Fast scanning means higher frame rates, which in turn places high-resolution output requirements on applications. Laser beam-based steering does not require any additional power and is chip compatible. It is reported that this metasurface-based light-matter interaction can be integrated into a patterned silicon film. Brongersma, a professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford University, said: “This provides the foundation for all nanoscale electronic circuits to provide this exciting feature that allows the laser pointer beam to turn.”
LiDAR used in self-driving cars is similar to radar, but instead of using radio waves returned from the surface of objects, it uses infrared or visible light. That’s why a lot of self-driving cars have a weird rotating device. Laser beam-based steering can replace this expensive device, reducing overall costs. According to Purdue University’s Vladimir Shalaev, “This seems to be a disruptive solution. In the future, there will be great changes in the large and emerging industry of autonomous driving.”
According to the report, in addition to the use of laser pointer-based steering devices in autonomous vehicles, they can also be used in other areas that require navigation, such as space flight, radar, imaging, marker scanning, archeology, mapping, robotics and other similar field