implemented independently of one another can become. The same applies to the features of the individual subclaims of the wording of the claims, which define independent inventions, i.e. do not necessarily have to be exclusively related to other features of other subclaims.

0150The features of the invention or the individual aspects of the invention described above and/or below are to be understood as independent, individual features, even if they are described in connection with other features, which can be understood individually as well as with those associated with them other features described in connection independently realizable and essential to the invention.

0151Insofar as "light" from the diodes or reflected light is mentioned above and below, this primarily means light in a wavelength range outside that of visible light. However, the invention can also be implemented with visible light.

0152The invention is described in more detail below on the basis of several exemplary embodiments. In detail show:<dl id="dl0003"><dt>1</dt><dd>the beam path of an exemplary LIDAR system with, for example, n = 4 lasers and, for example, m = 256 photodetectors of a sensor in top view and side view, with the first laser emitting a laser pulse and its laser surfaces illuminating the first line of an image, which is illuminated by the photodiodes of the first line of the sensor is detected by light reflection,</dd><dt>2</dt><dd>the beam path of the LIDAR system with the four lasers and the 256 photodetectors in top view and side view, with the second laser emitting a laser pulse,</dd><dt>3</dt><dd>the beam path of the LIDAR system with the four lasers and the 256 photodetectors in top view and side view, with the third laser emitting a laser pulse,</dd><dt>4</dt><dd>the beam path of the LIDAR system with the four lasers and the 256 photodetectors in top view and side view, with the fourth laser emitting a laser pulse,</dd><dt>figure 5</dt><dd>an example circuit for the proposed LIDAR system,</dd><dt>6</dt><dd>a proposed structure of a laser module for the LIDAR system<figref idref="f0005">figure 5</figref>,</dd><dt>7</dt><dd>a schematic representation of the hybrid structure of the carrier with circuit die and with various electrical and electronic components in die-to-die connection to connection fields on one main side of the carrier,</dd><dt>8</dt><dd>an arrangement with several laser modules<figref idref="f0006">6</figref>,</dd><dt>Figs. 9A, 9B, 9C</dt><dd>a capacitor array C1 to C4 and CVDD for use in a laser module according to the<figref idref="f0007">7</figref> in top view, side view and the internal circuitry of the capacitor array,</dd><dt>10</dt><dd>the structure of a proposed driver IC in plan view,</dd><dt>11</dt><dd>the alignment of the laser modules at the driver IC level,</dd><dt>12</dt><dd>the alignment of the laser modules<figref idref="f0011">11</figref> along a curved line,</dd><dt>13</dt><dd>a plan view of an alternative light module with 16 laser diodes on a single carrier when arranged along a line of curvature,</dd><dt>14</dt><dd>an exemplary Powell lens,</dd><dt>15</dt><dd>an exemplary arrangement of the transmission system with the transmitter lens and the receiver system with the receiver lens,</dd><dt>16</dt><dd>a real measurement result as a point cloud in an exemplary Cartesian coordinate system as a target coordinate system with n = 16 lasers and m = 256 photodetectors in the photodetector line,</dd><dt>17</dt><dd>a drone according to the invention with a LIDAR module attached to it,</dd><dt>18</dt><dd>the optimal positioning of the scanning points on a flat surface, which is set up at a certain distance from the sensor system and whose surface normal is aligned parallel to the measuring axis of the sensor system,</dd><dt>19</dt><dd>a lens without correction polynomials,</dd><dt>20</dt><dd>a lens with parameters AR2=0.01, AR3=0.0006, PB2=-0.0085, PB3=0.0008, PB4=0, B6=0, PC2=0, PC3=0,</dd><dt>21</dt><dd>a lens with parameters AR2=0.01, AR3=0.0005, PB2=-0.015, PB3=0.0015, PB4=-0.000024, PB6=0, PC2=0, PC3=0,</dd><dt>22</dt><dd>a lens with parameters AR2=0.028, AR3=-0.0028, PB2=-0.0115, PB3=0.00038, PB4=-0.000034, PB6=0.00000013, PC2=0.028, PC3=-0.0032,</dd><dt>23</dt><dd>an exemplary circuit according to the prior art, reduced to the essentials, for driving a laser diode LD by means of a driver circuit I and a pre-driver circuit not specified in more detail and a field effect transistor M,</dd><dt>24</dt><dd>in the figure parts (a) to (f) simplifies the basic concept of self-similarity based on the circuit diagram and the circuit layout,</dd><dt>25</dt><dd>in figure part (a) a simplified layout of a basic structure of the self-similar structure according to the invention as a stick layout and in figure part (b) how other basic structures are combined so that the self-similar structure according to the invention ultimately results, and</dd><dt>26</dt><dd>a simplified representation of the self-similarity of the circuit layout.</dd></dl>

0153In the embodiments of<figref idref="f0001 f0002 f0003 f0004">Figs. 1 to 4</figref> the components of a LIDAR system are shown schematically, which has a transmitter in the form of a laser diode row LDZ made up of n=four lasers D1, D2, D3, D4 and a receiver in the form of a 2D (photodiode) sensor S with four lines and a number of n = 256 photodiodes per line as well as lenses (transmitter lens SL and cylinder lens ZL) for fanning out the laser beams into a highly elliptical cross-section for illuminating a Line of a distance image to be recorded and a lens (receiver lens EL) for imaging the illuminated line.

0154<figref idref="f0001">1</figref> shows the beam path of the LIDAR system in top view and side view when the first laser D1 emits a laser pulse. The first laser D1 emits a light pulse, which is expanded by the lens SL, ZL, which preferably has a Powell lens, to form a first light fan LF1. The first light fan LF1 is shown in dashed lines. The first light fan LF1 illuminates a first strip of the room or scene (distance image) in front of the LIDAR system. A receiver lens EL images this illuminated first (image) strip onto a line of the sensor S. In<figref idref="f0001">1</figref> (as well as in the<figref idref="f0002 f0003 f0004">Figs. 2 to 4</figref>) the mapping of the two pixels at the two ends of the illuminated image strip onto the two photodiodes at the two ends of the relevant row of photodiodes of the sensor S is illustrated by the dotted and solid lines. The illuminated first image strip is different from the second illuminated image strip (<figref idref="f0002">2</figref>), from the third lit image strip (<figref idref="f0003">3</figref>) and from the fourth illuminated image strip (<figref idref="f0004">4</figref>) different. In the example of<figref idref="f0001">1</figref> the sensor array includes 256 photodiodes per line. This sensor line thus records an image strip. The receiver lens EL is preferably also a Powell lens.

0155<figref idref="f0002">2</figref> shows the beam path of the LIDAR system in top view and side view when the second laser D2 emits a laser pulse. The second laser D2 emits a light pulse, which is widened by the lens SL, ZL, which preferably has a Powell lens, to form a second light fan LF2. The second light fan LF2 is shown in dashed lines. The second light fan LF2 illuminates a second strip of the room or scene (distance image) in front of the LIDAR system. A receiver lens EL images this illuminated second strip onto a line of the sensor S. The illuminated second image strip is different from the first illuminated image strip<figref idref="f0001">1</figref>, from the third illuminated image strip of<figref idref="f0003">3</figref> and from the fourth illuminated image strip of<figref idref="f0004">4</figref> different.

0156<figref idref="f0003">3</figref> shows the beam path of the LIDAR system in top view and side view, with the third laser D3 emitting a laser pulse. The third laser D3 emits a light pulse, which is widened by the lens SL, ZL, which preferably has a Powell lens, to form a third light fan LF3. The third light fan LF3 is shown in dashed lines. The third light fan LF3 illuminates a third strip of space or scene (distance image) in front of the LIDAR system. A receiver lens EL images this illuminated third strip onto a line of the sensor S. The illuminated third image strip is different from the second illuminated image strip<figref idref="f0002">2</figref>, from the first illuminated image strip of the<figref idref="f0001">1</figref> and from the fourth illuminated image strip of<figref idref="f0004">4</figref> different.

0157<figref idref="f0004">4</figref> shows the beam path of the LIDAR system in top view and side view, with the fourth laser D4 emitting a laser pulse. The fourth laser D4 emits a light pulse, which is widened by the lens SL, ZL, which preferably has a Powell lens, to form a fourth light fan LF4. The fourth light fan LF4 is indicated by dashed lines. The fourth light fan LF4 illuminates a fourth strip of the room or scene (distance image) in front of the LIDAR system. A receiver lens EL images this illuminated fourth strip onto a line of the sensor S. The illuminated fourth image strip is different from the second illuminated strip<figref idref="f0002">2</figref>, from the third illuminated image strip of<figref idref="f0003">3</figref> and from the first illuminated image strip<figref idref="f0001">1</figref> different.

0158<figref idref="f0005">figure 5</figref> shows an example circuit for the proposed LIDAR system. A control circuit CTR causes one of the n charging circuits B1 to Bn to charge a capacitor C1 to Cn via a charging line K1 to Kn assigned to this charging circuit. Each of the n charging lines K1 to Kn has a (mainly parasitic) resistor RZ1 to RZn and a parasitic inductance LZ1 to LZn. Each of the charging lines K1 to Kn is preferably connected to a first terminal of precisely one of n capacitors C1 to Cn. The second connection of each of the n capacitors C1 to Cn is connected to the reference potential via a line. Each of the lines between the second connection of a capacitor C1 to Cn and the reference potential comprises a parasitic resistance RC1 to RCn and a parasitic inductance LC1 to LCn. The anode, preferably exactly one of the n lasers D1 to Dn, is preferably connected to the first connection, preferably exactly one of the n capacitors C1 to Cn, via preferably exactly one of n discharge lines K1′ to Kn′. The cathodes of the n lasers D1 to Dn are interconnected to form a common first star point DisC. When the pulse signal G_dis through the control switch T_dis connected to the reference potential GND. The second connections of the n capacitors C1 to Cn are also connected to the reference potential GND.

0159An exemplary buffer buf generates the pulse signal G from the preliminary pulse signal PL_dis to open the control switch T_dis. The control circuit CTR can preferably generate this preliminary pulse signal PL when the charging process for the capacitor to be charged has been completed by the associated charging circuit B1 to Bn and the relevant charging circuit B1 to Bn is switched to neutral.

0160A backup capacitor CVDD is preferably part of the capacitor array KA of the n capacitors C1 to Cn. The backup capacitor CVDD stabilizes the supply voltage VDD or another system-relevant voltage. Its purpose is to prevent the effects of the current surges occurring when the laser is ignited on other components connected to the supply voltage VDD, for example in a vehicle with the supply voltage VDD as the vehicle electrical system voltage.

0161The backup capacitor CVDD is connected to the supply voltage VDD at its first connection via a line inductance LZV and via a line resistance RZV.

0162The backup capacitor CVDD is connected to the reference potential GND at its second connection via a line resistance RCV and via a line inductance LCV.

0163<figref idref="f0006">6</figref> shows an embodiment of the structure of a laser module for the LIDAR system<figref idref="f0005">figure 5</figref>.

0164The basis of the module is the driver IC. The driver IC is preferably a monolithic integrated circuit. It preferably includes the control circuit CTR and all other microintegratable (eg CMOS) circuit parts<figref idref="f0005">figure 5</figref>. This can be, for example (but not exclusively) the control circuit CTR, the buffer buf, the control switch T_dis and the n charging circuits are B1 to Bn. Furthermore, the control circuit CTR can include, for example, a microcomputer with memory, interfaces and CPU. These together form the control circuit. In the example of<figref idref="f0006">6</figref> For example, n=4 lasers D1 to D4 are used, which are manufactured, for example, on a common crystal and form a linear laser array. The underside of this crystal forms the common cathode of the laser diodes, which as the first star point DisC is electrically connected to a control switch that is manufactured in the crystal of the driver IC and is located on its active surface. Flip-chip assembly makes it possible to realize this connection with only low parasitic inductance and resistance values, which increases the edge steepness of the laser pulses. The n lasers are thermally cooled via the crystal of the driver IC. The four capacitors C1 to C4 are also designed as a common component. In the example of<figref idref="f0006">6</figref> the second terminals of the four capacitors C1 to C4 are connected to one another by a common contact. The first connection of each capacitor C1 to C4 is connected to the laser of the four lasers D1 to D4 assigned to it via one of the four discharge lines K1' to K4'. The discharge lines K1' to K4' are particularly short due to the chosen arrangement. The shown multiple bonding wire connection of the discharge lines K1' to K4' leads to a further reduction in the parasitic inductance and thus to a further increase in the edge steepness. Likewise, the short bond wires of the connection between the (second) star point DisK as the common connection point of the capacitors C1 to Cn and the reference potential, together with the multiple bond wire connection, lead to a reduction in the parasitic inductance of this line connection. This also increases the edge steepness of the emitted light pulse.

0165The relatively long bonding wires of the charging lines K1 to Kn are more conducive to the edge steepness, since they prevent or largely suppress the electrical charge of the capacitors C1 to Cn flowing away via these charging lines K1 to Kn.

0166A backup capacitor CVDD can be part of the capacitor array KA as shown. The backup capacitor CVDD is connected to the reference potential GND on a lower side with a second connection having a very low line resistance RCV and a very low line inductance LCV. The first connection of the backup capacitor CVDD is connected to the virtual node KG′ of the supply voltage VDD. The virtual node KG' of the supply voltage VDD is connected to the supply voltage VDD with very short bonding wires. As a result, the virtual node KG′ of the supply voltage VDD is connected to the supply voltage VDD with a very low line resistance RZV and a very low line inductance LZV.

0167In<figref idref="f0007">7</figref> is as realization of the circuit after<figref idref="f0005">figure 5</figref> schematically shows a hybrid structure of the laser module, which has, for example, a plastic potting compound as a carrier TR. A circuit die and a lead frame are embedded in the carrier TR; neither is shown for the sake of clarity. The control circuit CTR, the transistor driver Buf and the charging circuits B1 to Bn are implemented as integrated circuits of the circuit die. Furthermore, the transistor T is located as close as possible to the top of the circuit die_dis. As in the<figref idref="f0005">Figs. 5</figref> and<figref idref="f0007">7</figref> shown, the transistor T_dis a conductive path LPF, whose end areas LPF1, LPF2 are routed electrically to the upper side TRO via a first conductive path connection field TAF1 and a second conductive path connection field TAF2. The laser diodes D1 to Dn are located on the first line path connection field TAF1, which are electrically connected to the first line path connection field TAF1 by die-to-die bonding with the underside first connection field DAF1 of their respective die D1D. In the same way, the capacitors C1 to Cn are connected to the or the second conduction path connection field TAF2 of the transistor T_dis tied together. For this purpose, each capacitor C1 is designed, for example, as a separate charge storage component LSBT, it also being possible for all of the capacitors C1 to Cn in combination to form a common charge storage component (in this context, see the example of the capacitor array KA in<figref idref="f0006">6</figref>). The charge storage components LSBT have a first connection field LAF1 on the underside, which is electrically connected to the second conduction path connection field TAF2 by die-to-die bonding.

0168On top of both the laser diode die D1D and the charge storage component LSBT there is a second connection field DAF2 and LAF2, which are electrically connected to one another by means of a short first bonding wire BD1. These first bonding wires BD1 form the lines K1' to Kn'.

0169In addition, the capacitors C1 to Cn are each electrically connected via longer second bonding wires BD2 to connection fields AF located on the upper side TRO of the carrier TR of the charging circuit B1 to Bn assigned to them. Also shown is a third bonding wire BD3, which connects the supply voltage potential VDD, which is present on a top-side connection panel of the carrier TR, to the support or buffer capacitor CVDD, which in turn is connected to the reference potential GND with its second contact. For this purpose, the support or Buffer capacitor CVDD designed as a separate component or as an integrated component in the capacitor array KA, which is also electrically connected, for example by die-to-die bonding, to the second conduction path connection field TAF2, to which the reference potential is applied.

