Optical communication system, method of performing optical communication wavefront correction, and related media

Abstract

A free-space optical communication system includes an optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated chip (114), a transceiver photonic integrated chip (112), and one or more processors (104). The OPA chip includes a plurality of array elements (120) and a plurality of phase shifters (121). The transceiver chip includes one or more transmitter components (116) and one or more receiver components (118). The one or more processors are configured to transmit a first signal (402) via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip, and to receive a second signal (410) via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to the filing dates of U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 890,378, filed August 18, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 246,599, filed September 21, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to an integrated on-chip wireless optical communication terminal, and more specifically to a free-space optical communication system, a method for performing wavefront correction for optical communication, and an associated non-transitory computer-readable recording medium. Background Technology

[0004] Wireless optical communication enables high throughput and long-distance communication, partly due to the high gain provided by the narrow angular width of the transmitted beam. However, the narrow beam also requires it to be accurately and actively pointed to maintain alignment with the terminal aperture at the far end. This pointing can be achieved using small mirrors that are actuated to turn the beam (e.g., MEMS- or voice coil-based fast-turning mirror mechanisms). In other implementations, electro-optical beam turning is used to turn the beam without moving parts, offering advantages in cost, lifetime, and performance. An optical phased array (OPA) is a key technical component, offering additional advantages in adaptive optics, point-to-multipoint support, and mesh network topologies. Each active element in an OPA requires electro-optical phase-shifting capability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure provides a free-space optical communication system. The free-space optical communication system includes an optical phased array (OPA) chip having multiple array elements and multiple phase shifters; a transceiver chip having one or more transmitter components and one or more receiver components; and one or more processors configured to transmit a first signal via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip, and to receive a second signal via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip.

[0006] In one example, the system also includes multiple lenses forming a telescope that captures light from free space and transmits light from the OPA chip. In another example, the system also includes a single-mode circulator and a single-mode waveguide connecting the OPA chip and the single-mode circulator. In yet another example, one or more transmitter components include a seed laser. In still another example, one or more receiver components include a sensor. In this example, one or more receiver components also include an attenuator and an amplifier.

[0007] In yet another example, the system further includes an amplifier that increases the gain of the first signal between the transceiver chip and the OPA chip. In yet another example, the system also includes a steering mirror; and one or more processors are further configured to control the steering mirror to adjust the wavefront or pointing direction of the first and second signals.

[0008] Other aspects of this disclosure provide a method for performing wavefront correction for optical communication. The method includes: receiving a first optical communication beam at an optical phased array on a photonic integrated chip in a communication system; measuring the phase leading edge of the first optical communication beam at a plurality of phase shifters on the photonic integrated chip by one or more processors of the communication system; determining a wavefront error of the first optical communication beam based on the measured phase leading edge by the one or more processors; adjusting the wavefront or pointing direction of the communication system based on the determined wavefront error by the one or more processors; and transmitting a second optical communication beam by the one or more processors using the photonic integrated chip and the adjusted wavefront or pointing direction.

[0009] In one example, measuring the phase leading edge includes detecting the phase shift setting at multiple phase shifters. In another example, determining the wavefront error includes identifying the tilt and sway terms. In yet another example, adjusting the wavefront or pointing direction includes mechanically steering the mirror. In yet another example, adjusting the wavefront or pointing direction includes electronic steering using multiple phase shifters. In yet another example, adjusting the wavefront or pointing direction includes controlling auxiliary steering elements for larger-scale low-frequency adjustments and controlling a photonic integrated chip for smaller-scale high-frequency adjustments.

[0010] In another example, a first set of processors in one or more processors performs the measurement of the phase leading edge, the determination of the wavefront error, and the adjustment of the wavefront or pointing direction; and a second set of processors in one or more processors performs the transmission of the second optical communication beam. In this example, the measurement of the phase leading edge, the determination of the wavefront error, and the adjustment of the wavefront or pointing direction include a feedback loop. Furthermore, in this example, the method also includes using the feedback loop to track changes in the first optical communication beam. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a block diagram 100 of the first and second communication devices according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0012] Figure 2 It is based on the various aspects of this disclosure for use Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an example system architecture for the first communication device, 200.

