Fully coherent photonic transceiver with high fill aperture

Abstract

A fully coherent photonic transceiver that achieves a high density aperture fill factor. The system is capable of polarimetric measurement and laser speckle suppression. The system can incorporate a fully coherent combiner architecture and can be implemented as a single-wavelength or multi-wavelength transceiver architecture. The transceiver system can incorporate multiple lenses to allow multi-focus operation. The transceiver can process a large range of wavelengths for same-boresight imaging for hyperspectral optical imaging. The transceiver can process the complete optical wavefront by sampling both the amplitude and phase of the optical input using complex coherent receivers.

Description

FULLY COHERENT PHOTONIC TRANSCEIVER WITH HIGH FILL APERTURE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e) of:

[0002] U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 554,877, filed February 16, 2024, by Aroutin Khachaturian and Austin Fikes entitled “PHOTONIC IDENTIFICATION TAG (PIDT),” attorney’s docket No.306.0001USP1; and

[0003] U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 632,094, filed April 10, 2024, by Aroutin Khachaturian, Alex White, Austin Fikes, and Seyed Ali Hajimiri, entitled “FULLY COHERENT PHOTONIC TRANSCEIVER WITH HIGH FILL APERTURE, ”attorney’s docket No.306.0003USP1;

[0004] both of which applications are incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Field of the Invention.

[0006] The present disclosure relates to apertures for coherent receivers and methods of making and using the same.

[0007] Description of the Related Art.

[0008] Integrated coherent photonic transceivers offer significant advantages over their non-coherent counterparts. They can perform transceiver operations with higher reliability against temperature, environmental variations, bright lighting conditions, and component aging and degradation during the system’s lifetime. In addition, a fully solid-state solution is much more reliable against mechanical shock and vibrations than their rotating and MEMS counterparts and can be produced at a much lower cost. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Using a fully-coherent transceiver, we address several challenges associated with integrated, coherent transceivers. First, the conventional solid-state coherent transceivers [1, 3] have a limited fill factor aperture because the pixel size is large. As a result, the beam steering sub-system can gaze in limited discrete directions in the far-field. However, the fully-coherent transceiver architecture described here can achieve up to 100% fill-factor aperture.

[0010] Furthermore, the architecture can collect both linear polarization of light returning to the aperture as shown in Fig.5. Like any other imaging system that utilizes a coherent source, a coherent imaging system according to embodiments described herein must handle signal degradation caused by speckle patterns on the receiver. We describe how the solution can suppress the undesired effects of the speckle. Moreover, the presented architecture can be implemented to have multiple lenses and multiple gratings per pixel to achieve enhanced detection capability in terms of broad-spectral imaging and higher depth of field that conventional coherent transceivers cannot.

[0011] In one embodiment, in order to implement the system with reduced size, weight, and power, a system utilizes a fully coherent signal combiner and distribution tree.

[0012] In another embodiment, a coherent transceiver can be implemented as a hyperspectral imager with integrated processing for enhanced perception with real- time detection, localization, segmentation, and tracking in a compact form factor. An overview of the system block diagram is shown in Fig.1.

[0013] The proposed coherent transceiver architecture can be used in many applications, including but not limited to, for point-to-point optical communications, medical imaging, mixed-reality solution, and as a perception solution for next generation autonomous systems.

[0014] Identification tags are widespread for inventory identification and security verification purposes. The RFID tags and QR codes are two classes of such identification tags with their own advantages and disadvantages. Further disclosed is a new class of near infrared (NIR) tags for advanced security and better encryption. We demonstrate four exemplary NIR tag implementation and reading devices which can be useful as security tag, NIR imagers, active security tag, passive security tag, encrypted security tags, coherent detectors, integrated photonic, coherent imager, or photonic transceiver, for example. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

[0016] Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout:

[0017] Figure 1: Overview of Fully Coherent Transceiver with Filled Aperture. A series of photonic wavefront manipulation components such as filters, gratings, and an array of lenses in conjunction with a fully coherent transceiver achieve enhanced fill factor, enhanced detection and reliable optical link, and enhanced perception.

[0018] Figure 2: Conventional Beam Steering with less than 100% Filled Factor Aperture. In previous implementations [3], the aperture fill factor is much lower than 100% due to the presence of other optical components inside the unit pixel.