0170In<figref idref="f0007">7</figref> is visualized by the spreading line pairs showing parasitic components in the discharge circuit and in the charge circuit of the circuit<figref idref="f0005">figure 5</figref> correspond to the individual components of the hybrid structure. It should be noted here that ultimately the ladder frame, which is in<figref idref="f0007">7</figref> is not shown, and the internal connections in also in<figref idref="f0007">7</figref> circuitry, not shown, which contribute to the parasitic components.

0171In<figref idref="f0007">7</figref> is then finally also indicated that the<figref idref="f0026">Figs. 26</figref> ff a representation of the details of driver Buf and transistor T_dis shows. The output of the driver Buf is connected to the control terminal GT_dis of the transistor connected

0172<figref idref="f0008">8</figref> shows an arrangement with several laser modules<figref idref="f0006">6</figref>. The control logic and control are preferably designed so that only one of the lasers of all laser modules generates a light pulse, with all lasers arranged next to one another being controlled in chronological succession from one laser to the adjacent laser, for example.

0173The<figref idref="f0009">Figs. 9A, 9B and 9C</figref> show a capacitor array KA with the capacitors C1 to C4 and CVDD for use in a laser module according to FIG<figref idref="f0008">8</figref> in supervision (<figref idref="f0009">Figure 9A</figref>), in a side view (<figref idref="f0009">Figure 9B</figref>) and the internal wiring of the capacitor array (<figref idref="f0009">Figure 9C</figref>).

0174The capacitor array KA from C1 to Cn and CVDD is preferably rectangular. The contact surfaces for the discharge lines K1' to Kn' are preferably arranged next to one another on the upper side along a first edge of the rectangle (see Fig<figref idref="f0009">Figure 9A</figref>). The distance from the center of a contact surface for connecting a discharge line to the center of the contact surface for connecting the next discharge line preferably corresponds to the distance between the geometric centers of gravity of the corresponding laser (see D1 to Dn in<figref idref="f0006">6</figref>). The lasers and these contact areas of the capacitor array KA therefore preferably have the same pitch=distance from center to center. In the example of<figref idref="f0009">9</figref> this distance is 500 µm, for example.

0175The contact area for the virtual node KG′ of the supply voltage VDD, which corresponds to the first terminal of the support capacitor CVDD, extends along the second edge of the rectangle, which is opposite the first edge of the rectangle.

0176The contact area for the virtual node KG′ of the supply voltage VDD preferably extends along the entire second edge of the rectangle. In the example of<figref idref="f0009">9</figref> is the length of this extension slightly less than 2000 microns.

0177The possibly n contact surfaces for the connections of the discharge lines K1' to Kn' therefore only take up a section along the first edge of the rectangle which is less than 1/n the length of the first edge of the rectangle. In the example of<figref idref="f0009">9</figref> this extension is only 375 µm. The area of ​​these contacts is in the<figref idref="f0009">9</figref> for example 0.17 mm².

0178The extension of the possibly n contact areas for the discharge lines K1' to Kn' along the third and fourth edge of the rectangle, which is 450 µm in this example, is therefore typically longer than the extension of the contact area for the virtual node KG' of the supply voltage VDD. which is 100 µm in this example. The size of the contact area for the virtual node KG' of the supply voltage VDD is approximately 0.2 mm².

0179A bottom contact KR of the capacitor array KA (see<figref idref="f0009">Figure 9B</figref>) forms the common contact for connecting the common reference potential GND.

0180The material between the contact areas for the nodes K1' to Kn' and KG' forms the dielectric of the capacitor array KA. One of the capacitors C1 to Cn and CVDD is then formed in each case between a respective contact area for the nodes K1′ to Kn′ and KG′ and the underside contact KR.

0181The example of<figref idref="f0009">9</figref> is directed to n=4 for a better overview (like the other examples of this description), but this is not to be understood as limiting in any way.

0182<figref idref="f0010">10</figref> shows the top view of the structure of a single proposed driver IC. The structure is roughly simplified and limited to the essential features.

0183As already mentioned elsewhere in this description, the number n of lasers D1 to Dn of the module is limited to n=4, for example, for a better overview. For a different number n of lasers, the principles of this description can be applied accordingly. Here n is used instead of the number 4, even though the figure shows n=4. n is always to be understood as a completely positive number.

0184Four contact areas for the rear side contacts of the four lasers D1 to D4 of the laser module, for example, are located on the upper side of the driver IC. Each of the four contact surfaces is connected to the first star point DisC. Of course, instead of four separate contact surfaces, a single contact surface is also conceivable.

0185Referring to the orientation of the driver IC illustration in<figref idref="f0010">10</figref> there is a contact surface GND below the contact surfaces DisC, which is connected to the reference potential GND. The capacitor array KA is placed on this contact surface. This connects the underside contact KR of the capacitor array KA to the reference potential GND.

0186Also related to the orientation of the representation of the driver IC, there is a contact surface VDD for the bonding wires below the contact surface GND, through which the first connection of the support capacitor CVDD of the capacitor array KA, which is the virtual node KG' of the supply voltage VDD, is connected to the supply voltage VDD.

0187The n bond pads (here n=4 by way of example) for the outputs of the driver circuits B1 to Bn (here n=4) are located below the contact area VDD (again related to the orientation of the illustration of the driver IC). Using long bond wires, which represent the charging lines K1 to Kn (here n=4), the capacitors C1 to Cn, which serve as energy reserves for the lasers D1 to Dn (here n=4), are charged by the driver circuits B1 to Bn.

0188In the example of<figref idref="f0010">10</figref> the proposed driver IC requires multiple supply voltages via multiple supply voltage contacts VDDA, GNDA, VDDD, GNDD, VDDP, GNDP, VDDH, GNDH. When the invention was created, it was recognized that it is advantageous to feed the supply voltages to the driver IC with low resistance via its edge opposite the lasers, since each driver IC can thus have its own low-resistance feed line.

0189Furthermore, it was recognized that signals that can also be applied to the driver ICs with high resistance can be looped through across the ICs. In the example of<figref idref="f0010">10</figref> For example, the reset signal RST is connected horizontally to a corresponding pin on the opposite side of the driver IC. Furthermore, this is in the example<figref idref="f0010">10</figref> an SPI data bus is shown as an example of a data bus. The input of the SPI data bus MOSI and the output of the SPI data bus MISO and the clock of the SPI data bus SCK have correspondences on the opposite side of the driver IC. A selection signal (Chip-Select CS) is also looped through. The ignition signal for firing the laser pulse is fed to the TRIG connection on one side of the driver IC and looped through unchanged to the other side.

0190The lasers of the modules are fired with the edge of this ignition signal.

0191Another optional example of a signal that is fed to all driver ICs and also looped through is applied to the Pulse connector. For example, it can be a diagnostic signal from a diagnostic interface.

0192<figref idref="f0011">11</figref> shows the arrangement of several laser modules<figref idref="f0010">10</figref> at driver IC level.

0193The contact surfaces on the long sides of two adjacent driver ICs are connected to one another by bonding wires. It becomes clear that this construction ensures the low-impedance supply of all laser modules with electrical energy, since the control signals are looped through.

0194<figref idref="f0012">12</figref> shows the alignment of the laser modules<figref idref="f0011">11</figref> along a curved line KL. This has the advantage that the generation of the laser beam fan is massively simplified. First, the laser modules can be aligned perpendicular to this curved line KL. Secondly, within a laser module, the lasers can be aligned along this curved line KL, so that ultimately all lasers of all modules are aligned along this curved line KL. The curved line KL can be convex or concave. The laser beam of each laser of each laser module has a laser beam axis. If only the laser modules are aligned along the curved line KL and if this curved line KL is a circular arc section, then the laser beam axes of the respective first lasers D1 of all laser modules intersect at a common point in space. This can also be behind the lasers.

0195If the lasers D1 to Dn of a laser module are aligned along a curved circular line KL, then the laser beam axes of the lasers D1 to Dn of this laser module intersect at one point.

0196If the lasers D1 to Dn of all laser modules are aligned along a common, curved circular line KL, then the laser beam axes of the lasers D1 to Dn of all laser modules intersect at one point.

0197Alignment of only some of the lasers and/or only some of the laser modules along the curved line KL should not be ruled out.

0198The invention is not limited to the arrangement or juxtaposition of a plurality of light modules, for example each having four laser diode dies. For example, the arrangement of at least four in the<figref idref="f0008">Figs. 8th</figref>, <figref idref="f0011">11</figref> and<figref idref="f0012">12</figref> The light modules shown can also be realized by a single light module, on which the laser diode dies are then arranged either along a straight line or along the line of curvature KL (see<figref idref="f0013">13</figref>). Arranged along the outer edge of such a light module, which has larger dimensions, are connection fields for the aforementioned signals and voltages to be applied to the light module or modules. The overall light module can either have a common and therefore large-area capacitor array KA or a plurality of capacitor sub-arrays.

0199<figref idref="f0014">14</figref> shows an exemplary Powell lens. The surface is curved about a first axis A1 on the first surface OF1 and curved about a second axis A2 on the second surface OF2. The two axes are oriented perpendicular to each other. ME designates the xy center plane in the lens center related to the z-extension (extension in the direction of the optical axis) of the lens.

0200<figref idref="f0015">15</figref> 12 shows an exemplary arrangement of the transmission system with the transmitter lens and the receiver system with the receiver lens. The laser diode (array) rows LDZ with n=4 laser diodes, as described above by way of example, and the sensor S with n=4 lines, each with 256 pixels, for example, are shown in an exploded view and schematically. For example, if four laser modules are used, as in the<figref idref="f0008">Figs. 8th</figref>, <figref idref="f0011">11</figref> and<figref idref="f0012">12</figref> shown, this would result in a laser diode row LDZ with 16 laser diodes and a photo sensor with 16 rows, each with 256 pixels, for example.

0201<figref idref="f0016">16</figref> shows a real measurement result as a point cloud in an exemplary Cartesian coordinate system as a target coordinate system with n = 16 lasers and m = 256 photodetectors in the photodetector line.

0202<figref idref="f0017">17</figref> shows a drone according to the invention with a mounted LIDAR system according to the invention. The lidar system according to the invention can be used very well for drones because it is particularly light and has no mechanical parts such as oscillating mirrors.

0203Other prior art solutions are not as compact and cannot provide this information with this small weight and power consumption.

0204However, the proposed LIDAR system can also be used in other vehicles, floating bodies, missiles, rail vehicles, as scanners in automation technology and the like. It is advantageous if the vehicle performs oscillating pitching motions so that the "gaps" in the distance image caused by the distance between adjacent photodetector rows of the sensor can be scanned, with which the image resolution can be increased. A complete distance image is recorded for each pitch angle and the information from the photodetector rows is then combined to form the complete image. As a result, information is then also obtained about regions of the distance image that would be imaged onto the spaces between adjacent photodetector rows of the sensor without nodding movements being carried out.

0205<figref idref="f0018">18</figref> is intended to illustrate the problem of a possibly occurring inhomogeneity of the light intensity distribution of the laser light within an illumination strip. The images of the laser diode beams after passing through the transmitter optical element SLE are shown horizontally as rectangles. The beam from a laser diode typically has an elliptical cross-section. If the intensity is now determined along a main axis of this cross-sectional ellipse or this cross-sectional oval and entered in an xy diagram that shows the position along this main axis as the x-axis and the radiation intensity as the y-axis, laser diodes typically show a Gaussian intensity distribution here. The optics now expand the laser beam of a laser diode in one direction so that, ideally, in the far field, a rectangular, evenly illuminated area should result on a projection surface perpendicular to the optical axis of the expansion lens and the laser. However, due to imaging errors, this is not the case. In<figref idref="f0018">18</figref> vertical lines are shown. The area of ​​a rectangular piece of one of the horizontal rectangles, which is located between each two vertical lines, should always receive the same amount of light from rectangular piece to rectangular piece when illuminated by the laser belonging to this rectangle. So ideally all the rectangle pieces should be the same and, as in<figref idref="f0018">18</figref> shown, be positioned. In the real case, however, the optics have errors and the laser beam cross section shows a Gaussian instead of a rectangular intensity distribution over the cross section.

0206The<figref idref="f0018 f0019 f0020 f0021 f0022">Figs. 18 to 22</figref> each show only the upper left quadrant of the projection field of the transmitter optical element SLE, which is rectangular and thus has four quadrants separated by two mutually perpendicular axes of symmetry.

0207The camera with the photodetectors maps the irradiated points onto the n rows of photodetectors, each with q photodetectors. In the examples of<figref idref="f0018 f0019 f0020 f0021 f0022">Figs. 18 to 22</figref> it is assumed that the photodetector array has n=16 rows and q=256 pixels. Each of the n lasers in the laser module illuminates one line. The optics then expands the laser beam of a j-th laser of the n lasers with 1≤j≤n = 16 according to the width of the line. The laser beam of the j-th laser is thus expanded horizontally. The density or the distance between the vertical lines of the<figref idref="f0018">18</figref> represents the desired energy density in the far field. Each of the n lasers of the laser module thus illuminates a line of the image, which is then scanned by a line of the photodetector array, here by way of example a photodetector array with 16 photodetector lines, each with 256 photodetectors. The normal intensity distribution over the line without correction is also a Gaussian distribution due to the Gaussian intensity distribution within the laser beam cross section. Fixing this is the task of the optics described here.

0208Each of the n photodetector rows is in the examples<figref idref="f0018 f0019 f0020 f0021 f0022">Figs. 18 to 22</figref> assigned to exactly one laser.

0209Instead, however, each of the n lasers can also illuminate r photodetector rows by means of reflection in the vehicle environment by defocusing. The number of possible photodetector rows is then r+n. In this case, it makes sense then to use (n+r) xq photodetectors, which are organized in r+n photodetector rows. Exactly r photodetector rows are then assigned to each of the n lasers.

0210Multi-segment lenses can also be used instead of defocusing.

0211The n lasers are preferably arranged within the laser module in a one-dimensional laser array perpendicular to the expansion plane of the photodetector rows.

0212For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that, for reasons of space, n=4 lasers per laser module are assumed elsewhere in this document in order to simplify the presentation.

0213<figref idref="f0019">19</figref> shows the first lens without correction polynomials. Only the parameters B2 and B3 are different from 0. The equations are accordingly:<maths id="math0008"><math display="block"><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mn>0</mn><mi mathvariant="normal">Y</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>signature</mi><mfenced><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mn>0</mn><mi mathvariant="normal">Y</mi></mfenced><mo>*</mo><mi>square</mi><mfenced><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mn>0</mn><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">Y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>−</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mspace width="1ex" /><mi>and</mi><mspace width="1ex" /><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">i.e</mi><mo>.</mo></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0008.tif" /></maths>

0214How based on<figref idref="f0019">19</figref> can be seen, the energy distribution at the edges and especially in the corners deviates significantly from the desired distribution<figref idref="f0018">18</figref> away.

0215<figref idref="f0020">20</figref> shows a lens according to the parameters of the first lens with AR2=0.01, AR3=0.0006, PB2=-0.0085, PB3=0.0008, PB4=0, PB6=0, PC2=0, PC3=0. The equations are now:<maths id="math0009"><math display="block"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>RY</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>−</mo><mi>signature</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi></mfenced><mo>*</mo><mi>square</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>−</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mrow><mi>with</mi><mspace width="1ex" /><mi>RY</mi></mrow><mo>=</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mn>0</mn><mi mathvariant="normal">Y</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mrow><mspace width="1ex" /><mi>and</mi><mspace width="1ex" /><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi></mrow><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">i.e</mi><mo>.</mo></mtd></mtr></mtable></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0009.tif" /></maths>

0216<figref idref="f0021">21</figref> shows a lens according to the parameters of the second lens with AR2=0.01, AR3=0.0005, PB2=-0.015, PB3=0.0015, PB4=-0.000024, PB6=0, PC2=0, PC3=0. The equations are now:<maths id="math0010"><math display="block"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>RY</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>−</mo><mi>signature</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi></mfenced><mo>*</mo><mi>square</mi><mfenced><msup><mi>RY</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>−</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>*</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>4</mn></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mrow><mi>with</mi><mspace width="1ex" /><mi>RY</mi></mrow><mo>=</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mn>0</mn><mi mathvariant="normal">Y</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mrow><mspace width="1ex" /><mi>and</mi><mspace width="1ex" /><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi></mrow><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">i.e</mi><mo>.</mo></mtd></mtr></mtable></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0010.tif" /></maths>

0217The distribution of the energy is almost optimal.

