Micro Solid State LiDAR Technology 2026 — PatSnap Eureka
Micro Solid-State LiDAR: Patent & Innovation Intelligence
From MEMS scanning mirrors to chip-scale silicon photonic arrays, this report maps the core technology clusters, leading assignees, and emerging IP vectors shaping the micro solid-state LiDAR landscape from 2016 to 2026.
Four Beam-Steering Approaches Define the Solid-State LiDAR Landscape
Micro solid-state LiDAR replaces rotating assemblies with electronic, photonic, or MEMS beam-steering. Each cluster carries distinct performance trade-offs, IP density, and commercialization timelines.
MEMS Mirror-Based Beam Steering
The most well-represented technical cluster in this dataset. MEMS mirrors deflect a laser beam across a 2D field of view using resonant or quasi-static actuation — electrostatic, electromagnetic, or piezoelectric. The Fraunhofer IPMS large-aperture MEMS Scanner Array achieves 360° × 60° panoramic FOV at 3,200 Hz vertical scan rate. TU Wien demonstrated phase-locked loop (PLL) control to suppress automotive vibration distortion in a 10° × 11° FOV MEMS LiDAR.
360° × 60° FOV · 3,200 Hz scan rateFlash LiDAR with SPAD/SiPM Focal Plane Arrays
Flash LiDAR illuminates an entire scene simultaneously with a pulsed laser and uses 2D detector arrays to capture reflected photons. Hamamatsu Photonics demonstrated a 1,024-pixel Silicon-MPPC 3D sensor for autonomous vehicle and space applications. Fraunhofer IMS achieved 4-SPAD-per-pixel coincidence detection for high ambient light rejection in 0.35 µm automotive CMOS.
1,024-pixel Silicon-MPPC · 0.35 µm CMOSSilicon Photonics & Optical Phased Arrays (OPA)
Optical phased arrays use electrically tunable waveguide phase shifters on a photonic chip to steer a beam without mechanical movement. UC Berkeley's 2022 publication demonstrated a 128 × 128 MEMS-actuated focal plane switch array monolithically integrated on a 10 × 11 mm² Si photonic chip — 16,384 addressable pixels, 70° × 70° FOV, and 0.050° × 0.049° beam divergence. Qualcomm filed a diffraction-grating-based solid-state LiDAR in EP (2023).
16,384 pixels · 10 × 11 mm² chip · 70° × 70° FOVDistributed Multi-Emitter & Multi-Wavelength Architectures
Recent filings show a trend toward distributing multiple emitter and detector arrays across a platform rather than centralizing optics. Opsys Tech Ltd.'s 2025–2026 EP filings indicate a shift from single-aperture to distributed emitter networks with overlapping FOV control — analogous to phased array radar in the optical domain. Their multi-wavelength design improves point cloud angular resolution by interleaving beam profiles at the target plane.
Overlapping FOV · Multi-wavelength · No moving partsKey Metrics from the Micro Solid-State LiDAR Dataset
Data derived from patent filings and peer-reviewed literature spanning 2016–2026, retrieved via PatSnap Eureka.
Top Assignees by Patent Filing Count
Hesai Technology leads design patent volume; Waymo and Opsys Tech dominate substantive architecture filings.
Technology Cluster Maturity & Filing Density
MEMS and Flash/SPAD clusters show the highest filing density; OPA and distributed architectures are rapidly emerging.
Application Domain Distribution
Autonomous vehicles and ADAS represent the largest application cluster by filing volume in this dataset.
Patent Filing Activity by Jurisdiction
US leads in design patent volume; EP hosts the densest substantive architecture filings from Opsys, Velodyne, and Qualcomm.
Who Holds the Core Solid-State LiDAR IP?
Among retrieved results, Hesai Technology Co., Ltd. holds the largest design patent portfolio in this dataset — at least 10 US design patents filed between November 2021 and March 2026. However, substantive LiDAR system architecture patents (OPA, distributed solid-state, GaN drivers) are concentrated in US, Israeli, and European entities. R&D teams should monitor Chinese academic filings from Tsinghua University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University as early signals of upstream IP development.
Opsys Tech Ltd. is the most aggressive solid-state LiDAR filer in this dataset for 2024–2026, with distributed emitter, multi-wavelength, and eye-safe system patents across EP and JP in a two-year window. Competitors entering the solid-state LiDAR market should conduct Freedom-to-Operate analysis specifically against Opsys Tech's emitter-overlap and sequencing controller claims.
Waymo LLC holds at least 8 patent filings across IL and SG jurisdictions (2017–2022), covering steerable fiber-laser LiDAR and pulse energy management. Their 2022 IL pending application for adaptive pulse energy allocation per emitter represents a key system-level control patent. PatSnap Analytics can be used to map the full citation network around these filings.
Academic innovation in this dataset is distributed across the US (UC Berkeley, MIT, University of Arizona, University of Florida), China (Tsinghua, Shanghai Jiao Tong, USTC, CAS), Germany (Fraunhofer IPMS, Fraunhofer IMS), Austria (TU Wien), Japan (Hamamatsu Photonics, Shizuoka University), and Singapore (A*STAR, NTU). For life sciences and photonics crossover applications, the SPAD detector literature is particularly relevant.