[0019] Figure 3: Fine and Coarse Beam Steering Methodology Achieving 100% Fill Factor. (a) Physical pixels at center operation wavelength λ1 sample the far field uniformly but do not continuously sample the far field. (b) Changing the operating wavelength of the system to λ1− dλ in the presence of the diffraction grating steers the optical beam in one direction. (c) Changing the operating wavelength to a different value, such as λ1 + dλ steers the beam in a different direction. A sufficiently large number of operating wavelength points increases the fill factor to 100%.

[0020] Figure 4: An Exemplary Realization of Filled Aperture Transceiver. (a) Placement of physical pixel on the 2D grid in an integrated planar photonic platform. (c) Changing the operating wavelength of the system creates virtual pixels. At the right orientation, Nth virtual pixel overlaps with a physical pixel creating a uniformly- filled aperture with much higher fill factor with virtual and physical pixels as shown in (b).

[0021] Figure 5: Incorporation of Arbitrary Polarization Radiator for the Filled Aperture Architecture. The transmitter can project arbitrary polarization by changing the relative amplitude and phase of the optical signal at ports 1 and 2. Similarly, the receiver can collect arbitrary polarization by operating the coherent splitter in reverse as a coherent combiner.

[0022] Figure 6: (a) Multi-Port Transceiver Radiator / segmented Transceiver Radiator. Each segment of the transmitted beam is collected by N receiver ports as N data points. The resulting N ×N data set can be used for enhanced target reconstruction and speckle suppression (b) Multi-Radiator Transceiver Pixel. Multiple gratings can sample the far-field corresponding to the same physical far-field point.

[0023] Figure 7: (a) The multi-lens transceiver achieves a large depth of field utilizing different lenses for different depths. (b) Wavelength Diverse Radiator. Multiple radiators project different wavelengths in approximately the same direction.

[0024] Figure 8: Hyper-Spectral Imaging using the Fully Coherent Transceiver as an Imager. A hybrid combination of different image sensors creates the same boresight imaging system with broad spectral information.

[0025] Figure 9: Example of directive photonic receiver.

[0026] Figure 10: Example of passive photonic identification tag. The tag coding is visible with Directive Photonic transceiver. It is invisible to conventional cameras such as CCD or CMOS.

[0027] Figure 11: Example of active photonic identification tag. The tag coding is visible with Directive Photonic transceiver. It is invisible to conventional cameras such as CCD or CMOS. There is a time-domain encoding layer that helps increase the number of encoding bits.

[0028] Figure 12: Example of active handshake photonic identification tag. The tag coding is visible with Directive Photonic transceiver. The transceiver makes a query (projecting a specific sequence of illumination spots shown above with dark spots) and waits for the tag to response. The response is invisible to conventional cameras such as CCD or CMOS. There is a time-domain encoding layer that helps increase the number of encoding bits. There is an additional layer of security with these tags. The tag only correctly responds with the correct response if the query was correct.

[0029] Figure 13. Flowchart illustrating a method of making a device.

[0030] Figure 14. Flowchart illustrating a method of using a device.

[0031] Figure 15. Flowchart illustrating a method of making a photonic identification tag. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] In the following description of the preferred embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0033] Technical Description

[0034] 1. Example Transceiver

[0035] Figure 1 illustrates a transceiver system 100 useful as a coherent imager comprising an aperture 101 (in a fully coherent transceiver 102) comprising physical pixels 104 and virtual pixels 106; a data integrated, post-processing, and segmentation module or processor 108 coupled to an output of the aperture; a photonic wavefront manipulation module or block 110 (e.g., comprising at least one of splitter(s), grating(s), and / or filter(s) etc.) coupled to an input to the aperture (for manipulating transmission of electromagnetic radiation 120 from the aperture and / or optionally for controlling distribution of electromagnetic radiation 122 received on the aperture to the pixels); a second photonic wavefront manipulation module 112 (e.g., comprising at least of splitter(s), grating(s), or filters, etc.); and an array of lenses 114 for coupling the aperture to the far field via the second photonic wavefront manipulation module 112. The processor 108 has an electrical input 130 and is configured, to operable to, capable of, or programmed to perform post processing and / or segmentation of the electrical signals / data (received at input 130) and generated by the pixels in response to the electromagnetic radiation 122 received on the pixels. The processor can have an optional electrical input 131 for receiving photonic channel compensation signals (e.g., noise suppression signals) and / or enhanced perception data (e.g., MIR data from an MIR camera and / or image data from a visible camera for overlaying on the data obtained using the aperture or from an artificial intelligence (AI)-based target classifier that identifies region or targets of interest in the scene such that the full coherent transceiver 102 can scan those targets with higher frequency or more precision. The components of the transceiver system 100 can be integrated on a single substrate or chip (e.g., as an integrated circuit or photonic integrated circuit) or on a plurality of substrates or chips each comprising an integrated circuit or photonic integrated circuit.