0218<figref idref="f0022">22</figref> shows a lens according to the parameters of the third lens with AR2=0.028, AR3=-0.0028, PB2=-0.0115, PB3=0.00038, PB4=-0.000034, PB6=0.00000013, PC2=0.028, PC3=-0.0032. The equations are now:<maths id="math0011"><math display="block"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>RY</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>−</mo><mi>signature</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi></mfenced><mo>*</mo><mi>square</mi><mfenced><msup><mi>RY</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>−</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mi>PB</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>4</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>6</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mrow><mi>with</mi><mspace width="1ex" /><mi>RY</mi></mrow><mo>=</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mn>0</mn><mi mathvariant="normal">Y</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mrow><mspace width="1ex" /><mi>and</mi><mspace width="1ex" /><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi></mrow><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mfenced><mi mathvariant="normal">i.e</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mfenced><mo>.</mo></mtd></mtr></mtable></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0011.tif" /></maths>

0219Again<figref idref="f0022">22</figref> can be seen, the distribution is now almost optimal and the errors are negligible in the real case.

0220In various technical applications, laser diodes or light-emitting diodes are controlled by driver circuits, typically using short high-current pulses. With short switching times, high currents flow in the driver circuits. High-current capable CMOS transistors with low drain-source resistance used in the driver circuits extend over large areas, which limits the switching speed due to the limited propagation speed of the gate signal. A LIDAR system is an example of an application.

0221In a self-similar structure according to the invention of a driver circuit of the type described above, the object is achieved according to the invention in that the driver circuit and pre-driver are divided into blocks which each contain a small part of the driver transistor with the corresponding pre-driver. Driver circuit and pre-driver in a block are dimensioned in such a way that the desired switching time is achieved within the block. In order to achieve the desired driver current strength, several blocks are connected together and a further stage of the pre-driver is added. This interconnection of the individual blocks takes place in a self-similar structure according to the invention, as explained below. The gate signal is fed to the sub-blocks in a balanced manner in order to achieve simultaneous switching. By nesting hierarchically structured pre-drivers and driver circuits as well as direct connection of all critical networks via the top of the chip and balanced signal wiring, the presented architecture enables massively scalable high-current switches based on self-similar substructures with consistently high switching speeds.

0222The subdivision of the driver circuit into individual blocks, referred to below as basic structures, and the combination of these basic structures to form a self-similar structure is explained in more detail with reference to the figures. For a simpler presentation, no distinction is made between driver circuit and pre-driver in the following and, for the sake of simplicity, only the term driver is used.

0223Basic structure in the sense of this description refers to that structure which constantly recurs in a similar manner in a self-similar structure at different scales and nestings.

0224The inventive concept of nesting an always consistent design of the interconnection of each output of a single driver circuit of a stage with the inputs of the single driver circuits of the next stage (both at layout and at circuit level) has the advantage that the length of the circuit path from the input of the single driver circuit from the first stage to the outputs of each individual driver circuit of the last stage is always the same. The course and structure of these signal paths is also similar or symmetrical or point-symmetrical in groups, so that overall the same parasiticities such as parasitic inductances and parasitic ohmic resistances and possibly parasitic capacitances also result. All of this ensures that the comparatively large control electrode field of a power transistor is simultaneously supplied with the drive signal in a large number of individual sub-areas, which in turn is preferably generated digitally and is electrically stabilized as a result of the large number of steps in each sub-area of ​​the control electrode surface. This is ensured in particular by the implementation of the individual driver circuits as digital inverter circuits.

0225The concept presented here includes circuit-level self-similarity and layout-level self-similarity. Both types of self-similarity are claimed here, each separately and jointly.

0226<figref idref="f0024">24</figref> shows in simplified form the self-similarity of the circuit architecture on which the basic concept of the invention is based on the basis of the circuit diagram and the circuit layout. The<figref idref="f0024">24</figref> includes six<figref idref="f0024">Figs. 24(a) to 24(f)</figref>, which are explained below. The three<figref idref="f0024">Figs. 24(a) to 24(c)</figref> on the left show simplified the concept of self-similar structure on schematic page. The three<figref idref="f0024">Figs. 24(d) to 24(f)</figref> on the right show simplified the concept of self-similar structure on the corresponding layout page.

0227The<figref idref="f0024">24(a)</figref> shows the exemplary circuit diagram of a first structure B0'. The first structure B0' has a first connection S0 of the first structure B0' and a second connection G0 of the first structure B0' and a third connection GND0 of the first structure B0'. The first structure B0' comprises a first part I0 of a first driver and a first part M0 of a first field effect transistor. The first part I0 of the first driver has a first and a second connection. The first part M0 of the first field effect transistor has a gate connection and a drain connection and a source connection. The first connection S0 of the first basic structure B0' is electrically conductively connected to the drain connection of the first part M0 of the first field effect transistor. The third connection GND0 of the first structure B0' is electrically conductively connected to the source connection of the first part M0 of the first field effect transistor. The second connection G0 of the first structure B0' is electrically conductively connected to the first connection of the first part I0 of the first driver. The second connection of the first part I0 of the first driver is electrically conductively connected to the gate connection of the first part M0 of the first field effect transistor.

0228The<figref idref="f0024">Fig. 24(d)</figref> accordingly shows the simplified layout representation of the first structure B0'. The first part M0 of the first field effect transistor and the first part I0 of the first driver are shown as adjacent rectangles.

0229<figref idref="f0024">Fig. 24(b)</figref> shows the exemplary combination of n structures B0 'of<figref idref="f0024">24(a)</figref> to a first basic structure B1'. The variable n stands for a natural number greater than 1. n is preferably equal to 4. The first basic structure B1′ has a first connection S1 of the first basic structure B1′ and a second connection G1 of the first basic structure B1′ and a third connection GND1 of the first Basic structure B1 'on. The first basic structure B1' includes n structures B0'. The n first connections S0<1;n> of the n structures B0' are electrically conductively connected to the first connection S1 of the first basic structure B1'.

0230The n third connections GND0<1;n> of the n structures B0' are electrically conductively connected to the third connection GND1 of the first basic structure B1'.

0231The first basic structure B1' includes a first part I1 of a second driver. The first part I1 of the second driver has a first connection and a second connection.

0232The first connection of the first part I1 of the second driver is electrically conductively connected to the second connection G1 of the first basic structure B1′. The second connection of the first part I1 of the second driver is electrically conductively connected to the n second connections GO<1;n> of the n structures B0′.

0233<figref idref="f0024">Fig. 24(e)</figref> shows a simplified layout representation of the first basic structure B1'. The first basic structure B1' here includes four structures B0' and the first part I1 of the second driver. The adjacent positioning of parts of the first driver forms another part of the first driver or the entire first driver. A further part of the first field effect transistor or the entire first field effect transistor is formed by the adjacent positioning of parts of the first field effect transistor.

0234<figref idref="f0024">24(c)</figref> shows the combination of n first basic structures B1 'of<figref idref="f0024">Fig. 24(b)</figref> to a first self-similar structure B2'. The variable n stands for a natural number greater than 1. n is preferably equal to 4. The first self-similar structure B2' has a first connection S2 of the first self-similar structure B2' and a second connection G2 of the first self-similar structure B2' and a third connection GND2 of the first self-similar structure B2'. The first self-similar structure B2' comprises n first structures B1'. The n first connections S1<1;n> of the n first basic structures B1' are electrically conductively connected to the first connection S1 of the first self-similar structure B2'. The n third connections GND1<1;n> of the n first basic structures B1' are electrically conductively connected to the third connection GND2 of the first self-similar structure B2'.

0235The first self-similar structure B2' comprises a first part I2 of a third driver. The first part I3 of the third driver has a first connection and a second connection.

0236The first connection of the first part I2 of the third driver is electrically conductively connected to the second connection G2 of the first self-similar structure B2'. The second connection of the first part I3 of the third driver is electrically conductively connected to the n second connections G1<1;n> of the n first basic structures B1′.

0237<figref idref="f0024">Fig. 24(f)</figref> shows a simplified layout representation of the first self-similar structure B2'. The first self-similar structure B2' here includes four first basic structures B1' and the first part I2 of the third driver. The adjacent positioning of parts of the first driver forms another part of the first driver or the entire first driver. A further part of the first field effect transistor or the entire first field effect transistor is formed by the adjacent positioning of parts of the first field effect transistor.

0238The extension to larger self-similar structures based on the first self-similar structure B2' and its smallest self-similar unit, the first basic structure B1', can be continued at will.

0239With further simplification of the representation of the layout, the self-similarity of the structure and the division of the drivers and transistors into different blocks becomes even more obvious.

0240<figref idref="f0025">25(a)</figref> shows on the left side a simplified layout of a basic structure of the self-similar structure according to the invention as a stick layout. In<figref idref="f0025">Fig. 25(b)</figref> it is shown how further basic structures are combined so that ultimately the self-similar structure according to the invention results.

0241In the<figref idref="f0025">25</figref> driver parts are shown simplified as black dots. Driver part within the meaning of this invention refers to a part of a driver that is functional on its own. A driver can therefore be divided into a number of driver parts that may be spatially separate from one another and which, because of their arrangement in the self-similar structure according to the invention, together provide the same functionality as a driver that is not spatially divided. In this description, the terms "driver part" and "part of a driver" are used synonymously.

0242Parts of field effect transistors are in<figref idref="f0025">Fig. 25(b)</figref> shown in simplified form as rectangular, dotted areas F1, F2, F3, F4. Field effect transistor part in the context of this invention refers to a part of a field effect transistor that is functional on its own. A field effect transistor can therefore be divided into several field effect transistor parts which may be spatially separated from one another and which, because of their arrangement in the self-similar structure according to the invention, together provide the same functionality as a field effect transistor which is not spatially divided. In this description, the terms "field effect transistor part" and "part of a field effect transistor" are used synonymously.

0243First, the in<figref idref="f0025">25(a)</figref> shown basic structure described. A first driver part T1 is electrically conductively connected to a second line L2 via a first line L1. The first line L1 and the second line L2 are perpendicular to each other. The connection point of the first line L1 and the second line L2 is in the middle of the route of the second line L2. The second line L2 electrically conductively connects a second driver part T2 and a third driver part T3 to one another. The second driver part T2 and the third driver part T3 are arranged symmetrically to the connection point of the first line L1 and the second line L2.

0244The first driver part T1 is electrically conductively connected to a fourth line L4 via a third line L3. In this example, the third line L3 and the fourth line L4 run at right angles to one another. The connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4 is at the midpoint of the route of the fourth line L4. The fourth line L4 electrically conductively connects a fourth driver part T4 and a fifth driver part T5 to one another. The fourth driver part T4 and the fifth driver part T5 are arranged symmetrically to the connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4.

0245The first driver part T1 is thus in the center of an imaginary rectangle, at whose corners the second driver part T2 and the third driver part T3 and the fourth driver part T4 and the fifth driver part T5 are placed.

0246The basic structure described can be continued as described below, with more and more such basic structures being created. This is based on the<figref idref="f0025">Fig. 25(b)</figref> explained. The fifth driver part T5 of the basic structure described is here in the geometric center of another basic structure. The fifth driver part T5 is electrically conductively connected to a sixth line L6 via a fifth line L5. The fifth line L5 and the sixth line L6 are arranged at right angles to each other. The junction of the fifth line L5 and the sixth line L6 is at the midpoint of the sixth line L6. The sixth line L6 electrically conductively connects a sixth driver part T6 and a seventh driver part T7 to one another. The sixth driver part T6 and the seventh driver part T7 are arranged symmetrically to the connection point of the fifth line L5 and the sixth line L6.

0247The fifth driver part T5 is electrically conductively connected to an eighth line L8 via a seventh line L7. The seventh line L7 and the eighth line L8 are arranged at right angles to each other. The connection point of the seventh line L7 and the eighth line L8 is in the middle of the eighth line L8. The eighth line L8 electrically conductively connects an eighth driver part T8 and a ninth driver part T9 to one another. The eighth driver part T8 and the ninth driver part T9 are arranged symmetrically to the connection point of the seventh line L7 and the eighth line L8.

0248Thus, in this new basic structure, the fifth driver part T5 is now in the center of a rectangle at the corners of which the sixth driver part T6 and the seventh driver part T7 and the eighth driver part T8 and the ninth driver part T9 are placed. Correspondingly, any other driver part that is located at a corner point of such a rectangle can also be the center of another basic structure. The first driver part T1 could likewise lie on the corner point of such a rectangle of a further basic structure (not shown).

0249In addition, each driver part that lies on the corner point of such a rectangle, i.e. the second driver part T2 or the third driver part T3 or the fourth driver part T4 or the fifth driver part T5 or the sixth driver part T6 or the seventh driver part T7 or the eighth driver part T8 or the ninth driver part T9, be electrically conductively connected to four field effect transistor parts.

0250In<figref idref="f0025">Fig. 25(b)</figref> this is shown on the basis of the second driver part T2. The second driver part T2 is electrically conductively connected to a first field effect transistor part F1 and to a second field effect transistor part F2 and to a third field effect transistor part F3 and to a fourth field effect transistor part F4. In this case, the first field effect transistor part F1 lies above the third field effect transistor part F3 and to the left of the second field effect transistor part F2. The fourth field effect transistor part F4 is below the second field effect transistor part F2 and to the right of the third field effect transistor part F3. The second driver part T2 is thus in the center of the rectangle formed by the four field effect transistor parts F1, F2, F3, F4.

0251The four field effect transistor parts F1, F2, F3, F4 together form a field effect transistor as a common functional unit. In order to prevent a field effect transistor with a low drain-source resistance from spreading over large areas, the field effect transistor was correspondingly divided into four field effect transistor parts F1, F2, F3, F4. Similarly, the drivers are divided into the driver parts described.

0252<figref idref="f0026">26</figref> shows a simplified representation of the self-similarity of the circuit layout on which the invention is based. Driver parts are simplified as black dots. Parts of field effect transistors are shown in simplified form as rectangular, dotted areas.<figref idref="f0026">26</figref> now shows a more comprehensive combination of the in<figref idref="f0025">25</figref> described basic structures into a larger self-similar structure. After the in<figref idref="f0025">25</figref> According to the principle described, such a basic structure could be added to each driver part and the self-similar structure shown could be continued as desired. The field effect transistor parts are only shown here as examples for some basic structures and could also be supplemented with other basic structures.

0253The<figref idref="f0026">26</figref> shows the top view of a layout of the self-similar structure according to the invention. It can be seen here that only one metallization layer is required since all electrically conductive connections are in the same plane. A signal is fed in at a first signal connection DP. The first signal connection DP is preferably electrically conductively connected to a driver part, which lies in the geometric center of the self-similar structure. In this way, the balanced signal wiring resulting from the symmetry of the basic structure or the self-similar structure is utilized.

0254Such a self-similar structure of a driver circuit, in which drivers and transistors are split in an interleaved manner, allows, at least in some implementations, an increase in the maximum achievable switching speed compared to circuits with discrete components and compared to integrated circuits with non-nested and/or non-self-similar structured drivers. The self-similar structure of a driver circuit according to the invention can therefore be used in all applications that benefit from short switching times at high currents. The interleaved drivers and pre-drivers can be fabricated on a die using the CMOS process, allowing for monolithic driver ICs with additional CMOS-standard functions (digital configuration, integrated pulse shaping and diagnostic circuits). Compared to a CMOS architecture with separate driver and pre-driver blocks, the interleaved architecture according to the invention scales better, while achieving faster rise times and more compact system solutions than with discrete structures.