[0013] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the network based on various aspects of this disclosure.

[0014] Figure 4 It is a flowchart based on various aspects of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0015] Overview

[0016] This technology relates to a system architecture for a wireless optical communication terminal, which can be integrated onto one or more photonic integrated chips. This system architecture can be configured to combine and simplify multiple functions and leverage innovations in pointing / beam steering, acquisition, and tracking. For example, the chip can be used for both alignment and communication functions, eliminating any line-of-sight errors from separate alignment or tracking architectures. The system architecture may include photonic integrated transceivers and software-defined optical modems.

[0017] This system architecture may include an optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated circuit or chip designed to provide wavefront correction for the incident beam. Specifically, the OPA chip may be designed with a sufficiently high element count and density to provide sufficiently high spatial resolution for providing wavefront correction. The OPA chip may include multiple phase shifters configured to control signals received and transmitted by the array elements of the OPA. The OPA chip may also include a single-path, fully reciprocal optical design connected to a single transceiver assembly for receiving and transmitting the optical beam.

[0018] The system may include auxiliary steering elements to further adjust the angle of arrival of the incident beam, thereby better positioning the incident beam at the terminal sensor or fiber optic cable. The auxiliary steering element may be a steering mirror, such as a quick-turn / quick-point mirror, or other types of steerable elements controlled by an actuator. Alternatively, the auxiliary steering element may be a liquid crystal, a spatial light modulator, or other types of signal modulation devices.

[0019] One or more processors in the system can use the OPA to determine the angle of arrival of the incident beam. For example, the phase front of the incident beam can be measured and extracted based on the portion of the beam received at each array element of the OPA and the spatial resolution of the entire OPA. That is, the phase shift settings of multiple phase shifters used for the incident beam can be extracted and used to calculate the wavefront error and the corresponding wavefront correction. The wavefront error may include tip and tilt terms (e.g., the estimated angle of arrival term), as well as higher-order terms associated with other variations in the beam. These variations may be caused by environmental interference, atmospheric turbulence, or other external factors.

[0020] One or more processors can induce mechanical or electronic steering based on computed wavefront correction. For example, one or more processors can control an auxiliary steering element, an OPA, or both for wavefront correction. In a hybrid tracking configuration, the auxiliary steering element can be controlled for larger-scale and / or low-frequency adjustments, and the OPA can be controlled for smaller-scale and / or higher-frequency adjustments. Once wavefront correction is achieved for the incident beam, the single-transmit-receive design of this system architecture inherently performs pre-correction waveform distortion of the transmitted beam from the terminal based on the same correction. The reciprocity of beam propagation in atmospheric turbulence ensures that pre-distortion based on local receive correction maximizes reverse power coupling on the communication link.

[0021] The system architecture may also include an on-chip single-mode transceiver, which is a photonic device that fully integrates conventional discrete components. For example, photonic devices such as filters, multiplexers, demultiplexers, photodetectors, optical amplifiers, variable optical attenuators, and electronic circuitry can be integrated onto a single chip. The transceiver chip is configured to receive and process optical beams received and transmitted by the terminal. In some implementations, the transceiver chip may be integrated as part of an OPA chip.

[0022] In summary, this design also enables a low-cost system that still operates with the sensitivity and data rates previously achievable only with systems using expensive adaptive optics coupled to single-mode fiber. The integrated chip design allows for cost savings associated with supplying and manufacturing components such as transceivers and filter assemblies. The system architecture also advantageously supports IM / DD (intensity modulation and direct detection) and coherent (homodyne, heterodyne, intrinsic) systems.

[0023] In this design, components dedicated to tracking or alignment, such as beacon beams, specialized optics, or dedicated sensors, can be omitted from the system. Labor-intensive manufacturing and maintenance steps for aligning the tracking / alignment components with the communication link can also be omitted. Since the transmit and receive architectures share components and paths, similar omissions can be made in the manufacturing and maintenance steps for alignment between the transmit and receive architectures.