[0036] 2.1 Enhanced Fill Factor

[0037] Method for Increasing the coherent imager fill factor by wavelength steering

[0038] Coherent photonic transceivers [3, 5] utilize coherent processing pixels that contain optical antennas, detectors, and coherent combining circuitry. As a result, only a small fraction of the pixel area is covered by the optical antenna, and in the absence of complex multi-layer photonic processes, the optical antenna fill factor is much lower than 100% fill factor required for many applications.

[0039] Here, we propose using a wavelength-sensitive optical element such as diffraction grating, holographic gratings, or prisms to steer the beam with wavelength and achieve close to 100% fill factor.

[0040] 2.1.1 Coarse Beam Steering

[0041] Figure 2 illustrates a coherent imager system 200 (e.g., comprising coherent imager chip 201) comprising an aperture 201, in a coherent IQ aperture photonic integrated circuit (PIC) 202, the aperture comprising an array of physical pixels 204. Each physical pixel 204 comprises an input 206 for an optical input signal; a power splitter 208; a transmitter radiator 210; and an IQ mixer 212 having inputs for receiving a portion of the optical input signal (LO) and a received signal from the transmitter radiator and outputs 214 for outputting an IQ electrical signal 216 formed by mixing a portion of the optical input signal and the received signal. Each pixel further comprises a control input 218 for a pixel control signal. The system 200 further comprises a lens 220 and a diffraction grating 218 for coarse far-field sampling mapping the far field illumination points 222 onto the pixels.

[0042] In this architecture, coarse beam steering is achieved by placing optical antennas in a 2D-grid in the focal plane of a lens system. Each optical antenna transmits and receives in a distinct direction corresponding to a unique point in the far-field. Due to physical routing limitations in planar integrated photonic platforms, the optical radiating elements of size dx×dymust be placed with pitch of grating Px×Py [5] where ^^௫ ^ ^^௫ and ^^௬ ^ ^^௬. As a result, there is a gap between theillumination points in the far-field of the coherent transceiver. The larger the aperture, the larger the spacing between elements. This limits the aperture far-field transceiver point density, as shown in Fig.2. In [3],[4], an expandable aperture is proposed which allows radiators to be placed at a maximum pitch of Nxdx × Nydy where Nx and Ny are in the order of 5 − 10X. This pitch between radiating elements and their corresponding angular spacing between transceiver beams is sufficient for most applications, but the aperture has an effective fill factor of 1 − 4%. In the proposed architecture in this patent, the aforementioned beam steering methodology using physical pixels is used as a coarse beam steering method.

[0043] 2.1.2 Fine Beam Steering

[0044] To increase the effective aperture of the coherent transceiver to 100%, a wavelength tuning methodology using diffraction gratings is proposed. In this method, after the focal plane array lens, a prism, a diffraction grating, a holographic grating, a liquid crystal array, or any other wavelength-sensitive beam steering component is placed. By fine-tuning the operation wavelength of the transceiver, the direction of the beam changes slightly in the far-field, for fine beam steering. In this implementation, different directions of the fine beam steering correspond to virtual pixels that increase the aperture fill factor.

[0045] Fig.3 illustrates an example implementation of device 300, comprising an aperture 302 for a receiver chip, the aperture comprising an array of physical pixels 304 each comprising a radiator 306, wherein at least one of a spacing or area of the physical pixels accommodates a plurality of virtual pixels 308 corresponding to focusing spots, comprising different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation 310, mapped through one or more focusing elements 312 and a wavelength sensitive beam steering device 314 to a first set of illumination points 316 in a far field. The first set of illumination points 316 fill regions between a second set of the illumination points 318 mapped to the physical pixels by the wavelength selective beam steering device and the focusing elements.