0255However, the advantages are not limited to this. In particular, the driver circuit described above is not limited to use for the pulsed operation of a light-emitting diode or laser diode or, for example, limited to the use of such a pulsed operation in a LIDAR device. The pulsed operation of the transistor can also be used in a switching power supply, a DC-DC converter and wherever steep rising edges of electrical signals are to be generated.

0256The driver circuit has been explained above using terms such as "driver part" and "field effect transistor part". These terms are equivalent to single driver circuit (as driver part) and single transistor (as field effect transistor part). In<figref idref="f0026">26</figref> is with GSA the overall control connection of the transistor T_dis designated. This total control connection has a total control connection area GF, which is divided into a large number of individual control connection areas GFE for individual transistors (not shown) of the transistor T_dis is regularly divided. Four of these individual control connection areas or four individual control connections ESA are assigned to the four outputs of an individual driver circuit T1 to T9 (see, for example, the individual driver circuits T2 and T9 in<figref idref="f0026">26</figref>, whose outputs are connected to the four individual transistors corresponding to F1 to F4).

0257In<figref idref="f0025">25(a)</figref> For example, the penultimate stage of the driver circuit is shown. In<figref idref="f0025">Fig. 25(b)</figref> is then shown the last stage of the driver circuit, and only for the outgoing T5 driver circuit structure, for example, the lower right corner of the<figref idref="f0026">26</figref> corresponds.

0258How in particular based on<figref idref="f0026">26</figref> As can be seen, the driver circuit shown there has four stages, with the circular dot connected to the terminal DP showing the individual driver circuit of the first stage and the individual driver circuits corresponding to the circular dots T6, T7, T8 and T9 (see also<figref idref="f0025">25</figref>) showing the last stage single driver circuits. In the embodiment of<figref idref="f0025">Figs. 25</figref> and<figref idref="f0026">26</figref> H-shaped structures decrease from level to level. The advantage of this regular arrangement of self-similar structures is that the signal paths, starting from the connection DP to the individual driver circuits of the fourth stage, are always of the same length and are also always of the same or similar circuit design. this is in<figref idref="f0026">26</figref> illustrated by two dashed lines, which, starting from the connection DP, lead to different single driver circuits of the fourth stage.

0259Due to the special design of the nesting of the individual driver stages of the driver circuit, it is possible to provide the driver circuit, which is designed using digital circuit technology, with a large number of digital outputs, which are now evenly distributed over the comparatively large electrode of the power transistor, which is designed using analog circuit technology at which digital output signals are output at the same time when a signal is applied to the input of the driver circuit. Each digital output signal now "supplies" a single control terminal area of ​​an individual transistor, with all individual transistors now switching simultaneously and the overall transistor thus quickly and effectively generating a current pulse which is highly energetic and causes the laser to generate a powerful light pulse.