[0024] Furthermore, optoelectronic beam steering using OPAs can be the primary means of alignment and tracking, rather than optomechanical beam steering, resulting in fewer moving components and less error. Additionally or alternatively, including auxiliary steering elements in the system allows the use of OPAs with relatively low component counts (e.g., less than 1000 components), which can reduce manufacturing costs, power consumption, thermal management, and electrical interfaces associated with OPAs. In some other examples, OPAs can be designed with sufficiently high component density and count to achieve all steering capabilities, which would allow all other steering components to be completely omitted from the system.

[0025] In summary, this system architecture for optical communication terminals reduces the number of optical components, assembly tolerances, and optical quality requirements, and thus ultimately reduces the cost of optical components and wireless optical communication terminals.

[0026] Example System

[0027] Figure 1 The block diagram 100 is a first communication device of a first communication terminal, which is configured to form one or more links with a second communication device of a second communication terminal, for example as part of a system such as a free space optical communication (FSOC) system. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram 200 illustrates an example system architecture of the first communication device. For example, the first communication device 102 includes one or more processors 104, a memory 106, a transceiver photonic integrated chip 112, and an optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated chip 114. In some embodiments, the first communication device 102 may include more than one transceiver chip and / or more than one OPA chip.

[0028] One or more processors 104 can be any conventional processor, such as a commercially available CPU. Alternatively, one or more processors can be special-purpose devices, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or other hardware-based processors, such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Although Figure 1 Functionally, one or more processors 104 and memory 106 are shown as being within the same block, for example in Figure 2 The modem 202 shown is for digital signal processing; however, one or more processors 104 and memory 106 may actually include multiple processors and memories, which may or may not be housed in the same physical enclosure, for example, in both the modem 202 and the separate processing unit 203. Therefore, references to processors or computers will be understood to include references to a collection of processors or computers or memories that may or may not operate in parallel.

[0029] Memory 106 may store information accessible by one or more processors 104, including data 108 and instructions 110 executable by one or more processors 104. The memory may be any type capable of storing processor-accessible information, including computer-readable media such as hard disk drives, memory cards, ROM, RAM, DVDs or other optical discs, and other writable and read-only memories. The system and method may include different combinations of the foregoing, whereby different portions of data 108 and instructions 110 are stored on different types of media. In the memory of each communication device (such as memory 106), calibration information, such as one or more offsets determined for tracking signals, may be stored.

[0030] Data 108 may be retrieved, stored, or modified by one or more processors 104 according to instructions 110. For example, although the system and method are not limited to any particular data structure, data 108 may be stored in a computer register, in a relational database, as a table with multiple different fields and records, an XML document, or a flat file. Data 108 may also be formatted in any computer-readable format, such as, but not limited to, binary values ​​or Unicode. Further, by way of example only, image data may be stored as a bitmap composed of a grid of pixels, which may be stored according to compressed or uncompressed, lossless (e.g., BMP) or lossy (e.g., JPEG) formats, and bitmap or vector-based (e.g., SVG) formats, and computer instructions used to draw the graphics. Data 108 may include any information sufficient to identify relevant information, such as numbers, descriptive text, proprietary code, references to data stored in other areas of the same or different memory (including other network locations), or information used by functions to calculate relevant data.

[0031] Instructions 110 can be any set of instructions to be executed directly (such as machine code) or indirectly (such as a script) by one or more processors 104. For example, instructions 110 can be stored as computer code on a computer-readable medium. In this regard, the terms "instruction" and "program" are used interchangeably herein. Instructions 110 can be stored in object code format for direct processing by one or more processors 104, or stored in any other computer language, including scripts or sets of independent source code modules that are interpreted on demand or pre-compiled. The functionality, methods, and routines of instructions 110 are explained in more detail below.