Six Technology Directions Shaping LiDAR to 2028
Based on filings dated 2023–2026 in this dataset, these vectors represent the frontier of solid-state LiDAR innovation.
Chip-Scale MEMS-Silicon Photonic Integration
The UC Berkeley 2022 publication demonstrating a 16,384-pixel LiDAR on a 10 × 11 mm² chip is the leading indicator of full monolithic integration. The next phase will combine MEMS-actuated optical switches with grating antennas and on-chip signal processing — reducing BOM to a single chiplet.
Distributed Multi-Emitter Solid-State Architectures
Opsys Tech's 2025–2026 EP filings indicate a shift from single-aperture to distributed emitter networks with overlapping FOV control — analogous to phased array radar in the optical domain. Their multi-wavelength design improves point cloud angular resolution by interleaving beam profiles at the target plane.
IP Strategy Implications for R&D and Patent Teams
Key strategic signals derived from patent filing patterns in this dataset, 2016–2026.
| Strategic Signal | Evidence from Dataset | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese OEMs dominate design patent volume but lag in core architecture IP | Hesai and Beijing Voyager hold the largest number of US design filings; substantive OPA, distributed solid-state, and GaN driver patents are in US, Israeli, and European hands | Monitor Tsinghua and Shanghai Jiao Tong academic filings as early upstream IP signals |
| MEMS + silicon photonics convergence is the most disruptive near-term vector | UC Berkeley 16,384-pixel monolithic chip (2022) on 10 × 11 mm² defines the frontier | Stake positions in MEMS-actuated switch arrays, grating antenna designs, and monolithic integration process patents |
| Opsys Tech is the most aggressive solid-state LiDAR filer (2024–2026) | 3 substantive patents in EP and JP within a two-year window covering distributed emitter, multi-wavelength, and eye-safe systems | Conduct Freedom-to-Operate analysis against Opsys Tech's emitter-overlap and sequencing controller claims |
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Where Micro Solid-State LiDAR Is Being Deployed
From autonomous vehicles to asteroid missions, the application footprint of compact solid-state LiDAR is expanding rapidly across sectors.
Autonomous Vehicles & ADAS
The largest application cluster by filing volume. Assignees Hesai Technology, Beijing Voyager, Velodyne LiDAR, Waymo, SZ DJI Technology, Polestar Performance, Volvo Car Corporation, and TuSimple all hold US design patents for automotive-grade LiDAR form factors. Technical claims span GaN-based multi-channel illumination drivers, pulse energy planning per thermal budget, and adaptive FOV scanning. According to WIPO, automotive LiDAR is among the fastest-growing patent technology areas globally.
Largest filing cluster · GaN drivers · Adaptive FOVRobotics & UAV Navigation
Solid-state LiDAR's compact form factor and low power make it well-suited for drones and ground robots. DJI (2023, US) holds a design patent for a UAV-integrated LiDAR. Flash LiDAR for UAV platforms appears in literature as early as 2012 (Guilin University of Technology). Nanyang Technological University (2021) addresses SLAM algorithm adaptation for solid-state LiDAR's reduced FOV characteristics, with feature extraction and probabilistic SLAM frameworks tailored to the smaller FOV and higher update rate of solid-state sensors.
Compact form factor · SLAM adaptation · UAV integrationIndustrial Metrology & Geoscience Mapping
Automotive-grade solid-state LiDAR sensors are being repurposed for geoscientific mobile mapping (Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH, 2022). Fraunhofer IPMS's 360° MEMS scanner array targets industrial 3D mapping applications. Hangzhou OLE-Systems (2023, US) holds a design patent for a 16-channel laser radar system. The European Patent Office has noted increasing cross-domain reuse of automotive LiDAR IP in industrial metrology applications.
360° mapping · 16-channel radar · Mobile geoscienceAtmospheric Remote Sensing & Space
Compact and micro-pulse LiDAR for atmospheric profiling draws on the same photon-counting and compact laser technologies. University of Science and Technology of China developed 1.5 µm micro-pulse lidars using SNSPD, up-conversion SPD, and InGaAs/InP SPAD detectors (2020). MIT's small all-range lidar for asteroid missions (2021) applies fiber-laser RZPN coding for compact space LiDAR. Despite strong academic output, few assignees in this dataset hold active patents specifically for miniaturized LiDAR in space — representing an open IP white space.
1.5 µm micro-pulse · SNSPD · Asteroid missions · IP white spaceMicro Solid-State LiDAR — key questions answered
Micro solid-state LiDAR refers to compact, miniaturized LiDAR systems that eliminate conventional rotating mechanical assemblies in favor of electronic, photonic, or micro-electromechanical beam-steering mechanisms. The technology sits at the convergence of MEMS engineering, silicon photonics, advanced detector physics, and integrated circuit design, and is now a primary enabler of autonomous vehicles, robotics, and UAV navigation.