0260The invention advantageously has at least one or some of the feature groups mentioned below or one or some of the features of one or more of the feature groups mentioned below:<ol id="ol0002" compact="compact"><li>1. laser module<ul id="ul0028" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with a linear laser array of n lasers,</li><li>with a linear capacitor array of n capacitors,</li><li>with a control switch,</li><li>with n charging circuits,</li><li>where n is a positive integer greater than 2 and</li><li>wherein a capacitor of the capacitor array has a first terminal and a second terminal and</li><li>wherein a charging circuit of the n charging circuits can selectively charge one of the n capacitors, hereinafter referred to as the capacitor associated with this charging circuit, via a charging line inductance associated with this charging circuit and this capacitor, and the first terminal of this capacitor and</li><li>each capacitor of the n capacitors being assigned a laser of the n lasers as the laser assigned to this capacitor and</li><li>wherein the control switch discharges that capacitor of the n capacitors which is charged via the laser associated with this capacitor and a discharge line inductance which is arranged between the laser and the first terminal of this capacitor and which is associated with this capacitor and this laser, and</li><li>this assigned laser then only emits a laser pulse when the capacitor assigned to this laser was charged, and the control switch connects the laser to a reference potential and</li><li>wherein the value of the charge line inductance associated with a capacitor is greater than the value of the discharge line inductance associated with that capacitor and</li><li>the value of the inductance between the laser and the drive switch and the value of the inductance between the drive switch and the reference potential being smaller than the value of the charging line inductance and smaller than the value of the discharge feed line inductance.</li></ul></li><li>2. Laser module according to number 1,<ul id="ul0029" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with an integrated circuit</li><li>wherein the cathodes of the n lasers of the linear laser array of n lasers are bonded together wirelessly to form a star point and</li><li>wherein the drive switch is part of the integrated circuit and</li><li>wherein the control switch is bond-wirelessly connected to the star point.</li></ul></li><li>3. Laser module after one or more of the two preceding digits<ul id="ul0030" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with an integrated circuit in a monolithic crystal with an active surface,</li><li>the n charging circuits being part of the active surface of the integrated circuit and</li><li>wherein, in parallel with the laser linear array of n lasers, the linear capacitor array of n capacitors is mounted on the active surface of the monolithic crystal of the integrated circuit in parallel with each other and</li><li>wherein the first terminal of the capacitor of the linear capacitor array is connected to the anode of the laser of the linear laser array associated with this capacitor by a multiple bond with a first bonding wire length and</li><li>wherein the second connections of the n capacitors of the capacitor array are connected together to form a second star point and</li><li>wherein the second star point is connected to a reference potential contact on the active surface of the crystal of the integrated circuit with a plurality of bond wires with a second bond wire length and</li><li>wherein the first terminal of the capacitor is connected to the charging circuit assigned to this capacitor via a bonding wire with a third bonding wire length, which crosses the second star point, and</li><li>wherein the third bond wire length is longer than the second bond wire length and</li><li>wherein the second bond wire length is longer than the first bond wire length.</li></ul></li><li>4. LIDAR system<ul id="ul0031" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with a linear laser array of n lasers and</li><li>with a linear photodetector array of m photodetectors and</li><li>with a control circuit for the n lasers and</li><li>with a receiving circuit for the m photodetectors and</li><li>with an evaluation circuit for the measurement signals of the m receiving circuits and</li><li>with a Powell lens, or a functionally equivalent optics, which is included in the following by the term Powell lens,</li><li>with a second optics, hereinafter referred to as receiver lens,</li><li>each laser emitting a laser beam when energized with electric current and</li><li>wherein the Powell lens expands such a laser beam to form a light fan with a light fan plane and a fan origin point and</li><li>wherein the n lasers generate n laser beams, the n light fans of which are tilted perpendicularly to their respective fan plane around a substantially common fan origin point</li><li>wherein the receiver lens deforms the m receiving lobes of the m photodetectors into m receiving fans, each having a receiving fan plane, and</li><li>wherein each receiving fan plane of the receiving fan planes is not parallel to the laser fan plane and</li><li>in particular, each receiving fan level of the receiving fan levels is perpendicular to the laser fan level,</li><li>wherein the control circuit causes a laser of the n lasers to emit a laser light pulse at a transmission time and</li><li>wherein the m photodetectors and their respective receiving circuits detect the respective reflected light of this respective laser pulse and the respective reception time within their respective reception fan and</li><li>wherein the respective receiving circuit forwards the respective measured value for the time of receipt of the respective laser pulse at the respective photodiode to the evaluation circuit and</li><li>wherein the evaluation circuit creates a three-dimensional pixel cloud from the angle of the laser fan of the respective laser pulse and the angle of the respective reception fan of the respective photodetector and the respective reception time of the respective laser pulse at the respective photodetector based on the respective transmission time.</li></ul></li><li>5. LIDAR system according to the preceding paragraph,<ul id="ul0032" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>where the n surface normals of the n light fans are angular distances (a_1,2, a_2,3, a_3,4, until a_n-2,n-1, a_n-1,n) which are essentially the same between any two adjacent light fans.</li></ul></li><li>6. LIDAR system according to one or more of the two preceding digits with a laser module according to one or more of digits 1 to 3.</li><li>7. driver circuit, where<ul id="ul0033" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>the drivers I0, I1, I2 and transistors M0, T1 to T9 are divided into blocks B0', B1', B2' and</li><li>the interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' is a self-similar structure.</li></ul></li><li>8th. driver circuit, where<ul id="ul0034" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>the drivers I0, I1, I2 and transistors M0, T1 to T9 are divided into blocks B0', B1', B2' and</li><li>the interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' is a self-similar structure at the circuit level.</li></ul></li><li>9. driver circuit, where<ul id="ul0035" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>the drivers I0, I1, I2 and transistors M0, T1 to T9 are divided into blocks B0', B1', B2' and</li><li>the interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' is a self-similar structure at the layout level.</li></ul></li><li>10 Driver circuit comprising<ul id="ul0036" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a first driver part T1 and</li><li>a second driver part T2 and</li><li>a third driver part T3 and</li><li>a fourth driver part T4 and</li><li>a fifth driver part T5 and</li><li>a first line L1 and</li><li>a second line L2 and</li><li>a third line L3 and</li><li>a fourth line L4 and</li><li>the first driver part T1 being electrically conductively connected to the second line L2 via the first line L1, and</li><li>wherein the first line L1 and the second line L2 are perpendicular to each other and wherein the junction of the first line L1 and the second line L2 is at the midpoint of the second line L2 and</li><li>wherein the second line L2 electrically conductively connects the second driver part T2 and the third driver part T3 to one another and</li><li>wherein the second driver part T2 and the third driver part T3 are arranged symmetrically to the connection point of the first line L1 and the second line L2 and</li><li>the first driver part T1 being electrically conductively connected to the fourth line L4 via the third line L3, and</li><li>wherein the third line L3 and the fourth line L4 are perpendicular to each other and</li><li>wherein the connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4 lies in the midpoint of the route of the fourth line L4 and</li><li>wherein the fourth line L4 electrically conductively connects the fourth driver part T4 and the fifth driver part T5 to one another and</li><li>wherein the fourth driver part T4 and the fifth driver part T5 are arranged symmetrically to the connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4 and</li><li>wherein each driver part T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 can be electrically conductively connected to transistor parts and</li><li>wherein each driver part T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 can simultaneously also be part of a further, identically constructed driver circuit, so that the combination of these driver circuits is a self-similar structure.</li></ul></li><li>11. LIDAR system, wherein it has at least one driver circuit according to one or more of the numbers 1 to 4 for driving at least one laser diode or one light-emitting diode LD.</li><li>12. Integrated electrical circuit with<ul id="ul0037" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>Drivers I0, I1, I2 and</li><li>Transistors N0, T1 to T9,</li><li>the drivers I0, I1, I2 and transistors N0, T1 to T9 being divided into individual blocks B0', B1', B2' interconnected with one another and the interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' forming a self-similar structure.</li></ul></li><li>13. Integrated electrical circuit according to number 12, wherein the interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' forms a self-similar structure at the circuit level.</li><li>14 Integrated electrical circuit according to number 12, wherein the interconnection of the individual blocks B0', B1', B2' forms a self-similar structure at the layout level.</li><li>15 Integrated electrical circuit according to one of the numbers 12 to 14, wherein the self-similar structure has a first driver part T1 with an input and an output, a second driver part T2 with an input and an output, a third driver part T3 with an input and an output, a fourth driver part T4 with an input and an output and a fifth driver part T5 with an input and an output and a straight first line L1 extending from the output of the first driver part T1, a straight second line running perpendicular to the first line L1 L2, extending from the output of the first driver part T1 in the opposite direction to the direction in which the first line L1 extends, has a straight third line L3 and a straight fourth line L4 running at right angles to the third line L3 and thus parallel to the second line L2,<ul id="ul0038" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the first line L1 is connected to the second line L2 and its connection point is at the midpoint of the route of the second line L2,</li><li>wherein the second line L2 connects the inputs of the second driver part T2 and the third driver part T3 to one another, whereby the second driver part T2 and the third driver part T3 are arranged symmetrically to the connection point of the first line L1 and the second line L2,</li><li>wherein the third line L3 is connected to the fourth line L3 and its connection point is at the midpoint of the route of the fourth line L4,</li><li>wherein the fourth line L4 connects the inputs of the fourth driver part T4 and the fifth driver part T5 with one another, whereby the fourth driver part T4 and the fifth driver part T5 are arranged symmetrically to the connection point of the third line L3 and the fourth line L4, and</li><li>wherein the first driver portion T1 is midway between the junction of the first line L1 with the second line L2 and the junction of the third line L3 with the fourth line L4.</li></ul></li><li>16 Integrated electrical circuit according to number 15, wherein the first line L1 is designed as two first line sections running parallel to one another, from which two second line sections extend in opposite directions, one first line section and one second line section connecting the output of the first driver part T1 to the input of the second driver part T2 and the other first line section and the other second line section connecting the output of the first driver part T1 to the input of the third driver part T3, and that the third line is designed as two third line sections running parallel to one another, from which two fourth line sections extend in opposite directions, one third line section and one fourth line section connecting the output of the first driver part T1 to the input of the fourth driver part T4, and the other third line section and the other fourth line section connecting the output of the first driver part T1 connects to the input of the fifth driver part T5.</li><li>17 Integrated electrical circuit according to number 15 or 16, wherein each of the second, third, fourth and fifth driver parts T2, T3, T4, T5 is connected to at least one transistor part M0, T1 to T9 or to a group of point-symmetrically said driver parts T2, T3, T4, T5 arranged transistor parts M0, T1 to T9 is connected.</li><li>18 An integrated electric circuit according to paragraph 15 or 16, wherein each of the second, third, fourth and fifth driver parts T2, T3, T4, T5 comprises the first driver part of a further group of five driver parts T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and four lines L1 , L2, L3, L4, which are designed, arranged and connected in accordance with Section 4.</li><li>19 LIDAR system with<ul id="ul0039" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>at least one diode in the form of a laser or light emitting diode and</li><li>a driver circuit for pulsed activation of the at least one diode,</li><li>wherein the driver circuit is formed according to one or more of the preceding digits.</li></ul></li><li>20 laser module<ul id="ul0040" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with a linear laser array of n lasers, where n is a positive integer,</li><li>with a linear capacitor array of n capacitors with a control switch,</li><li>with n charging circuits,</li><li>where n is a positive integer greater than 2 and</li><li>wherein a capacitor of the capacitor array has a first terminal and a second terminal and</li><li>wherein a charging circuit of the n charging circuits can selectively charge one of the n capacitors, hereinafter referred to as the capacitor associated with this charging circuit, via a charging line inductance associated with this charging circuit and this capacitor, and the first terminal of this capacitor and</li><li>each capacitor of the n capacitors being assigned a laser of the n lasers as the laser assigned to this capacitor and</li><li>wherein the control switch discharges that capacitor of the n capacitors which is charged via the laser associated with this capacitor and a discharge line inductance which is arranged between the laser and the first terminal of this capacitor and which is associated with this capacitor and this laser, and</li><li>this assigned laser then only emits a laser pulse when the capacitor assigned to this laser was charged, and the control switch connects the laser to a reference potential and</li><li>wherein the value of the charge line inductance associated with a capacitor is greater than the value of the discharge line inductance associated with that capacitor and</li><li>the value of the inductance between the laser and the drive switch and the value of the inductance between the drive switch and the reference potential being smaller than the value of the charging line inductance and smaller than the value of the discharge feed line inductance.</li></ul></li><li>21 Laser module after the preceding digit<ul id="ul0041" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with an integrated circuit</li><li>wherein the cathodes of the n lasers of the linear laser array of n lasers are bonded together wirelessly to form a star point and</li><li>wherein the drive switch is part of the integrated circuit and</li><li>wherein the control switch is bond-wirelessly connected to the star point.</li></ul></li><li>22 Laser module after one or more of the two preceding digits<ul id="ul0042" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with an integrated circuit in a monolithic crystal with an active surface,</li><li>the n charging circuits being part of the active surface of the integrated circuit and</li><li>wherein, in parallel with the laser linear array of n lasers, the linear capacitor array of n capacitors is mounted on the active surface of the monolithic crystal of the integrated circuit in parallel with each other and</li><li>wherein the first terminal of the capacitor of the linear capacitor array is connected to the anode of the laser of the linear laser array associated with this capacitor by a multiple bond with a first bonding wire length and</li><li>wherein the second connections of the n capacitors of the capacitor array are connected together to form a second star point and</li><li>wherein the second star point is connected to a reference potential contact on the active surface of the crystal of the integrated circuit with a plurality of bond wires with a second bond wire length and</li><li>wherein the first terminal of the capacitor is connected to the charging circuit assigned to this capacitor via a bonding wire with a third bonding wire length, which crosses the second star point, and</li><li>wherein the third bond wire length is longer than the second bond wire length and</li><li>wherein the second bond wire length is longer than the first bond wire length.</li></ul></li><li>23 laser module<ul id="ul0043" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with a linear laser array of n lasers, where n is a positive integer,</li><li>wherein the n-lasers are mounted on a module carrier and/or a driver IC and</li><li>wherein each laser beam of each laser has a laser beam axis and</li><li>wherein all laser beam axes and/or at least two laser beam axes intersect at one point.</li></ul></li><li>24 Combination of p laser modules, with p as a positive integer,<ul id="ul0044" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>each comprising a laser linear array of n lasers, where n is a positive integer, and</li><li>where the lasers of each module can be numbered in the same way and</li><li>wherein each laser beam of each laser has a laser beam axis and</li><li>where all laser beam axes of the kth laser, with 0&lt;k≤n, of all p laser modules intersect in one point and/or</li><li>where the laser beam axes of the kth laser, with 0&lt;k≤n, of at least two of the p laser modules intersect at one point.</li></ul></li><li>25 Combination of p laser modules, with p as a positive integer,<ul id="ul0045" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>each comprising a laser linear array of n lasers, where n is a positive integer, and</li><li>wherein each laser beam of each laser of each module has a laser beam axis and</li><li>where all pxn laser beam axes of all pxn lasers of all p laser modules intersect at one point and/or</li><li>where at least two laser beam axes of at least two lasers of the pxn lasers of all p laser modules intersect at one point.</li></ul></li><li>26 Driver IC for a laser module according to one or more of items 20 to 23 or for an assembly of laser modules according to item 24 or 25,<ul id="ul0046" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the driver IC has a rectangular shape and</li><li>wherein the driver IC has two narrow sides and two long sides as edges and</li><li>wherein the driver IC has contacts or a contact DisC on a first edge of the rectangle of its shape, which is a narrow side, which are intended and suitable for contacting one or more rear side contacts of lasers,</li><li>wherein the IC has contacts VDDA, GNDA, VDDD, GNDD, VDDP, GNDP, VDDH, GND on its second edge of the rectangle of its shape, which is a narrow side, which are the power supply of the driver ICs and/or said lasers D1 to Dn and/or associated energy stores C1 to Cn are used and</li><li>wherein the first edge is opposite the second edge.</li></ul></li><li>27 Driver IC according to clause 26,<ul id="ul0047" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the driver IC has on a third edge of the driver IC, which is a long side, at least one transfer contact for a signal that can be passed on to other driver ICs and</li><li>wherein the driver IC has another transfer contact electrically connected to the transfer contact at a fourth edge of the driver IC, which is a long side.</li></ul></li><li>28 Driver IC according to paragraph 27, wherein a transfer contact is a contact for a reset signal RES, which puts the driver IC in a defined state.</li><li>29 Driver IC according to paragraph 27, wherein a transfer contact is a contact for a trigger signal TRIG, which causes the driver IC in a predetermined signal state to fire its lasers D1 to Dn if this is required by the system state.</li><li>30 driver IC according to clause 27,<ul id="ul0048" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein one or more transfer contacts are intended for contacting signals of a data bus and</li><li>wherein the one or more transfer contacts on the one edge of the driver IC that is a long side are directly electrically connected to one or more corresponding transfer contacts on the opposite edge of the driver IC that is the opposite long side , or</li><li>wherein the signals of the one or more transfer contacts on the one edge of the driver IC that is a long side before being passed to one or more corresponding transfer contacts on the opposite edge of the driver IC that is the opposite long side , are processed in a sub-device of the driver IC, in particular in a data bus interface.</li></ul></li><li>31 Compilation of laser modules, in particular LIDAR system,<ul id="ul0049" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with several, but at least two laser modules, a first laser module and a second laser module,</li><li>wherein the laser modules have a rectangular shape with two short sides and two long sides and</li><li>where the laser modules are arranged side by side with their long sides and</li><li>wherein the laser modules each have a driver IC according to one or more of the digits 17 to 30 and</li><li>The driver ICs of the laser modules are identical in terms of the transfer contacts used on their driver ICs</li><li>one transfer contact of the driver IC of the first laser module being electrically connected to the corresponding transfer contact of the driver IC of the second laser module by means of a single bonding wire per such transfer contact pair.</li></ul></li><li>32 LIDAR system<ul id="ul0050" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with a linear laser array of n lasers and</li><li>with a linear photodetector array of m photodetectors and</li><li>with a control circuit for the n lasers and</li><li>with a receiving circuit for the m photodetectors and</li><li>with an evaluation circuit for the measurement signals of the m receiving circuits and</li><li>with a Powell lens, or a functionally equivalent optics, which is included in the following by the term Powell lens,</li><li>with a second optics, hereinafter referred to as receiver lens,</li><li>each laser emitting a laser beam when energized with electric current and</li><li>wherein the Powell lens expands such a laser beam to form a light fan with a light fan plane and a fan origin point and</li><li>wherein the n lasers generate n laser beams, the n light fans of which are tilted perpendicularly to their respective fan plane around a substantially common fan origin point</li><li>wherein the receiver lens deforms the m receiving lobes of the m photodetectors into m receiving fans, each having a receiving fan plane, and</li><li>wherein each receiving fan plane of the receiving fan planes is not parallel to the laser fan plane and</li><li>in particular, each receiving fan plane of the receiving fan planes is perpendicular to the laser fan plane</li><li>wherein the control circuit causes a laser of the n lasers to emit a laser light pulse at a transmission time and</li><li>wherein the m photodetectors and their respective receiving circuits detect the respective reflected light of this respective laser pulse and the respective reception time within their respective reception fan and</li><li>wherein the respective receiving circuit forwards the respective measured value for the time of receipt of the respective laser pulse at the respective photodiode to the evaluation circuit and</li><li>wherein the evaluation circuit creates a three-dimensional pixel cloud from the angle of the laser fan of the respective laser pulse and the angle of the respective reception fan of the respective photodetector and the respective reception time of the respective laser pulse at the respective photodetector based on the respective transmission time.</li></ul></li><li>33 LIDAR system according to the previous number, where the n surface normals of the n light fans are angular distances a_1,2, a_2,3, a_3,4, until a_n-2,n-1, a_n-1,n have which are substantially the same between each two adjacent light fans.</li><li>34 LIDAR system after one or more of the two preceding digits,<ul id="ul0051" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>with a laser module according to one or more of items 20 to 23 and/or with an assembly of laser modules according to item 24 and/or 25 and/or 31 and/or with a driver IC according to one or more of items 26 until 30</li></ul></li><li>35 Capacitor array for a laser module, in particular according to one or more of numbers 20 to 23 and/or for an assembly of laser modules according to number 24 and/or 25 and/or 31 and/or for use together with a driver -IC after one or more of the digits 26 to 30,<ul id="ul0052" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>where the capacitor array is rectangular and</li><li>wherein the capacitor array has a top and a bottom, and</li><li>wherein the capacitor array has n contacts K1' to Kn' lined up along a first edge of the rectangle on the surface of the capacitor array and</li><li>wherein the capacitor array has a further contact KG' extending along a second side of the rectangle on top of the capacitor array, and</li><li>where the second side of the rectangle is opposite the first side of the rectangle and</li><li>wherein the extent of the further contact KG' along the third and fourth sides is shorter than the extent of the contact of the n contacts K1' to Kn' that is closest to the third edge of the rectangle and</li><li>wherein the extent of the further contact KG' along the third and fourth sides is shorter than the extent of the contact of the n contacts K1' to Kn' that is closest to the fourth edge of the rectangle and</li><li>wherein the capacitor array has a rear kseitenkontakt KR, which covers the underside of the capacitor array and</li><li>each of the n contacts K1' to Kn' forming a capacitance C1 to Cn with the rear contact KR and</li><li>the further contact KG' forms a further capacitance CVDD with the rear-side contact KR and the capacitors Ca to Cn and CVDD have a common dielectric which is located between the n contacts K1' to Kn' and the further contact KG' on the one hand and the rear-side contact KR extends.</li></ul></li><li>36 use<ul id="ul0053" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a laser module according to one or more of the numbers 20 to 23 and/or</li><li>a combination of laser modules according to one or more of items 24 and/or 25 and/or 31 and/or</li><li>a driver IC after one or more of the digits 26 to 30 and/or</li><li>a LIDAR system according to one or more of paragraphs 32 to 34 and/or a capacitor array according to paragraph 35</li><li>in a mobile device, wherein the mobile device can be in particular a robot or a missile or a spacecraft or a ship hull or a watercraft or a vehicle or a rail vehicle or aircraft or a spacecraft.</li></ul></li><li>37 use<ul id="ul0054" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a laser module according to one or more of the numbers 20 to 23 and/or</li><li>a combination of laser modules according to one or more of items 24 and/or 25 and/or 31 and/or</li><li>a driver IC after one or more of the digits 26 to 30 and/or</li><li>a LIDAR system according to one or more of paragraphs 32 to 34 and/or a capacitor array according to paragraph 35</li><li>in a device for detecting the shape of an object or a building, or</li><li>in a device for automating processes or</li><li>in a device for three-dimensionally detecting the shape of three-dimensional bodies.</li></ul></li><li>38 lens for use in a LIDAR system,<ul id="ul0055" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the LIDAR system comprises a laser module and</li><li>wherein the laser module comprises a linear laser array of n lasers, where n is a positive integer greater than 1, and</li><li>wherein each of the n-lasers can emit a laser beam with an elliptical or circular intensity cross-section and</li><li>wherein each of the laser beams has a laser beam axis and</li><li>wherein the laser beam axes lie essentially in a common laser beam axis plane with an optical axis and</li><li>wherein the lens expands each of the laser beams in a direction perpendicular to the laser beam axis plane, so that a light fan results for each of the n laser beams in a light fan plane perpendicular to the light beam axis plane and</li><li>wherein the lidar system has a photodetector array and imaging optics and</li><li>the photodetector array having n photodetector rows with m photodetector pixels, where m is a positive integer, and</li><li>wherein the imaging optics images the projection of the laser beam fans in the far field onto an ideally homogeneously white and/or essentially ideally diffusely uniformly and uniformly reflecting projection plane perpendicular to the optical axis in the form of a projection image of the laser beam fans back onto the n photodetector rows as an image image of the laser beam fans and</li><li>the lens being shaped so that with a given imaging optics, the value of the illumination intensity of an associated first section of the image of the projection of a first laser beam fan onto any first photodetector pixel of the photodetector array differs from the value of the illumination intensity of an associated second section of the image of the projection of a second laser beam fan onto any second photodetector pixel of the photodetector array by no more than 10% and/or no more than 5% and/or does not deviate by more than 2% and</li><li>wherein the first portion is different from the second portion and</li><li>wherein the first laser beam fan can be different from the second laser beam fan, but does not have to be, and</li><li>wherein the first photo-pixel is different from the second photo-pixel and</li><li>the lens having a first surface and a second surface opposite thereto, and</li><li>where the first surface is a function of the shape<maths id="math0012"><math display="block"><mtable columnalign="left"><mtr><mtd><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>RY</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>−</mo><mi>signature</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi></mfenced><mo>*</mo><mi>square</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>−</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">y</mi><mn>2</mn></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>4</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>*</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mtd></mtr></mtable></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0012.tif" /></maths> with RY= R0Y+AR2^∗x²+AR3^∗|x³| is described and</li><li>where the second surface is defined by a function of the form z=-(d+PC2*x²+PC3*|x³|) is described and</li><li>where the parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero and</li><li>wherein at least two of the parameters AR2 and/or AR3 and/or PB4 and/or PB6 and/or PC2 and/or PC3 are non-zero.</li></ul></li><li>39 lens after paragraph 38,<ul id="ul0056" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>where the parameters AR2 and AR3 are non-zero and</li><li>at least two of the parameters PB4 and/or PB6 and/or PC2 and/or PC3 being non-zero.</li></ul></li><li>40 lens after paragraph 39,<ul id="ul0057" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>where the parameters PB4 and PB6 are non-zero and</li><li>at least two of the parameters PC2 and/or PC3 being non-zero.</li></ul></li><li>41 The lens of figure 40 wherein the parameters PC2 and PC3 are non-zero. As an alternative to the above or in addition thereto, the invention advantageously has at least one or some of the feature groups mentioned below or one or some of the features of one or more of the feature groups mentioned below:<ol id="ol0003" compact="compact"><li>1. light module with<ul id="ul0058" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a carrier TR provided with a top TRO, in which a circuit die with integrated circuits is arranged,</li><li>wherein the circuit die has a top surface,</li><li>a transistor T formed in the top of the circuit die_dis, especially power transistor,</li><li>where the transistor T_dis has a conduction path LPF that can be switched on or off, with a first end region LPF1 and a second end region LPF2, of which the first end region LPF1 is electrically connected to a first conduction path connection field TAF1 and the second end region LPF2 is electrically connected to a second conduction path connection field TAF2, both of which are exposed at the top TRO of the carrier TR, and the transistor T_dis a control terminal GT_dis for switching the conduction path LPF on and off,</li><li>a light-emitting diode die D1D having a light-emitting diode, in particular a light-emitting diode die having a laser diode, with an underside having a first connection field DAF1 and an upper side having a second connection field DAF2,</li><li>the light-emitting diode die D1D having its first connection field DAF1 on the first conduction path connection field TAF1 of the transistor T_dis is arranged horizontally and these two connection panels are electrically connected to each other,</li><li>a charge storage component LSBT having a charge store C1 to Cn, which has an underside having a first connection field LAF1 and an upper side having a second connection field LAF2,</li><li>the charge storage component LSBT having its first connection field LAF1 on the second conduction path connection field TAF2 of the transistor T_dis is arranged horizontally and these two connection panels are electrically connected to each other,</li><li>at least one first bonding wire BD1, which electrically connects the second connection field DAF1 of the light-emitting diode die D1D to the second connection field LAF2 of the charge storage component LSBT,</li><li>a charging circuit B1 to Bn integrated in the circuit die and having an output for charging the charge storage component LSBT with electrical charge and</li><li>a control circuit CTR integrated in the circuit die for driving the transistor T_dis and the charging circuit B1 to Bn,</li><li>wherein the charging circuit B1 to Bn is assigned a charge connection field AF which is exposed on the upper side TRO of the carrier TR and to which the output of the charging circuit B1 to Bn is electrically connected,</li><li>wherein the charge connection field AF of the charging circuit B1 to Bn is electrically connected to the second connection field LAF2 of the charge storage component LSBT via at least one second bonding wire BD2, and</li><li>wherein the control circuit CTR controls the charging circuit B1 to Bn for charging the charge storage component LSBT up to a charging degree required for the generation of a light pulse by the light-emitting diode die D1D and then the transistor T_dis to turn on its conduction path LPF.</li></ul></li><li>2. Light module according to number 1,<ul id="ul0059" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the at least one first bonding wire BD1 has a first parasitic inductance and a first parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>wherein the at least one second bonding wire BD2 has a second parasitic inductance and a second parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>wherein the electrical connection of the first connection field DAF1 of the light-emitting diode die D1D to the first end region (LPF1) of the line path LPF of the transistor T_dis has a third parasitic inductance and a third parasitic ohmic resistance and</li><li>wherein the electrical connection between the first connection pad LAF1 of the charge storage component LSBT and the second end region LPF2 of the conduction path LPF of the transistor T_dis has a fourth parasitic inductance and a fourth parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>wherein the electrical connection of the output of the charging circuit B1 to Bn to the charging connection field AF assigned to the charging circuit B1 to Bn has a fifth parasitic inductance and a fifth parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>wherein the sum of the first parasitic inductance, the third parasitic inductance and the fourth parasitic inductance has a magnitude that is smaller than the sum of the magnitude of the third parasitic inductance and the fifth parasitic inductance and in particular less than 1/2 or less than 1/ 4 or less than 1/5 of the sum of the third parasitic inductance and the fifth parasitic inductance.</li></ul></li><li>3. Light module according to number 2, wherein the first parasitic ohmic resistance, the third parasitic ohmic resistance and the fourth parasitic ohmic resistance in total have a size that is smaller than the size of the third ohmic resistor and the fifth ohmic resistor in total and in particular less than 1/2 or less than 1/4 or less than 1/5 of the third ohmic resistance and the fifth ohmic resistance in total.</li><li>4. Light module according to one of the numbers 1 to 3,<ul id="ul0060" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the electrically interconnected components, namely the light-emitting diode die D1D, the charge storage component LSBT, the at least one first bonding wire BD1 and the transistor T_dis together with its conduction path LPF form a discharge circuit which has a first parasitic inductance and a first parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>wherein the charge storage component LSBT, with its electrical connection to the output of the charging circuit B1 to Bn via the at least one second bonding wire BD2, forms a charging circuit which has a second parasitic inductance and a second parasitic ohmic resistance,</li><li>wherein the first parasitic inductance is smaller than the second parasitic inductance and in particular is less than 1/2 or less than 1/4 or less than 1/5 of the second inductance.