[0032] One or more processors 104 can communicate with transceiver chip 112. For example... Figure 2 As shown, one or more processors in modem 202 can communicate with transceiver chip 112 and are configured to receive and process incoming optical signals and transmit optical signals. Transceiver chip 112 may include one or more transmitter components and one or more receiver components. Therefore, one or more processors 104 can be configured to transmit data in the signal via the transmitter components and can also be configured to receive communication and data in the signal via the receiver components. The received signal can be processed by one or more processors 104 to extract communication and data.

[0033] The transmitter components may include at least a light source, such as a seed laser 116. Other transmitter components may include amplifiers, such as a high-power semiconductor optical amplifier 204. In some embodiments, the amplifier is on a separate photonic chip. The seed laser 116 may be a distributed feedback laser (DFB), a light-emitting diode (LED), a laser diode, a fiber laser, or a solid-state laser. The optical output or optical signal of the seed laser 116 may be controlled by a current or electrical signal applied directly to the seed laser, such as a modulator from which a received electrical signal is modulated. The light emitted from the seed laser 116 is received by an OPA chip 114.

[0034] The receiver assembly may include at least a sensor 118, such as a photodiode. The sensor can convert received light or optical signals into electrical signals that can be processed by one or more processors. Other receiver assemblies may include attenuators (such as a variable optical attenuator 206), amplifiers (such as a semiconductor optical amplifier 208), or filters.

[0035] One or more processors 104 may communicate with optical phased array chip 114. OPA chip 114 receives light from transmitter components and outputs the light as a coherent communication beam for reception by a remote communication device (e.g., a second communication device 122). OPA chip 114 also receives light from free space, such as the communication beam from second communication device 122, and provides it to receiver components.

[0036] OPA chip 114 may include a plurality of array elements 120 and a plurality of phase shifters 121. The plurality of array elements 120 may be arranged in a grid pattern with a consistent spacing or distance between adjacent elements. In other examples, the array elements 120 may be arranged in different numbers of rows and columns, different shapes, and / or different spacings (consistent or inconsistent). Phase shifters 121 modify incident and outgoing light. Incident light is provided to a receiver assembly, and outgoing light is provided to the array elements 120. The architecture for the plurality of phase shifters 121 includes at least one phase shifter layer having a phase shifter connected to each of the plurality of array elements 120. In some examples, the phase shifter architecture includes multi-layer phase shifters, wherein phase shifters in a first layer may be connected in series with one or more phase shifters in a second layer. The OPA chip may provide the necessary photonic processing to combine the incident light beam into a single-mode waveguide that directs the beam toward transceiver chip 112. In some implementations, the OPA chip may also generate an angle of arrival estimate and provide it to one or more processors 104, such as the processor in the processing unit 203.

[0037] The system may include additional components to support the functionality of the communication terminal. For example, the system may include one or more lenses and / or mirrors forming a telescope. The telescope can receive and output collimated light. The telescope may include an objective lens section, an eyepiece section, or a relay section. Figure 2 As shown, the system may include objective lens 210, eyepiece 212, and relay lenses 214, 216. The system may include a circulator, such as a single-mode circulator 218, which routes incident and outgoing light while maintaining them on at least partially separated paths. The system may include one or more sensors 220 for measuring environmental features and / or system components. The system may include one or more steering mechanisms, such as one or more biasing devices for controlling one or more phase shifters, which may be part of OPA chip 114, and / or actuated / steering mirrors 222, such as fast / fine pointing mirrors. In some examples, the actuated mirror may be a MEMS 2-axis mirror, a 2-axis voice coil mirror, or a piezoelectric 2-axis mirror. One or more processors 104 (such as the processor in processing unit 203) may be configured to receive and process signals from one or more sensors 220, transceiver chip 112, and / or OPA chip 114, and control one or more steering mechanisms to adjust the pointing direction and / or wavefront shape, as described in more detail below. The system also includes optical fibers or waveguides connecting the optical components, thereby creating paths between the seed laser 116 and the OPA chip 114, and between the OPA chip 114 and the photodiode 118.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, the first communication device 102 can output an optical beam 20a pointing towards the second communication device 122.

