US Patent 11112233 Self-mixing particulate matter sensors using VCSELs with extrinsic photodiodes

Aspects of the subject technology relate to an apparatus for self-mixing particulate-matter sensing using a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with extrinsic photodiodes. The apparatus includes a dual-emitting light source disposed on a first chip and to generate a first light beam and a second light beam. The first light beam illuminates a particulate matter (PM), and a light detector extrinsic to the first chip measures the second light beam and variations of the second light beam and generates a self-mixing signal. The variations of the second light beam are caused by a back-scattered light resulting from back-scattering of the first light beam from the PM. The light detector is coupled to the dual-emitting light source. The direction of the second light beam is opposite to the direction of the first light beam, and the second light beam is directed to a sensitive area of the light detector.