Toshiba launches high-efficiency silicon photomultiplier for solid-state lidar to increase detection capability by 4 times

According to foreign media reports, in order to accelerate the transition to autonomous driving, Japanese company Toshiba announced the launch of high-resolution, long-range light receiving technology that can be used in solid-state lidar systems. By removing bulky mechanical components, this technology saves cost and space and improves the operational reliability of lidar systems. The core of this technology is Toshiba's proprietary compact and efficient silicon photomultiplier (SiPM).

(Image source: Toshiba)

In general, SiPMs are suitable for long-distance measurements because they are highly sensitive to light. However, the light receiving cells on SiPMs require a certain recovery time after being triggered, and a large number of batteries are required in strong ambient light conditions because backup batteries are required to respond to reflected lasers.

(Image source: Toshiba)

Toshiba's SiPM uses a transistor circuit to restart the battery to reduce the recovery time. The battery functions more efficiently and fewer are needed, ensuring that the size of the SiPM also becomes smaller, ultimately achieving a higher resolution SiPM array while maintaining high sensitivity.

(Image source: Toshiba)

Current LiDAR systems require mechanical components to continuously rotate the laser emitter and the accompanying optical detection equipment, but the use of solid-state LiDAR can ensure a number of operational advantages, and Toshiba's groundbreaking SiPM innovations are making this possible. Field tests of LiDAR using commercial lenses (ranging from wide-angle to telephoto lenses) have demonstrated that the system has a maximum effective detection range of up to 200 meters, effectively increasing the detection capabilities of current solid-state LiDAR systems by 4 times while ensuring high resolution.

In addition, Toshiba's LiDAR system can be easily built using commercial lenses, eliminating the need for complex customization, allowing it to be applied to a variety of autonomous vehicles. The technology's compactness allows it to be installed in multiple locations on a vehicle (which was previously a major challenge), and can also expand its application beyond the automotive industry.

Toshiba will continue R&D work to further expand the measurement range of LiDAR, improve its resolution and promote miniaturization, with the goal of putting SiPM into practical use in 2022.