[0039] Similarly, the second communication device 122 includes one or more processors 124, a memory 126, a transceiver chip 132, and an OPA chip 134. The one or more processors 124 may be similar to the one or more processors 104 described above. The memory 126 may store information accessible by the one or more processors 124, including data 128 and instructions 130 executable by the processors 124. The memory 126, data 128, and instructions 130 may be configured similarly to the memory 106, data 108, and instructions 110 described above. Additionally, the transceiver chip 132 and OPA chip 134 of the second communication device 122 may be similar to transceiver chip 112 and OPA chip 114. The transceiver chip 132 may include both a transmitter component and a receiver component. The transmitter component may include a light source, such as a seed laser 136 configured similarly to seed laser 116. Other transmitter components may include amplifiers, such as high-power semiconductor optical amplifiers. The receiver component may include a sensor 138 configured similarly to sensor 118. Other receiver components may include attenuators (such as variable optical attenuators), amplifiers (such as semiconductor optical amplifiers), or filters. OPA chip 114 may include multiple array elements 140 and multiple phase shifters 141, which may be similar to array elements 120 and phase shifters 121, respectively. Similar to the additional components described above, additional components may be included to support the functionality of communication device 122. Communication device 122 may have... Figure 2 The system architecture shown is the same as or similar to the system architecture shown.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the second communication device 122 can output an optical beam 20b pointing to the first communication device 102, and the first communication device 102 receives the optical beam 20b.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, when the transceivers of the first communication device 102 and the second communication device 122 are aligned, a communication link 22 can be formed between the first communication device 102 and the second communication device 122. Optical beams 20a and 20b can be used to determine alignment and when a line of sight is established between the communication devices 102 and 122. Using the communication link 22, one or more processors 104 can use optical beam 20a to transmit communication signals to the second communication device 122 through free space, and one or more processors 124 can use optical beam 20b to transmit communication signals to the first communication device 102 through free space. The communication link 22 between the first and second communication devices 102 and 122 allows bidirectional data transmission between the two devices. In particular, the communication link 22 in these examples can be a free-space optical communication (FSOC) link. In other embodiments, one or more of the communication links 22 can be radio frequency communication links or other types of communication links capable of traveling through free space.

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, multiple communication devices (such as the first communication device 102 and the second communication device 122) can be configured to form multiple communication links (as indicated by arrows) between multiple communication terminals, thereby forming a network 300. Network 300 may include client devices 310 and 312, server device 314, and communication devices 102, 122, 320, 322, and 324. Each of the client devices 310, 312, server device 314, and communication devices 320, 322, and 324 may include one or more processors, memories, transceiver chips, OPA chips, similar to those described above. Using transmitters and receivers, each communication device in network 300 can form at least one communication link with another communication device, as indicated by arrows. The communication links can be used at optical frequencies, radio frequencies, other frequencies, or combinations of different frequency bands. Figure 3 In the diagram, communication device 102 is shown having a communication link with client device 310 and communication devices 122, 320, and 324. Communication device 122 is shown having a communication link with communication devices 102, 320, 322, and 324.

[0043] like Figure 3 The network 300 shown is illustrative only, and in some embodiments, network 300 may include additional or different communication terminals. Network 300 may be a terrestrial network in which multiple communication devices reside on multiple terrestrial communication terminals. In other embodiments, network 300 may include one or more high-altitude platforms (HAPs), which may be balloons, small airships or other airships, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), satellites, or any other form of high-altitude platform, or other types of mobile or stationary communication terminals. In some embodiments, network 300 may serve as an access network for client devices such as cellular phones, laptops, desktop computers, wearable devices, or tablet computers. Network 300 may also connect to a larger network, such as the Internet, and may be configured to provide client devices with access to resources stored on or provided through a larger computer network.

[0044] Example Method

[0045] In operation, one or more processors 104 can perform wavefront correction for optical communication. Figure 4 In the flowchart 400, some aspects of the described aspects are shown, which can be executed by one or more processors 104 of the first communication device 102. Alternatively, one or more processors 124 of the second communication device 122 can execute one or more steps of the flowchart 400. Although Figure 4The boxes are shown in a specific order, but the order can be changed and multiple operations can be performed simultaneously. Furthermore, operations can be added or omitted.

