November 10, 2020 — ON Semiconductor (NASDAQ: ON), which promotes high-energy-efficiency innovation, has launched the company's silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) technology.Single point direct time of flight (dToF) lidarProgram.

Light detection and ranging orLidarApplications are growing in all areas, including robotics and industrial proximity sensing that mandate millimeter-range accuracy. It is usually based on the dToF method, which measures the time it takes for a light pulse to travel to and from an object, usually in the near infrared (NIR) wavelength range.

Although the principle is simple, its application may bring challenges, such as environmental factors such as strong sunlight. In order to accurately determine the range, the receiver needs to capture as much signal as possible. In terms of response time and sensitivity, traditional photodiodes will be affected in this regard. The silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) sensor developed by ON Semiconductor overcomes these shortcomings by providing faster response time and high detection efficiency. This reference platform uses ON Semiconductor's second-generation SiPM sensorRB series, Brings higher performance in the red and NIR ranges.

Developed by ON SemiconductorSiPM dToF Lidar platformProvide a complete solution for low-cost, single-point lidar, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) can flexibly adjust and put into production to create industrial ranging applications. It includes NIR laser diodes, SiPM sensors and optics, as well as the digital processing required to convert the detected signal to elapsed time and convert elapsed time to distance.

To speed up the time to market for customers, ON Semiconductor provides all the design data of the reference platform, including schematics, bill of materials (BoM), gerber files and PCB design files. Customers can also access a PC-based graphical user interface (GUI) that provides graphs of measurement results over time. The generated histogram further proves the system's ability in ranging, collision detection and 3D mapping applications.

Wiren Perera, Director of IoT at ON Semiconductor, said: "Using dToF lidar for ranging satisfies the critical needs of many applications, from autonomous navigation to mapping to monitoring. However, developing a dToF lidar-based system can be challenging. This platform of our company clearly proves the effectiveness of this leading technology. With a proven design, customers can quickly carry out proof of concept and quickly bring products to the market."

The SiPM dToF lidar platform can detect objects at a distance of 10 cm to 23 meters. Use the provided GUI to provide an out-of-the-box experience so that engineers can start evaluating the technology immediately. The design has been certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and complies with the IEC/EN 60825-1:2014 and 21 CFR 1040.10/1040.11 laser safety standards.