</li></ul></li><li>5. Light module according to number 4, wherein the first parasitic ohmic resistance is smaller than the second parasitic ohmic resistance and in particular is less than 1/2 or less than 1/4 or less than 1/5 of the second parasitic ohmic resistance.</li><li>6. Light module according to one of the numbers 1 to 5 with a plurality of first bonding wires BD1 and a plurality of second bonding wires BD2.</li><li>7. Light module according to one of the numbers 1 to 6 with several light-emitting diode dies D1D and several charge storage components LSBT,<ul id="ul0061" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a charge storage component LSBT being assigned to each light-emitting diode die D1D,</li><li>the top TRO of the carrier TR for each light-emitting diode die D1D having an exposed first conductive path connection field TAF1, which is electrically connected to the first end region LPF1 of the conductive path LPF of the transistor T_dis is connected, and for each charge storage component LSBT has an exposed second conduction path connection field TAF2, which is electrically connected to the second end region LPF2 of the conduction path LPF of the transistor T_dis connected is,</li><li>wherein a charging circuit B1 to Bn assigned to each charge storage component LSBT is integrated in the circuit die for each charge storage component LSBT and a charge connection field AF is arranged exposed on the upper side TRO of the carrier TR for each charging circuit B1 to Bn,</li><li>each light-emitting diode die D1D with its first connection field DAF1 on the associated first conduction path connection field TAF1 of the transistor T_dis is arranged on top and these two connection fields are electrically connected to each other,</li><li>each charge storage component LSBT with its first charge connection field LAF1 on the assigned second conduction path connection field TAF2 of the transistor T_dis is arranged on top and these two connection fields are electrically connected to each other,</li><li>wherein the second connection field DAF2 of each light-emitting diode die D1D is connected to the second connection field LAF2 of the charge storage component LSBT assigned to the respective light-emitting diode die D1D by means of at least one first bonding wire BD1,</li><li>wherein the charge connection field AF of each charging circuit B1 to Bn is connected to the second connection field LAF2 of the charge storage component LSBT assigned to the respective charging circuit B1 to Bn by means of at least one second bonding wire BD2 and</li><li>wherein the control circuit CTR controls the charging circuits B1 to Bn sequentially for charging the respective charge storage components LSBT up to a degree of charge required for the generation of a light pulse by the light-emitting diode dies D1D assigned to the respective charge storage component LSBT and before driving the next charging circuit B1 to Bn the transistor T_dis to turn on its conduction path LPF.</li></ul></li><li>8th. Light module according to item 7, wherein the first conduction path connection fields are designed as partial areas of a single common first conduction path connection field and/or wherein the second conduction path connection fields are designed as partial areas of a single common second conduction path connection field.</li><li>9. Light module according to one of the numbers 1 to 8, wherein the at least one light-emitting diode die D1D is implemented as a laser diode die with a laser diode designed as an edge emitter.</li><li>10 Light module according to one of the numbers 1 to 9 with a first supply voltage connection field for a supply voltage potential VDD, which is exposed on the upper side TRO of the carrier TR, wherein the second conduction path connection field TAF2 of the transistor T_dis or, if there are several such second conduction path connection fields, a supply voltage reference potential GND can be applied to all of these second conduction path connection fields of the transistor or to a second conduction path connection field common to all of these second conduction path connection fields.</li><li>11. Light module according to number 10 with a buffer capacitor component forming a buffer capacitor CVDD with an underside on which a first connection field is arranged and an upper side on which a second connection field is arranged, wherein the first connection field of the buffer capacitor component is arranged resting on the second conduction path connection field or the second conduction path connection fields or on the second conduction path connection field common to all of these second conduction path connection fields and the connection fields on both sides are connected to one another and wherein the second connection field of the buffer capacitor component via at least one third bonding wire (BD3) electrically to the first Supply voltage connection panel is connected.</li><li>12. Light module according to Section 7 or one of Sections 8 to 11, if directly or indirectly related to Section 7, with the light-emitting diode dies D1D and the charge storage components LSBT being arranged in succession along two adjacent lines, each light-emitting diode die D1D and the charge storage component LSBT assigned to it in each case being arranged opposite one another in order to minimize the length of the first bonding wires BD1 electrically connecting their second connection fields.</li><li>13. The light module of clause 12, wherein each light emitting diode die D1D defines an optical axis along which a light beam emanating from the respective light emitting diode die D1D is directed, the line along which the light emitting diode dice D1D are sequentially arranged being either<ul id="ul0062" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>extends in an arc of a circle around a center point and the optical axes of the light-emitting diode dies D1D extend radially to this arc-shaped line or</li><li>runs in a straight line and the optical axes of the light-emitting diode dies D1D run perpendicular thereto.</li></ul></li><li>14 A light module according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the or each charge storage device (LSBT) has a charge storage capacitor C1 to Cn.</li><li>15 Light module according to paragraphs 14 and 11, wherein the charge storage component or components LSBT and the buffer capacitor component are designed as a common component KA, which has a bottom with a common bottom connection field and a top with at least a first top connection field and a second top connection field and a dielectric between the bottom connection field on the one hand and the at least one first top connection field and the second top connection field on the other hand , wherein the buffer capacitor is formed between the second top-side connection field and the partial area of ​​the bottom-side connection field lying below this second top-side connection field and each charge storage capacitor between another of the first top-side connection fields and the partial area of ​​the bottom-side connection field lying below this respective first top-side connection field Connection panel is formed.</li><li>16 Light module according to one of the numbers 1 to 15, wherein the carrier TR has a casting compound in which a leadframe having a plurality of conductor tongues and the circuit die electrically connected to the conductor tongues are embedded, the conductor tongues covering the connection fields exposed on the upper side TRO of the carrier TR exhibit.</li><li>17 Light module according to one of the digits 1 to 16,<ul id="ul0063" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>where the transistor T_dis of the circuit-The circuit is designed in this as a voltage-controlled overall transistor implemented using analog circuit technology, having an overall control connection GSA and an overall conduction path for conducting an electric current via the overall conduction path and for blocking the current,</li><li>wherein the overall control connection GSA extends over an overall control connection area GF of the circuit die,</li><li>wherein the control circuit CTR has a driver circuit designed using digital circuit technology for driving the overall control connection GSA of the overall transistor for conducting and blocking the current, or that the circuit die has a driver circuit designed using digital circuit technology and controllable by the control circuit for driving the overall control connection GSA of the Has overall transistor for conducting and blocking the current,</li><li>wherein the overall transistor is divided into a large number of individual transistors designed using analog circuit technology or has a large number of such individual transistors,</li><li>wherein each individual transistor has an individual control connection ESA and the individual control connections ESA of the individual transistors each extend over individual control connection areas of the die, which are of the same size and/or distributed uniformly over the total control connection area GF of the overall transistor,</li><li>wherein the driver circuit comprises a plurality of individual driver circuits T1 to T9, each having one input and u outputs, where u is an integer greater than or equal to 2, hierarchically divided into different stages, the output of an i-th stage individual transistor circuit , with i equal to 1 to v and v being an integer greater than or equal to 2, is connected to the inputs of u individual driver circuits of the (i+1)th stage,</li><li>wherein the arrangement of an i-th stage individual driver circuit and the (i+1)-th stage individual driver circuits having their inputs connected to the outputs of the i-th stage individual driver circuit forms a self-similar structure</li><li>where the self-similar structures of an i-th level is larger in area than the self-similar structures of an (i+1)-th level and the self-similar structures of the i-th level with an (i+1)-th level with the self-similar structure of an i -th stage from which it arose, are nested within each other, and</li><li>wherein the outputs of the individual driver circuits T1 to T9 of the vth stage are connected to the control terminal pads GFE of the individual transistors.</li></ul></li><li>18 Light module according to paragraph 17, wherein each individual driver circuit T1 to T9 has an input and four outputs, each of the individual driver circuits T1 to T9 of the i-th stage and the four individual driver circuits T1 to T9 of the (i+1)-th stage together with the electrical connection the four outputs of the individual driver circuit T1 to T9 of the i-th stage forms an H-shaped structure with the inputs of the four individual driver circuits T1 to T9 of the (i+1)-th stage, wherein the (i+1)-th stage individual driver circuits T1 to T9 are arranged at the four ends of the H-shaped structure, and the i-th stage individual driver circuits T1 to T9 are arranged midway between the four ends, and wherein the H-shaped structures have the same orientation from stage to stage.</li><li>19 Light module according to paragraph 18, wherein each individual driver circuit has an input and two outputs, each of the individual driver circuits of the i-th stage being arranged in the middle between the two individual driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage and together with the electrical connection of the two outputs of the individual driver circuit of the i-th stage to the inputs of the two individual driver circuits of the ( i+1)-th stage forms a rectilinear structure and these self-similar structures are twisted by 90° to each other from stage to stage.</li><li>20 Light module according to one of numbers 17 to 19, wherein the individual driver circuits T1 to T9 are in the form of inverter circuits and the individual transistors are in the form of power transistors, in particular MOSFETs.</li><li>21 Light module according to one of the numbers 1 to 20, wherein the upper side TRO of the carrier TR has a rectangular shape with two longitudinal edges and two transverse edges which are shorter than these longitudinal edges, the at least one first conduction path connection field TAF1 of the transistor T_dis is arranged on one of the two transverse edges and connection fields for the power supply of the control circuit CTR, the at least one charging circuit B1 to Bn, the at least one charge storage component LSBT and the at least one light-emitting diode die D1D are arranged on the other transverse edge.</li><li>22 Light module according to paragraph 21, wherein on each of the longitudinal edges of the top TRO of the carrier TR one of two transfer signal connection fields of at least one pair of transfer signal connection fields are arranged, which are electrically connected to one another and the supply of transfer signals intended for the circuit die, such as e.g a reset signal, a diagnostic signal, a bus communication signal, a trigger signal for triggering the generation of a light pulse by the at least one light-emitting diode die, are used, with the transfer signals when several light modules are arranged side by side from one light module to the respectively adjacent light module or from a light module after processing in whose circuits can be passed on to the respective adjacent light module.</li><li>23 Arrangement of several light modules according to paragraph 22, wherein the light modules are arranged next to one another with the longitudinal edges of their upper sides being arranged adjacent to one another, in particular with parallel alignment of the longitudinal edges, the transfer signal connection fields of the same pairs of transfer signal connection fields of two respectively adjacent light modules being electrically connected to one another.</li><li>24 Arrangement according to number 23, wherein the light-emitting diode dies D1D of all light modules arranged next to one another are arranged on a common line curved in the shape of a circular arc or on a straight line.</li><li>25 LIDAR device for optically scanning a space and for recording a distance image representing the space, with<ul id="ul0064" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>at least one light module according to Section 7 or according to one of Sections 8 to 24, if directly or indirectly related to Section 7, whereby a light beam with an elliptical or oval-shaped light beam cross-section emits from each light-emitting diode die D1D of each light module when the relevant light-emitting diode die D1D is activated with a first semi-axis and with a second semi-axis that is longer than the first semi-axis or with a circular cross-section,</li><li>a transmitter optical element SLE for expanding the light beam of each of the light-emitting diode dies by stretching the elliptical or oval-shaped light beam cross-section along the second semi-axis and compressing the light beam cross-section along the first semi-axis or vice versa to form a light beam fan with a line-like and/or slit-like cross-section directed towards the space to be scanned or by stretching the circular light beam cross-section to one to be scanned Spatially directed light beam fans with a line-like and/or slit-like cross section,</li><li>the conical light beams generated by the light-emitting diode dies D1D arranged next to one another entering the room as light beam fans at different angles,</li><li>a photo sensor S with a large number of photo detectors, which are arranged in a number of rows or columns equal to the total number of light-emitting diode dies D1D of the at least one light module, with each row or column having the same number of photo detectors,</li><li>a receiver optical element EL for directing potential reflection light from the space to be scanned onto the photo sensor S, with reflection light potentially arising due to the respective light beam fan impinging on another of the plurality of rows or columns of photo detectors of the photo sensor, and</li><li>an evaluation unit for evaluating signals from the photodetectors to determine distance information and/or to determine a distance image of the space to be scanned.</li></ul></li><li>26 The LIDAR device of paragraph 25, wherein the receiver optical element comprises an imaging lens.</li><li>27 The LIDAR apparatus of paragraph 25 or 26, wherein the emitter optical element comprises a cylindrical lens and a Powell lens, or wherein the emitter optical element comprises a lens that combines the functions of a cylindrical lens and a Powell lens.</li><li>28 LIDAR device according to one of numbers 25 to 27 with at least two light modules, the light-emitting diodes of each light module being arranged next to one another along a circular arc line extending over a predetermined angle and adjacent light modules being arranged rotated relative to one another by the predetermined angle.</li><li>29 LIDAR device according to one of numbers 25 to 27 with at least two light modules, the light-emitting diodes of each light module being arranged next to one another along a straight line and adjacent light modules being arranged at an angle to one another such that the optical axes of those light-emitting diodes are the light modules arranged at the same position within the succession of light-emitting diode dies D1D of each light module, intersect at a common point.</li><li>30 LIDAR device for optically scanning a space and for recording a distance image representing the space, with<ul id="ul0065" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a light module with a single light-emitting diode die D1D according to one of Claims 1 to 24, wherein a light beam with an elliptical or oval-shaped light beam cross-section with a first half-axis and a second half-axis longer than the first half-axis or with has a circular cross-section,</li><li>a transmitter optical element SLE for expanding the light beam of the light-emitting diode die D1D by stretching the elliptical or oval-shaped light beam cross-section along the second semi-axis and compressing the light beam cross-section along the first semi-axis or vice versa to form a light beam fan with a line-like and/or slit-like cross-section directed towards the space to be scanned or by stretching the circular light beam cross section to a space to be scanned directed light beam fans with a line-like and/or slit-like cross-section,</li><li>a movable optical deflection element for deflecting the light beam fan at different angles into the space to be scanned for scanning the space by means of the light beam fan sweeping over it,</li><li>a photo sensor S with a large number of photodiodes arranged in rows and columns,</li><li>a receiver optical element EL for directing potential reflection light from the space to be scanned onto the photo sensor S,</li><li>wherein potential reflection light arising from each fan of light beams deflected into space at a different angle impinges on a different one of the plurality of rows or columns of photodetectors of the photosensor S, and</li><li>an evaluation unit for evaluating signals from the photodetectors to determine distance information and/or to determine a distance image of the space to be scanned.</li></ul></li><li>31 LIDAR device according to item 30, wherein the optical deflection element works refractively and is designed in particular as a prism or wherein the optical deflection element works reflectively and is designed in particular as a mirror.</li><li>32 LIDAR device according to one of numbers 25 to 31 with a tilting movement device for tilting the at least one light module or for tilting the arrangement of several light modules or for tilting the photo sensor, the evaluation of the signals of the photo detectors of the photo sensor depending on the respective tilt angle being carried out under which the light-emitting diode dies of the light modules emit light and/or the photo sensor receives reflected light.</li><li>33 LIDAR device according to any one of numbers 25 to 32,<ul id="ul0066" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>each light-emitting diode die D1D emitting a light beam as a scanning light beam with an elliptical or oval-shaped or circular light beam cross-section,</li><li>wherein the transmitter optical element SLE widens the scanning light cone to form a scanning light fan that lies in a light fan plane,</li><li>the scanning light fans of the scanning light beams of all the light-emitting diode dies D1D being offset relative to one another by an angle,</li><li>whereby reflection radiation essentially in the form of reflection light cones emanates from scanning points illuminated by a scanning light fan in the space to be scanned, and</li><li>wherein the receiver optical element EL images reflection light cones, which potentially emanate from scanning points of the space to be scanned that are illuminated by one of the scanning light fans, onto a photodetector column or row of the photosensor.</li></ul></li><li>34 LIDAR device according to paragraph 33,<ul id="ul0067" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the light-emitting diode dies D1D are arranged side by side in a row whose orientation is the same as the orientation of a photodetector column of the photosensor S, and</li><li>each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, which are arranged next to one another in a row whose orientation is the same as the orientation of a photodetector line of the photosensor S.</li></ul></li><li>35 LIDAR device according to paragraph 33,<ul id="ul0068" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the light-emitting diode dies D1D are arranged next to one another in a row whose alignment is the same as a photodetector row of the photosensor S, and</li><li>each scanning light fan illuminates scanning points in the space to be scanned, which are arranged next to one another in a row whose orientation is the same as the orientation of a photodetector line of the photosensor S.</li></ul></li><li>36 LIDAR device according to paragraph 33,<ul id="ul0069" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the light-emitting diode dies D1D are arranged side by side in a row whose orientation is the same as the orientation of a photodetector column of the photosensor S, and</li><li>each scanning light fan illuminating scanning points in the space to be scanned, which are arranged side by side in a row whose orientation is the same as the orientation of a photodetector column of the photosensor S.</li></ul></li><li>37 LIDAR device according to paragraph 33,<ul id="ul0070" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the light-emitting diode dies D1D are arranged next to one another in a row whose alignment is the same as a photodetector row of the photosensor S, and</li><li>each scanning light fan illuminating scanning points in the space to be scanned, which are arranged side by side in a row whose orientation is equal to a photodetector column of the photosensor S.</li></ul></li><li>38 LIDAR device according to any one of items 25 to 37,<ul id="ul0071" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the transmitter optical element SLE has a lens having an optical axis with a height, a width and a thickness aligned in the extension of the optical axis and with a first main side and a second main side facing away from this, through which the optical axis runs in each case,</li><li>the first major side having a flat surface,</li><li>the second major face having a surface formed as a superposition of a convex protrusion and a concave indentation located midway along the width of the lens,</li><li>wherein the protrusion runs around an imaginary first axis lying outside the lens and the indentation runs around a second axis also lying outside the lens, which is directed perpendicularly to the first axis.</li></ul></li><li>39 The LIDAR apparatus of paragraph 38, wherein the first axis is in a half-space contiguous to the first major side of the lens and the second axis is in a hemi-space contiguous to the second major side of the lens.</li><li>40 LIDAR device according to any one of items 25 to 37,<ul id="ul0072" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the transmitter optical element SLE has a lens having an optical axis with a height, a width and a thickness aligned in the extension of the optical axis and with a first main side and a second main side facing away from this, through which the optical axis runs in each case,</li><li>wherein the first main side is formed as a superimposition of a flat surface with a concave first indentation arranged in the middle of the width extension of the lens and with a bending of the lens directed towards the second main side in the areas on both sides of this indentation towards the second main side,</li><li>wherein the second major side is formed as a superposition of a convex first protrusion and a convex second protrusion located in the middle of the width extension of the lens,</li><li>wherein the first protrusion extends around an imaginary first axis arranged outside the lens,</li><li>wherein the second protrusion extends about an imaginary second axis, which is also arranged outside the lens and is directed perpendicularly to the first axis, and</li><li>wherein the indentation extends around an imaginary third axis, which is also arranged outside the lens and is directed parallel to the second axis.</li></ul></li><li>41 The LIDAR device according to item 40, wherein the first axis and the second axis and the third axis lie in a half-space adjacent to the first major side of the lens and that the bending of the lens in the regions thereof extends on either side of the indentation of the first major side about a fourth axis , which runs parallel to the second axis and the third axis and lies in a second half-space adjacent to the second main side.</li><li>42 LIDAR device according to any one of paragraphs 38 to 41;<ul id="ul0073" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the first major side has an area defined by a function of the shape<maths id="math0013"><math display="block"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>RY</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>−</mo><mi>signature</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi></mfenced><mo>*</mo><mi>square</mi><mfenced><mi>RY2</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>y2</mi></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>*</mo><mi>x4</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>*</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mtd></mtr></mtable></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0013.tif" /></maths> with<maths id="math0014"><math display="block"><mi>RY</mi><mo>=</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mn>0</mn><mi mathvariant="normal">Y</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>,</mo></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0014.tif" /></maths><ul id="ul0074" list-style="none"><li>Sign() as a signum function of a function parameter,</li><li>Sqrt() as the root of a function parameter,</li><li>x for a point along the width of the lens,</li><li>y for a point along the height of the lens,</li><li>z for a point along the thickness and thus along the optical axis of the lens, starting from the xy-center plane of the lens, and</li><li>R0Y as the radius of curvature of the lens,</li></ul></li><li>the second major face has an area defined by a function of the shape<maths id="math0015"><math display="block"><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mfenced><mi mathvariant="normal">i.e</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mfenced><mo>,</mo></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0015.tif" /></maths> with d as the thickness of the lens in the optical center,<ul id="ul0075" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>where the parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero and</li><li>at least two of the parameters AR2, AR3, PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are non-zero.</li></ul></li></ul></li><li>43 LIDAR device according to paragraph 42,<ul id="ul0076" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>where the parameters AR2 and AR3 are non-zero and</li><li>at least two of the parameters PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 being non-zero.</li></ul></li><li>44 LIDAR device referred to in paragraph 43,<ul id="ul0077" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>where the parameters PB4 and PB6 are non-zero and</li><li>where at least one of the parameters PC2 and PC3 is non-zero.</li></ul></li><li>45 The LIDAR device of paragraph 44, wherein both parameters PC2 and PC3 are non-zero.</li><li>46 Use of one or more light modules according to any one of numbers 1 to 24 or the LIDAR device according to any one of numbers 25 to 45 for<ul id="ul0078" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>the detection of objects in the vicinity of or in a partial area of ​​the surroundings of a stationary or mobile platform, in particular an autonomously moving platform, in particular an autonomously moving platform, such as a robot or a stationary or moving, in particular autonomously moving vehicle, such as e.g a watercraft, land vehicle or aircraft, in particular for the transport of people or freight, or</li><li>the detection of objects in the automation of manufacturing processes, or</li><li>the non-invasive imaging of living organisms and/or biological organs of a living being, or</li><li>the examination of biological tissue, or</li><li>the creation of three-dimensional distance images of objects in a detection space, and/or</li><li>surveillance of the surroundings of buildings.</li></ul></li><li>47 Integrated electrical circuit for switching electrical currents, in particular in the case of one or more light modules according to one of the numbers 1 to 24 or in the case of a LIDAR device according to one of the numbers 25 to 45, with<ul id="ul0079" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>a die</li><li>a voltage-controlled overall transistor implemented in analog circuit technology, having an overall control connection and an overall conduction path, for conducting an electric current via the overall conduction path and for blocking the current,</li><li>wherein the total control terminal extends over a total control terminal area of ​​the die,</li><li>a driver circuit implemented in digital circuit technology for driving the overall control connection of the overall transistor for conducting and blocking the current,</li><li>wherein each individual transistor has an individual control connection and the individual control connections of the individual transistors each extend over individual control connection areas of the die, which are of the same size or evenly distributed over the total control connection area of ​​the overall transistor,</li><li>wherein the driver circuit comprises a plurality of individual driver circuits each having one input and u outputs, where u is an integer greater than or equal to 2, which are hierarchically divided into different stages, the output of an individual transistor circuit of an i-th stage, with i equal to 1 to v and v being an integer greater than or equal to 2, is connected to the inputs of u individual driver circuits of the (i+1)th stage,</li><li>wherein the arrangement of an i-th stage individual driver circuit and the (i+1)-th stage individual driver circuits having their inputs connected to the outputs of the i-th stage individual driver circuit forms a self-similar structure</li><li>where the self-similar structures of an i-th level is larger in area than the self-similar structures of an (i+1)-th level and the self-similar structures of the i-th level with an (i+1)-th level with the self-similar structure of an i -th stage from which it arose, are nested within each other, and</li><li>wherein the outputs of the v-th stage individual driver circuits are connected to the control pad pads of the individual transistors.</li></ul></li><li>48 Integrated electrical circuit according to paragraph 47, wherein each individual driver circuit has an input and four outputs, that each of the individual driver circuits of the i-th stage and the four individual driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage together with the electrical connection of the four outputs of the individual driver circuit of the i -th stage forms an H-shaped structure with the inputs of the four individual driver circuits of the (i+1)th stage, wherein the (i+1)-th stage single driver circuits are arranged at the four ends of the H-shaped structure and the i-th stage single driver circuit is arranged midway between the four ends, and that the H-shaped structures of stage to stage have the same orientation.</li><li>49 Integrated electrical circuit according to paragraph 47, each individual driver circuit having one input and two outputs, that each of the individual driver circuits of the i-th stage is arranged in the middle between the two individual driver circuits of the (i+1)-th stage and together with the electrical connection of the two outputs of the individual driver circuit of the i-th stage with the inputs of the two individual driver circuits of the ( i+1)-th stage forms a rectilinear structure and that these self-similar structures are twisted by 90° to each other from stage to stage.</li><li>50 Integrated electrical circuit according to one of numbers 47 to 49, wherein the individual driver circuits are in the form of inverter circuits and in which the individual transistors are in the form of power transistors, in particular MOSFETs.</li><li>51. Optical unit for a LIDAR device,<ul id="ul0080" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>wherein the LIDAR device is provided with<ul id="ul0081" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>one or more light modules according to one of the numbers 1 to 24,</li><li>each light-emitting diode die D1D emitting a light beam with an elliptical or circular cross-section,</li><li>each light ray having a light ray axis,</li><li>wherein the light beam axes lie essentially in a common light beam axis plane and the light beam axis plane defines an optical axis,</li><li>a lens arranged on the optical axis of the light beam axis plane, which expands each light beam in a direction perpendicular to the laser beam axis plane, so that a light fan results for each of the light beams in a light fan plane perpendicular to the light beam axis plane,</li><li>a photo sensor S with a photo detector array, which has a plurality of photo detector rows, each with a large number of photo detector pixels, and</li><li>imaging optics for the real optical imaging of a scene illuminated by the light fans onto the photo sensor S,</li><li>wherein the imaging optics images the projection of the light beam fans in the far field onto an ideally homogeneously white and/or essentially ideally diffusely uniformly and uniformly reflecting projection plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the light beam axis plane in the form of a projection image of the light beam fans onto the photo sensor S as an image of the scene,</li></ul></li><li>where<ul id="ul0082" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>the lens is shaped that the value of the illumination intensity of a first section of the image of the projection of a first light beam fan onto a first photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photo sensor S differs from the value of the illumination intensity of a second section of the image of the projection of the first light beam fan onto a different from the first photodetector pixel second photodetector pixel or a second light beam fan onto one of the first photodetector pixel different second photodetector pixel of the photodetector array of the photosensor S deviates by no more than 10% or by no more than 5% or by no more than 2%,</li><li>the lens has a first surface and a second surface facing away from it,</li><li>the first surface is defined by a function of shape<maths id="math0016"><math display="block"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>RY</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>−</mo><mi>signature</mi><mfenced><mi>RY</mi></mfenced><mo>*</mo><mi>square</mi><mfenced><mi>RY2</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>y2</mi></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>4</mn><mo>*</mo><mi>x4</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>PB</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>*</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>6</mn><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mtd></mtr></mtable></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0016.tif" /></maths> with<maths id="math0017"><math display="block"><mi>RY</mi><mo>=</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">R</mi><mn>0</mn><mi mathvariant="normal">Y</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>AR</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced><mo>,</mo></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0017.tif" /></maths><ul id="ul0083" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>Sign() as a signum function of a function parameter,</li><li>Sqrt() as the root of a function parameter,</li><li>x for a point along the width of the lens,</li><li>y for a point along the height of the lens,</li><li>z for a point along the thickness and thus along the optical axis of the lens, starting from the xy-center plane of the lens, and</li><li>R0Y as the radius of curvature of the lens,</li></ul></li><li>the second surface is defined by a function of shape<maths id="math0018"><math display="block"><mi mathvariant="normal">e.g</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mfenced><mi mathvariant="normal">i.e</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>2</mn><mo>*</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mi>personal computer</mi><mn>3</mn><mo>*</mo><mfenced open="|" close="|"><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">x</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mfenced></mfenced><mo>,</mo></math><img file="EP4239370A2_D0018.tif" /></maths> with d as the thickness of the lens in the optical center,</li><li>where the parameters PB2 and PB3 are non-zero and</li><li>at least two of the parameters AR2, AR3, PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 are non-zero.</li></ul></li></ul></li><li>52 Optical unit according to paragraph 51,<ul id="ul0084" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>where the parameters AR2 and AR3 are non-zero and</li><li>at least two of the parameters PB4, PB6, PC2 and PC3 being non-zero.</li></ul></li><li>53 Optical unit according to paragraph 52,<ul id="ul0085" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>where the parameters PB4 and PB6 are non-zero and</li><li>where at least one of the parameters PC2 and PC3 is non-zero.</li></ul></li><li>54 Optical assembly according to paragraph 53, wherein both parameters PC2 and PC3 are non-zero.</li></ol></li></ol>

