Optical phased array light steering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12085833-B2
Application number	US-202117501419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2021
Priority date	Nov 11, 2020
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus includes: an optical phased array (e.g., on a photonic integrated circuit), a focusing element, which can be at a fixed position relative to the optical phased array and configured to receive an optical beam from the optical phased array, and a steering element, which can be at a fixed position relative to the focusing element and configured to transmit the optical beam received from the focusing element. In some implementations, at least one of the focusing element or the steering element is externally coupled to the photonic integrated circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a photonic integrated circuit comprising an optical phased array comprising a plurality of antenna elements that are coupled to respective optical waveguides formed in the photonic integrated circuit,
a focusing element at a fixed position relative to the optical phased array and configured to couple an optical beam to or from two or more of the plurality of antenna elements of the optical phased array, and
a steering element at a fixed position relative to the focusing element and configured to steer the optical beam to or from the focusing element over a plurality of different angles within a steering range that is determined at least in part by at least one characteristic of the optical beam;
wherein at least one of the focusing element or the steering element is externally coupled to the photonic integrated circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the steering element comprises a dispersive element.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the dispersive element comprises a diffractive element.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the dispersive element comprises a refractive element.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the refractive element comprises a prism.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the dispersive element comprises at least two prisms.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the dispersive element comprises at least one diffraction grating and at least one prism.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the focusing element comprises a lens.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the focusing element comprises a reflective surface, and the reflective surface is configured to provide both reflection and focusing.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photonic integrated circuit, the focusing element, and the steering element are included in at least a portion of a LiDAR system.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the photonic integrated circuit, the focusing element, and the steering element are included in at least a portion of a free space optical link of a communication system.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an optical source configured to provide an optical wave to the antenna elements of the optical phased array.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein relative phase shifts among the antenna elements provide steering of the optical beam emitted from the optical phased array in a first plane.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the steering element comprises a dispersive element, the optical source comprises a tunable optical source configured to tune a wavelength of the optical wave provided to the antenna elements of the optical phased array, and the tuned wavelength provides steering of the optical beam emitted from the dispersive element in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein relative phase shifts among the antenna elements of the optical phased array provide steering of the optical beam emitted from the optical phased array in a first plane, and the steering element provides steering of the optical beam in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the relative phase shifts among the antenna elements are applied through respective phase shifters coupled to the respective antenna elements.

17. An apparatus comprising:
an optical phased array comprising a plurality of antenna elements that are coupled to respective optical waveguides,
a reflective surface at a fixed position relative to the optical phased array and configured to redirect an optical beam to or from two or more of the plurality of antenna elements of the optical phased array, and
a steering element at a fixed position relative to the reflective surface and configured to steer the optical beam to or from the reflective surface over a plurality of different angles within a steering range that is determined at least in part by at least one characteristic of the optical beam.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the reflective surface is shaped to substantially collimate the optical beam in at least a first plane when the optical beam is redirected from the optical phased array.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising an optical source configured to provide an optical wave to the antenna elements of the optical phased array.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein relative phase shifts among the antenna elements provide steering of the optical beam emitted from the optical phased array in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the steering element comprises a diffractive element, the optical source comprises a tunable optical source configured to tune a wavelength of the optical wave provided to the antenna elements of the optical phased array, and the tuned wavelength provides steering of the optical beam emitted from the diffractive element in the first plane.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the steering element comprises a diffractive element that is configured to be tuned electronically to steer the beam in the first plane.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the optical phased array, the reflective surface, and the steering element are included in at least a portion of a LiDAR system.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the optical phased array, the reflective surface, and the steering element are included in at least a portion of a free space optical link of a communication system.

25. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein relative phase shifts among the antenna elements of the optical phased array provide steering of the optical beam emitted from the optical phased array in a first plane, and the steering element provides steering of the optical beam in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

26. An apparatus comprising:
an optical phased array comprising a plurality of antenna elements that are coupled to respective optical waveguides,
a lens at a fixed position relative to the optical phased array and configured to couple an optical beam to or from two or more of the plurality of antenna elements of the optical phased array, and
a steering element at a fixed position relative to the lens and configured to steer the optical beam to or from the lens over a plurality of different angles within a steering range that is determined at least in part by at least one characteristic of the optical beam.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the lens is shaped to substantially collimate the optical beam in at least a first plane when the optical beam is coupled from the optical phased array.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 , further comprising an optical source configured to provide an optical wave to the antenna elements of the optical phased array.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein relative phase shifts among the antenna elements provide steering of the optical beam emitted from the optical phased array in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the steering element comprises a diffractive element, the optical source comprises a tunable optical source configured to tune a wavelength of the optical wave provided to the antenna elements of the optical phased array, and the tuned wavelength provides steering of the optic

Assignees

• Analog Photonics LLC

Inventors

• Watts Michael Robert
• Shtyrkova Katia
• Poulton Christopher Vincent
• Hosseini Ehsan Shah
• Moss Benjamin Roy

Classifications

• G02B6/12009

  comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides · CPC title

• H04B10/40

  Transceivers · CPC title

• G02F2201/30

  grating · CPC title

• G01S7/4817

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• G02F2201/34

  reflector · CPC title