Micro solid-state LiDAR replaces spinning mechanical assemblies with one or more of the following solid-state or quasi-solid-state beam-steering modalities: MEMS scanning mirrors, optical phased arrays (OPA) on silicon photonic chips, flash illumination with focal-plane array detectors, and spatial light modulators (SLMs). Among retrieved results, the dominant themes are MEMS-based beam steering, SPAD and SiPM detector integration, flash LiDAR architectures, and emerging silicon photonic integration.
Among retrieved results, Hesai Technology Co., Ltd. holds the largest design patent portfolio in this dataset with at least 10 US design patents filed between November 2021 and March 2026. Waymo LLC holds at least 8 patent filings across IL and SG jurisdictions (2017–2022). Opsys Tech Ltd. has 3 substantive patents in EP and JP (2024–2026), and Beijing Voyager Technology Co., Ltd. holds 5 US design patents (2022–2024).
The University of California, Berkeley reported a 128 × 128 MEMS-actuated focal plane switch array of grating antennas monolithically integrated on a 10 × 11 mm² Si photonic chip with 16,384 addressable pixels, 70° × 70° FOV, and 0.050° × 0.049° beam divergence. This 2022 publication is the leading indicator of full monolithic integration and defines the frontier for chip-scale LiDAR.
Opsys Tech Ltd. filed distributed modular solid-state LiDAR systems in EP jurisdiction (2025, 2026). Their 2025–2026 EP filings indicate a shift from single-aperture to distributed emitter networks with overlapping FOV control — analogous to phased array radar in the optical domain. They also hold an eye-safe long-range solid-state LiDAR system patent in JP (2024) and a multi-wavelength LiDAR system patent in EP (2026) that improves point cloud angular resolution by interleaving beam profiles at the target plane.
Based on filings dated 2023–2026, the following vectors are emerging: chip-scale MEMS-silicon photonic integration (UC Berkeley 16,384-pixel chip); distributed multi-emitter solid-state architectures (Opsys Tech 2025–2026 EP filings); SLM and DMD-based receiver beam routing (Hexagon Technology Center 2025 EP patent); GaN power integration for high-speed pulsed drivers (Velodyne 2024 EP filing); photonic crystal surface-emitting lasers (PCSELs) as LiDAR emitters; and 360° no-moving-parts scanning via spiral phase plate resonators (Northrop Grumman Systems 2024 JP patent).
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References
- All-MEMS Lidar Using Hybrid Optical Architecture with Digital Micromirror Devices and a 2D-MEMS Mirror — University of Arizona, James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, 2022
- A Progress Review on Solid-State LiDAR and Nanophotonics-Based LiDAR Sensors — Institute of Microelectronics, A*STAR Singapore, 2022
- MEMS Mirrors for LiDAR: A Review — University of Florida, 2020
- A Survey on LiDAR Scanning Mechanisms — National University of Malaysia, 2020
- Research on Key Technologies of MEMS-Based 3D Imaging LIDAR Vision System — Tsinghua University, 2019
- MEMS-Based LiDAR for Autonomous Driving — TU Wien, Automation and Control Institute, 2018
- Evaluation of Robustness Against External Vibrations for Long-Range MEMS LiDAR with One-Dimensional Resonant Micromirror — TU Wien, 2022
- System Integration of Hybrid Assembled Large Aperture Micro Scanner Array for Fast Scanning LiDAR Sensors — Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS), 2022
- A Large-Scale Microelectromechanical-Systems-Based Silicon Photonics LiDAR — University of California, Berkeley, 2022
- Si Photonics for Practical LiDAR Solutions — Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, 2019
- Blind Zone-Suppressed Hybrid Beam Steering for Solid-State LiDAR — Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2021
- SPAD-Based LiDAR Sensor in 0.35 µm Automotive CMOS with Variable Background Light Rejection — Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems, 2018
- 1K Pixel Silicon-MPPC Three-Dimensional Image Sensor for Flash LIDAR — Hamamatsu Photonics, 2022
- SPADs and SiPMs Arrays for Long-Range High-Speed Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) — Politecnico di Milano, 2021
- Distributed Modular Solid-State LiDAR System — Opsys Tech Ltd., 2025, EP
- Multi-Wavelength LiDAR System — Opsys Tech Ltd., 2026, EP
- Eye-Safe Long-Range Solid-State LIDAR System — Opsys Tech Ltd., 2024, JP
- Solid-State Electronic Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) — Qualcomm Incorporated, 2023, EP
- Lidar Device with Spatial Light Modulators — Hexagon Technology Center GmbH, 2025, EP
- Multi-Channel LiDAR Illumination Driver — Velodyne LiDAR USA, Inc., 2024, EP
- WIPO — World Intellectual Property Organization
- EPO — European Patent Office
- Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
- Hamamatsu Photonics
- Tsinghua University
All data and statistics on this page are sourced from the references above and from PatSnap's proprietary innovation intelligence platform. This landscape is derived from a limited set of patent and literature records retrieved across targeted searches. It represents a snapshot of innovation signals within this dataset only and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive view of the full industry.
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