[0046] At block 402, a first optical communication beam can be received at an optical phased array on a photonic integrated chip in a communication system. The first optical communication beam can carry data from a remote communication system or a client device. The first optical communication beam can be received at multiple array elements of the optical phased array. Each beam portion received at a given array element can be guided through at least one phase shifter. The beam portion is coupled to a waveguide, which guides the collected beam portion to a receiver assembly of the communication system for processing. The data can be processed and / or transmitted to the next hop in the network. For example, an optical beam 20b can be received at an optical phased array at an OPA chip 114 of communication device 102. The optical beam 20b can be guided through a phase shifter 121 at the OPA chip 114 and coupled to a single-mode waveguide, which guides the optical beam to a receiver assembly, such as sensor 118.

[0047] At block 404, one or more processors of the communication system can measure the phase leading edge of the first optical communication beam at multiple phase shifters on a photonic integrated chip. Phase shift settings can be detected for each phase shifter, and these settings can be used to determine the phase leading edge. For example, one or more processors 104 of the communication device 102 can measure the phase leading edge of the optical beam 20b based on signals received from multiple phase shifters 121.

[0048] At block 406, one or more processors can determine the wavefront error of the first optical communication beam based on the measured phase leading edge. Determining the wavefront error may include determining terms related to the angle of arrival of the optical beam's wavefront. These terms may include combinations of tilt, slant, or higher-order terms. For example, one or more processors 104 can determine the wavefront error of the optical beam 20b based on the measured phase leading edge.

[0049] At block 408, one or more processors can adjust the wavefront or pointing direction of the communication system based on a determined wavefront error. Mechanical steering, electronic steering, or a combination of both can be used to adjust the wavefront and / or pointing direction. Mechanical steering may include controlling the angle of an auxiliary steering element (such as an actuated mirror). Electronic steering may include controlling multiple phase shifters, such as by setting a phase shift setting for each phase shifter. In some embodiments, steering auxiliary steering elements can be used for larger-scale low-frequency adjustments, and steering using multiple phase shifters can be used for smaller-scale high-frequency adjustments. For example, one or more processors 104 can adjust the wavefront and / or pointing direction of the communication device 102 based on a determined wavefront error. Mechanical steering may include controlling a steering mirror 222. Electronic steering may include controlling multiple phase shifters 121.

[0050] At block 410, one or more processors may use a photonic integrated chip and adjusted wavefront and / or pointing direction to transmit a second optical communication beam. For example, one or more processors 104 may use the array elements 120 and phase shifter 121 of OPA chip 114 and adjusted pointing direction to transmit an optical beam 20a. Due to the reciprocity of beam propagation through the atmosphere, predistortion of the wavefront and pointing direction based on local receive correction can enable maximizing power coupling in the reverse direction across the communication link.

[0051] In some implementations, a first set of processors in one or more processors performs the measurement of the phase leading edge, the determination of the wavefront error, and the adjustment of the pointing direction, while a second set of processors in one or more processors performs the transmission of the second optical communication beam. The measurement of the phase leading edge, the determination of the wavefront error, and the adjustment of the pointing direction may include a feedback loop. Using a feedback loop, changes in the first optical communication beam can be tracked by one or more processors. These changes may include positional changes, such as drift, fading, or flickering, or other types of alterations.

[0052] The features described in this paper can provide a more cost-effective and accurate communication system by implementing an integrated photonic chip. The system's single-path transmit-receive design allows for the use of less complex and less expensive components. Furthermore, this design reduces alignment errors between communication devices, as well as between the tracking system and the communication system within each terminal. The design can also reduce errors by replacing the line-of-sight requirement between the tracking and communication beams with a feedback loop directly connected to the communication beam instead of the steering beam.