<u>GLOSSARY</u>

Powell lenses

0261Powell lenses are used to generate a linear beam profile from an elliptical or oval Gaussian beam (i.e. with a Gaussian intensity distribution). A homogeneous intensity distribution is preferably generated along the line, while the Gaussian distribution of the laser is retained perpendicular to it. Line optics can be produced with an aperture angle of a few degrees to over 90°.

0262However, the Powell function is only a secondary task of these lenses within the framework of the technical teaching described here. The primary task is to focus all laser beams in the vertical direction. An optic that fulfills this function is already referred to as a Powell lens within the meaning of this document and is covered by the claims. The focusing of all laser beams in the vertical direction is, for example, through the other side, for example, in the<figref idref="f0014">Figs. 14</figref> and<figref idref="f0019">19</figref> until<figref idref="f0022">22</figref> lenses shown. The Powell function would not be absolutely necessary insofar as a Gaussian distribution in the horizontal direction would also be acceptable for the purpose described here. In such a case, the device would have a greater measurement range in the forward direction than in the sideways direction, which may actually be desirable depending on the application. It is possible to integrate both functions in one interface. The other side of such a lens is then optionally flat. This lens would also be included in the claims. Such a lens within the meaning of the invention is therefore characterized by vertical focusing. In the case of such a lens, one could then also consequently speak of a "scanning lens" instead of a Powell lens, which of course is also included in the invention.

