Optical solid-state beam steering using non-linear converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10234745-B2
Application number	US-201715641683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2017
Priority date	Jul 5, 2017
Publication date	Mar 19, 2019
Grant date	Mar 19, 2019

Abstract

A solid state optical beam steering device and method of operation includes converting a frequency or wavelength of a signal in a non-linear converter associated with one channel just before launch. A second channel has a similar constructions and operation. A processor compares the phase difference between the two channels and uses the difference to horizontally steer a beam without moving mechanical parts. This establishes the solid-state nature of the present disclosure. The non-linear converter may be a quasi-phase matched non-linear converter with alternating crystal domains.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solid state optical beam steering device comprising:
a first waveguide carrying a first optical wavelength;
a phase modulator modulating the first wavelength;
a second waveguide carrying an optical pump signal, wherein the first waveguide is evanescently coupled to the second waveguide; and
a non-linear converter optically aligned with the second waveguide to amplify or convert the first optical wavelength to a different wavelength band or frequency and establish a second optical wavelength from the optical pump signal adapted to be steered based on the different wavelength band or frequency.

2. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 1 , wherein the non-linear converter is a quasi-phase matched (QPM) third waveguide comprising:
a plurality of aligned sections formed from a conversion material, wherein adjacent sections alternate directions to reverse a sign of the second optical wavelength moving along the QPM third waveguide.

3. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 2 , further comprising a cladding layer positioned intermediate the first waveguide and the QPM third waveguide.

4. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a core of the first waveguide adjacent a cladding layer;
wherein the non-linear converter is evanescently coupled to the first waveguide.

5. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 4 , wherein the core of the first waveguide is completely surrounded the cladding layer.

6. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 4 , wherein the conversion material of the non-linear converter is bonded directly to the cladding layer over the first waveguide.

7. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 6 , further comprising: an interface defined by a direct abutment of a terminal end of the second waveguide to a first section of the non-linear converter.

8. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 6 , further comprising: a gap defined by a spaced alignment of a terminal end of the second waveguide with a first section of the non-linear converter.

9. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a pump generating the optical pump signal that is converted or amplified into the second optical wavelength.

10. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a launching area, wherein the non-linear converter formed from a conversion material defines at least a portion of the launching area.

11. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 10 , wherein the conversion material is orientation patterned gallium arsenide (OP-GaAs).

12. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 10 , wherein the conversion material of the non-linear converter is lattice matched with the first waveguide.

13. The solid state optical beam steering device of claim 12 , wherein the conversion material is orientation patterned gallium phosphide (OP-GaP).

14. A method for solid state optical beam steering comprising:
transmitting a first optical wavelength along a first waveguide associated with a first channel;
modulating the first optical wavelength by a phase modulator;
transmitting an optically pumped pump signal along a second waveguide associated with the first channel;
transferring protonic energy from the first optical signal wavelength to the pump signal via evanescent coupling;
converting one of a frequency and a wavelength of the pump signal in a non-linear converter to create a second optical wavelength associated with the first channel; and
steering an optical beam horizontally through a phase difference of the second optical wavelength in the first channel relative to another second optical wavelength generated in a second channel.

15. The method for solid state optical beam steering of claim 14 , further comprising:
transmitting the second optical wavelength along a quasi-phase matched (QPM) non-linear converter including a plurality of aligned alternating crystal orientations.

16. The method for solid state optical beam steering of claim 15 , wherein converting one of the frequency and wavelength of the second optical wavelength occurs subsequent to the modulating of the first optical wavelength in the QPM non-linear converter.

17. The method for solid state optical beam steering of claim 16 , further comprising:
pointing an optical beam at an approaching hostile target, wherein the optical beam is steered based, at least in part, on the second optical wavelength; and
effecting disablement of an enemy guidance system on the approaching hostile target.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of steering the optical beam is accomplished without any moving mechanical parts.

19. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon, that when executed by one or more processors carried by an aircraft vehicle perform operations to effect disablement of a guidance system on the approaching hostile target, the operations include:
(i) transmit a first optical wavelength along a first waveguide associated with a first channel;
(ii) modulate the first optical wavelength by a phase modulator;
(iii) transmit a pumped second optical wavelength along a second waveguide associated with the first channel;
(iv) transfer protonic energy from the first optical wavelength to the second optical wavelength via evanescent coupling; and
(v) convert one of the frequency and wavelength of the second wavelength in a non-linear converter to create a first optical end signal associated with the first channel.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , in combination with a semiconductor optical amplifier operable in a midwave infrared (MWIR) range and a longwave infrared (LWIR) range comprising:
a first waveguide to transmit the first optical wavelength;
a phase modulator modulating the first wavelength;
a second waveguide to transmit the second optical wavelength, wherein the first waveguide is evanescently coupled to the second waveguide; and
a quasi-phase matched (QPM) non-linear converter in optical communication with the second waveguide.

Assignees

• Bae Sys Inf & Elect Sys Integ

Inventors

• Moffitt Paul R
• Ketteridge Peter A
• Schunemann Peter G

Classifications

• G02B6/125

  Bends, branchings or intersections · CPC title

• F41H13/005

  the high-energy beam being a laser beam · CPC title

• G02F2001/3548

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02F2202/101

  Ga×As and alloy · CPC title

• G02B6/29331

  operating by evanescent wave coupling · CPC title