[0053] Unless otherwise stated, the foregoing alternative examples are not mutually exclusive, but can be implemented in various combinations to achieve unique advantages. Since these and other variations and combinations of the features discussed above can be utilized without departing from the subject matter defined by the claims, the foregoing description of the embodiments should be done by way of illustration rather than by way of limiting the subject matter defined by the claims. Furthermore, the provision of examples described herein and terms such as “such as,” “comprising,” etc., should not be construed as limiting the subject matter of the claims to the specific examples; rather, these examples are intended only to illustrate one of many possible embodiments. Moreover, the same reference numerals in different figures may identify the same or similar elements.

Claims

1. A free-space optical communication system, comprising: Optical phased array (OPA) chip, including: Multiple array elements, and Multiple phase shifters; Transceiver chip, including: One or more transmitter components, and One or more receiver components, wherein the one or more receiver components include an attenuator and an amplifier; and One or more processors configured to: The first signal is transmitted via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip, and The second signal is received via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip.

2. The system of claim 1 further includes a plurality of lenses forming a telescope, the telescope capturing light from free space and transmitting light from the OPA chip.

3. The system according to claim 1 further includes a single-mode circulator and a single-mode waveguide connecting the OPA chip and the single-mode circulator.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more transmitter components include a seed laser.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The one or more receiver components include sensors.

6. The system of claim 1 further includes an amplifier that increases the gain of the first signal between the transceiver chip and the OPA chip.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a steering mirror; and The one or more processors are further configured to control the steering mirror to adjust the wavefront or pointing direction of the first signal and the second signal.

8. A method for performing wavefront correction for optical communication, the method comprising: The phase leading edge of a first optical communication beam is measured by one or more processors on a photonic integrated chip in the communication system at multiple phase shifters, the first optical communication beam having been received at an optical phased array on the photonic integrated chip; The wavefront error of the first optical communication beam is determined by the one or more processors based on the measured phase leading edge; The one or more processors adjust the wavefront or pointing direction of the communication system based on a determined wavefront error; and The one or more processors use the photonic integrated chip and the adjusted wavefront or pointing direction to transmit a second optical communication beam.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The measurement of the phase leading edge includes detecting the phase shift setting at the plurality of phase shifters.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein, Determining the wavefront error includes determining the overturning term and the tilt term.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The adjustment of the wavefront or pointing direction includes the mechanical steering of the reflector.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The adjustment of the wavefront or pointing direction includes electronic steering using the plurality of phase shifters.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The adjustment of the wavefront or pointing direction includes: Control the auxiliary steering elements to make larger-scale low-frequency adjustments; and The photonic integrated chip is controlled to perform small-scale high-frequency adjustments.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The first group of processors in the one or more processors performs the measurement of the phase leading edge, the determination of the wavefront error, and the adjustment of the wavefront or pointing direction; as well as The second group of processors in one or more processors performs the transmission of the second optical communication beam.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The measurement of the phase leading edge, the determination of the wavefront error, and the adjustment of the wavefront or pointing direction include a feedback loop.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising using the feedback loop to track changes in the first optical communication beam.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, implementing a method for performing wavefront correction for optical communication, the method comprising: The phase leading edge of a first optical communication beam is measured at multiple phase shifters on a photonic integrated chip in a communication system. The first optical communication beam has been received at an optical phased array on the photonic integrated chip. The wavefront error of the first optical communication beam is determined based on the measured phase leading edge. The wavefront or pointing direction of the communication system is adjusted based on the determined wavefront error. as well as The second optical communication beam is transmitted using the photonic integrated chip and the adjusted wavefront or pointing direction.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 17, wherein, The measurement of the phase leading edge includes detecting the phase shift setting at the plurality of phase shifters.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 17, wherein determining the wavefront error includes determining a tilt term and a sway term.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 17, wherein the adjustment of the wavefront or pointing direction comprises: Mechanical steering of the reflector; Electronic steering using the plurality of phase shifters, or The auxiliary steering element is controlled to perform large-scale low-frequency adjustments, and the photonic integrated chip is controlled to perform small-scale high-frequency adjustments.

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