<u>REFERENCE LIST</u>

0263<dl id="dl0004" compact="compact"><dt>A1</dt><dd>first axis</dd><dt>A2</dt><dd>second axis</dd><dt>AF</dt><dd>Connection panel of the charging circuit</dd><dt>B0'</dt><dd>first structure</dd><dt>B1</dt><dd>first charging circuit for the first capacitor C1, which supplies the first laser D1 with electrical energy for generating a light pulse</dd><dt>B1'</dt><dd>first basic structure</dd><dt>B2</dt><dd>second charging circuit for the second capacitor C2, which supplies the second laser D2 with electrical energy for generating a light pulse</dd><dt>B2'</dt><dd>first self-similar structure</dd><dt>B3</dt><dd>third charging circuit for the third capacitor C3, which supplies the third laser D3 with electrical energy for generating a light pulse</dd><dt>BD1</dt><dd>first bond wire</dd><dt>BD2</dt><dd>second bonding wire</dd><dt>BD3</dt><dd>third bonding wire</dd><dt>Bn</dt><dd>nth charging circuit for the nth capacitor Cn, which optionally supplies the nth laser Dn with electrical energy in the case of a light pulse generation</dd><dt>buf</dt><dd>Driver that converts the pre-pulse signal PL to the pulse signal G_dis strengthened</dd><dt>C1</dt><dd>first capacitor as an energy reserve for the first laser D1</dd><dt>C2</dt><dd>second capacitor as an energy reserve for the second laser D2</dd><dt>C3</dt><dd>third capacitor as an energy reserve for the third laser D3</dd><dt>cn</dt><dd>nth capacitor as an energy reserve for the nth laser Dn</dd><dt>CS</dt><dd>selection signal</dd><dt>ctr</dt><dd>Control circuit which controls the n charging circuits B1 to Bn and generates the pre-pulse signal PL. The control circuit causes one of the n charging circuits to typically charge one of the n capacitors before a light pulse is generated by one of the n lasers, then preferably switches off all charging circuits or the charging outputs preferably of all charging circuits are switched to high resistance and then closes the control switch T_dis, which initiates the light pulse generation. The control circuit repeats this process until all n lasers have emitted a light pulse, preferably exactly once, and then starts again from the beginning with the next pass</dd><dt>CVDD</dt><dd>Backup capacitor to stabilize the operating voltage VDD</dd><dt>D1</dt><dd>first laser</dd><dt>D1D</dt><dd>Laser Diode Die</dd><dt>D2</dt><dd>second laser</dd><dt>D3</dt><dd>third laser</dd><dt>D4</dt><dd>fourth laser</dd><dt>DAF1</dt><dd>first connector panel of a laser diode die</dd><dt>DAF2</dt><dd>second connection panel of a charger diode die</dd><dt>DisC</dt><dd>first star point and contact surface for the first star point. The cathodes of the lasers D1 to Dn are preferably connected to the first star point. When a pulse signal G arrives, the first star point is_dis through the control switch T_dis) connected to the reference potential GND. If one of the capacitors C1 to Cn was previously charged, this capacitor is then discharged via the corresponding laser, which then emits a light pulse.</dd><dt>disk</dt><dd>second star point as common connection point of the capacitors C1 to Cn</dd><dt>Dn</dt><dd>nth laser</dd><dt>DP</dt><dd>first signal connection</dd><dt>DR</dt><dd>drone</dd><dt>el</dt><dd>receiving lens</dd><dt>ESA</dt><dd>Individual control connection of an individual transistor</dd><dt>F1</dt><dd>first field effect transistor part</dd><dt>F2</dt><dd>second field effect transistor part</dd><dt>F3</dt><dd>third field effect transistor part</dd><dt>F4</dt><dd>fourth field effect transistor part</dd><dt>G0</dt><dd>second connection of the first structure B0'</dd><dt>G1</dt><dd>second connection of the first basic structure B1'</dd><dt>GO<1;n></dt><dd>n second connections of the n structures B0'</dd><dt>G1<1;n></dt><dd>n second connections of the n first basic structures B1'</dd><dt>G_dis</dt><dd>pulse signal</dd><dt>GF</dt><dd>Control Port Total Area</dd><dt>GFE</dt><dd>Control Port Single Face</dd><dt>GND</dt><dd>Contact surface for reference potential, reference potential</dd><dt>GND</dt><dd>analog reference potential</dd><dt>GNDD</dt><dd>digital reference potential</dd><dt>GNDH</dt><dd>Reference potential for the high supply voltage</dd><dt>gndp</dt><dd>Reference potential of the interfaces</dd><dt>GND0</dt><dd>third connection of the first structure B0'</dd><dt>GND1</dt><dd>third connection of the first basic structure B1'</dd><dt>GND2</dt><dd>third connection of the first self-similar structure B2'</dd><dt>GND0<1;n></dt><dd>n third connections of the n structures B0'</dd><dt>GND1<1;n></dt><dd>n third connections of the n first basic structures B1'</dd><dt>GSA</dt><dd>Total control terminal of the transistor</dd><dt>GT_dis</dt><dd>control terminal of the transistor</dd><dt>HV</dt><dd>first reference potential</dd><dt>I</dt><dd>driver circuit</dd><dt>I0</dt><dd>first part of the first driver</dd><dt>I1</dt><dd>first part of the second driver</dd><dt>I2</dt><dd>first part of the third driver</dd><dt>L1</dt><dd>first line</dd><dt>L2</dt><dd>second line</dd><dt>L3</dt><dd>third line</dd><dt>L4</dt><dd>fourth line</dd><dt>L5</dt><dd>fifth line</dd><dt>L6</dt><dd>sixth line</dd><dt>L7</dt><dd>seventh line</dd><dt>L8</dt><dd>eighth line</dd><dt>LD</dt><dd>laser diode</dd><dt>M</dt><dd>field effect transistor</dd><dt>M0</dt><dd>first part of the first field effect transistor</dd><dt>K1</dt><dd>first charging line, via which the first charging circuit B1 charges the first capacitor C1 before a light pulse is generated by the first laser D1</dd><dt>K1'</dt><dd>first discharge line via which the first laser D1 discharges the first capacitor C1 when the control switch T_dis by the pulse signal G_dis closed is</dd><dt>K2</dt><dd>second charging line, via which the second charging circuit B2 charges the second capacitor C2 before a light pulse is generated by the second laser D2</dd><dt>K2'</dt><dd>second discharge line, via which the second laser D2 discharges the second capacitor C2 when the control switch T_dis by the pulse signal G_dis closed is</dd><dt>K3</dt><dd>third charging line, via which the third charging circuit B3 charges the third capacitor C3 before a light pulse is generated by the third laser D3</dd><dt>K3'</dt><dd>third discharge line via which the third laser D3 discharges the third capacitor C3 when the control switch T_dis by the pulse signal G_dis closed is</dd><dt>KA</dt><dd>capacitor array</dd><dt>KG'</dt><dd>virtual node of the supply voltage VDD</dd><dt>cl</dt><dd>optional curved line along which the laser modules and/or their lasers are aligned.</dd><dt>Kn</dt><dd>nth charging line via which the nth charging circuit Bn charges the nth capacitor Cn before a light pulse is generated by the nth laser Dn</dd><dt>Kn'</dt><dd>nth discharge line through which the nth laser Dn discharges the nth capacitor Cn when the control switch T_dis by the pulse signal G_dis closed is</dd><dt>KR</dt><dd>Capacitor array bottom contact</dd><dt>L</dt><dd>LIDAR system</dd><dt>LAF1</dt><dd>first connection field of the charge storage component</dd><dt>LAF2</dt><dd>second connection field of the charge storage component</dd><dt>LC1</dt><dd>Inductance of the line with which the second contact of the first capacitor C1 is connected to the reference potential</dd><dt>LC2</dt><dd>Inductance of the line with which the second contact of the second capacitor C2 is connected to the reference potential</dd><dt>LC3</dt><dd>Inductance of the line with which the second contact of the third capacitor C3 is connected to the reference potential</dd><dt>LCn</dt><dd>Inductance of the line with which the second contact of the nth capacitor Cn is connected to the reference potential</dd><dt>LCV</dt><dd>Line inductance between the second connection of the backup capacitor CVDD and the reference potential GND</dd><dt>LF1</dt><dd>first light fan of the first laser D1</dd><dt>LF2</dt><dd>second light fan of the second laser D2</dd><dt>LF3</dt><dd>third light fan of the third laser D3</dd><dt>LF4</dt><dd>fourth light fan of the fourth laser D4</dd><dt>LDZ</dt><dd>Laser Diode Array</dd><dt>LPF</dt><dd>conduction path of the transistor</dd><dt>LPF1</dt><dd>first end area of ​​the conduction path</dd><dt>LPF2</dt><dd>second end area of ​​the conduction path</dd><dt>LGBT</dt><dd>charge storage device</dd><dt>LZ1</dt><dd>Inductance of the first charging line K1, via which the first charging circuit B1 charges the first capacitor C1 before a light pulse is generated by the first laser D1</dd><dt>LZ2</dt><dd>Inductance of the second charging line K2, via which the second charging circuit B2 charges the second capacitor C2 before a light pulse is generated by the second laser D2</dd><dt>LZ3</dt><dd>Inductance of the third charging line K3, via which the third charging circuit B3 charges the third capacitor C3 before a light pulse is generated by the third laser D3</dd><dt>LZn</dt><dd>Inductance of the nth charging line Kn, via which the nth charging circuit Bn charges the nth capacitor Cn before a light pulse is generated by the nth laser Dn</dd><dt>LZV</dt><dd>Line inductance of the supply line to the backup capacitor CVDD</dd><dt>ME</dt><dd>midplane of the lens</dd><dt>MOSI</dt><dd>SPI data bus input</dd><dt>MISO</dt><dd>Output of the SPI data bus</dd><dt>OF1</dt><dd>first lens surface</dd><dt>OF2</dt><dd>second lens surface</dd><dt>pl</dt><dd>Powell lens</dd><dt>pulses</dt><dd>Sample signal fed to all modules</dd><dt>R1</dt><dd>exemplary first local radius vector for the curvature of the first surface OF1 about an exemplary first axis A1</dd><dt>R2</dt><dd>exemplary second local radius vector for the curvature of the second surface OF2 about an exemplary second axis A2</dd><dt>pl</dt><dd>advance pulse signal</dd><dt>RC1</dt><dd>Resistance of the line with which the second contact of the first capacitor C1 is connected to the reference potential</dd><dt>RC2</dt><dd>Resistance of the line with which the second contact of the second capacitor C2 is connected to the reference potential</dd><dt>RC3</dt><dd>Resistance of the line with which the second contact of the third capacitor C3 is connected to the reference potential</dd><dt>RCn</dt><dd>Resistance of the line with which the second contact of the nth capacitor Cn is connected to the reference potential</dd><dt>RCV</dt><dd>Line resistance between the second connection of the backup capacitor CVDD and the reference potential GND</dd><dt>RST</dt><dd>reset signal</dd><dt>RZ1</dt><dd>Resistance of the first charging line K1, via which the first charging circuit B1 charges the first capacitor C1 before a light pulse is generated by the first laser D1</dd><dt>RZ2</dt><dd>Resistance of the second charging line K2, via which the second charging circuit B2 charges the second capacitor C2 before a light pulse is generated by the second laser D2</dd><dt>RZ3</dt><dd>Resistance of the third charging line K3, via which the third charging circuit B3 charges the third capacitor C3 before a light pulse is generated by the third laser D3</dd><dt>RZV</dt><dd>Line resistance of the supply line to the backup capacitor CVDD</dd><dt>RZn</dt><dd>Resistance of the nth charging line Kn, via which the nth charging circuit Bn charges the nth capacitor Cn before a light pulse is generated by the nth laser Dn</dd><dt>S</dt><dd>photo sensor</dd><dt>S0</dt><dd>first connection of the first structure B0'</dd><dt>S1</dt><dd>first connection of the first basic structure B1'</dd><dt>S2</dt><dd>first connection of the first self-similar structure B2'</dd><dt>S0<1;n></dt><dd>n first connections of the n structures B0'</dd><dt>S1<1;n></dt><dd>n first connections of the n first basic structures B1'</dd><dt>SCK</dt><dd>Clock signal of the SPI data bus</dd><dt>SL</dt><dd>transmission lens</dd><dt>SLE</dt><dd>transmitter optical element</dd><dt>TAF1</dt><dd>first conduction path pad</dd><dt>TAF2</dt><dd>second conduction path pad</dd><dt>T_dis</dt><dd>Control switch preferably designed as a transistor</dd><dt>TR</dt><dd>carrier</dd><dt>TRIG</dt><dd>Connection for the ignition signal</dd><dt>TRO</dt><dd>top of the carrier</dd><dt>T1</dt><dd>first driver part</dd><dt>T2</dt><dd>second driver part</dd><dt>T3</dt><dd>third driver part</dd><dt>T4</dt><dd>fourth driver part</dd><dt>T5</dt><dd>fifth driver part</dd><dt>T6</dt><dd>sixth driver part</dd><dt>T7</dt><dd>seventh driver part</dd><dt>T8</dt><dd>eighth driver part</dd><dt>T9</dt><dd>ninth driver part</dd><dt>VDD</dt><dd>Supply voltage and contact area for supply voltage</dd><dt>VDDA</dt><dd>analog supply voltage</dd><dt>VDDD</dt><dd>digital supply voltage</dd><dt>VDDH</dt><dd>high supply voltage</dd><dt>VDDP</dt><dd>Supply voltage of the interfaces</dd><dt>ZL</dt><dd>cylindrical lens</dd></dl>

<u>LITERATURE LIST</u>

0264<ul id="ul0086" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li><patcit id="pcit0034" dnum="DE19514062A"><text>DE-A-195 14 062</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0035" dnum="DE19546563C"><text>DE-C- 195 46 563</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0036" dnum="DE19914362A"><text>DE-A-199 14 362</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0037" dnum="DE102006036167B"><text>DE-B-10 2006 036 167</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0038" dnum="DE102008021588A"><text>DE-A-10 2008 021 588</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0039" dnum="DE102008062544A"><text>DE-A-10 2008 062 544</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0040" dnum="DE102009060873A"><text>DE-A-10 2009 060 873</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0041" dnum="DE102014105482A"><text>DE-A-10 2014 105 482</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0042" dnum="DE102016116368A"><text>DE-A-10 2016 116 368</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0043" dnum="DE102016116369A"><text>DE-A-10 2016 116 369</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0044" dnum="DE102016116875A"><text>DE-A-10 2016 116 875</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0045" dnum="DE102017100879A"><text>DE-A-10 2017 100 879</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0046" dnum="DE102017121713A"><text>DE-A-10 2017 121 713</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0047" dnum="DE102018106860A"><text>DE-A-10 2018 106 860</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0048" dnum="DE102018106861A"><text>DE-A-10 2018 106 861</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0049" dnum="EP2002519A"><text>EP-A-2 002 519</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0050" dnum="EP3301473A"><text>EP-A-3 301 473</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0051" dnum="EP3660574A"><text>EP-A-3 660 574</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0052" dnum="US20180045882A"><text>US-A-2018/0045882</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0053" dnum="US20200264426A"><text>US-A-2020/0264426</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0054" dnum="US6697402B"><text>U.S.-B-6,697,402</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0055" dnum="US9115146B"><text>US-B-9 115 146</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0056" dnum="US9185762B"><text>US-B-9 185 762</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0057" dnum="US9368936B"><text>U.S.-B-9,368,936</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0058" dnum="US10193304B"><text>US-B-10 193 304</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0059" dnum="WO2008035983A"><text>WO-A-2008/035983</text></patcit></li><li><patcit id="pcit0060" dnum="WO2018154139A"><text>WO-A-2018/154139</text></patcit></li></ul>