[0046] In one embodiment, the orientation of the diffraction grating is chosen such that the virtual pixels fall in between the physical pixels. If the orientation of the diffraction grating is chosen such that virtual pixel (corresponding to wavelength λ1) falls on physical pixel Pixeli,j and virtual pixel (corresponding to wavelength λ2 ) falls on another physical pixel Pixeli′,j′, the hybrid combination of the physical and virtual pixels form a uniformly filled aperture with much higher density as shown in Fig.4. The further apart physical aperture i,j and i′,j′are, the higher the fill factor. In another embodiment, the physical aperture is implemented such that for an optical antenna ofsize dx×dy, the pitch of the scalable aperture pixel pitch is . In thisembodiment, the aperture is filled in y-axis orientation.the grating along x-axis, the gap between the pixels is filled with virtual pixels, and a uniformly 100% filled aperture is realized.

[0047] 2.2 Dual Polarization Implementation

[0048] Fig.5 illustrates an example wherein the aperture 500 comprises a common aperture for a transceiver, the radiator is a polarization selective radiator comprising multiple ports 502, 503 including one or more inputs from one or more transmitters waveguides 504 and one or more outputs to one or more receiver waveguides 506, wherein the polarization selective radiator accepts one or more first polarizations of coherent electromagnetic radiation 508 from the transmitter waveguides and routes one or more second polarizations of received electromagnetic radiation 510, received on the polarization selective radiator 512, to the receiver waveguides. The aperture can be coupled to a fully coherent splitter 514 splitting one transmitter input into a plurality of the transmit ports, and a fully coherent splitter 516 for combining the plurality of receiver ports into a single receiver output. These splitters can comprise waveguides connected by a junction or coupler to form a passive distribution tree or coherent combiner. Alternatively, phase modulators and Mach-Zehnder interferometers can be used as an active coupler to from an electrically tunable distribution tree or coherent combiner (e.g. for active control).

[0049] In one embodiment of this system, a 3-port grating is used to serve as optical antennas in the common aperture transceiver. In this realization, the pixel transmits in one linear polarization and receives from another linear polarization. Alternatively, a 5-port grating can be used as the optical antenna (Fig.5). The 5-port grating can transmit both linear polarization or any arbitrary combination of them (arbitrary polarization) and can receive any arbitrary polarization. This makes the device useful for polarimetry measurements.

[0050] 2.3 Speckle Suppression

[0051] A coherent transceiver system can experience signal-to-noise ratio degradation due to speckle patterns on the receiver antenna. The proposed coherent transceiver can use several methods for speckle pattern suppression or averaging.

[0052] 2.3.1 Using vibration for speckle suppression

[0053] If any optical elements are physically moved by a few micrometers, the speckle pattern will randomize. It is possible to mount any of the optical elements on a moving or vibrating stage and average out the signal degradation caused by the speckle pattern.

[0054] 2.3.2 Using wavelength diversity for speckle suppression

[0055] Alternatively, the operating wavelength of the system can be modified slightly, which will result in the randomization of the speckle pattern. In one method, the average of N different measurements is processed as the received signal. In another method, the strongest signal out of N measurement can be processed as the received signal for reduced complexity processing. Furthermore, the output of N different measurements can be combined by means of weighted average or Kalman filter-based state estimation techniques to enhance the output signal by reducing processing requirements.

[0056] In one embodiment, fine tuning of the wavelength is used for speckle suppression, and coarse tuning of the wavelength is used to achieve an enhanced fill factor. Fine-tuning of the wavelength will not affect the gazing direction significantly but will randomize the speckle pattern.

[0057] 2.3.3 Using N-segmented receiver / transmitter for speckle suppression

[0058] It is also possible to use multi-port transmitters and receivers [2] to process the combined output in post-processing and suppress the speckle pattern. In one embodiment, NTXdifferent transmitters ports send independent signals, and NRXdifferent receiver ports collect signal from all transmitter ports as shown in Fig.6(a). The resulting NTX× NRXmatrix of data can be processed for channel estimation of that particular pixel to suppress speckle pattern, path-relative turbulence, and other sources of signal degradation to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio and the reliability of the signal.

[0059] 2.3.4 Using multi-antenna pixels for speckle suppression

[0060] In another embodiment, different transceiver antennas are designed so that each operates at slightly different wavelengths. They are physically placed in the enhanced fill factor architecture such that different physical pixels with different operating wavelengths point in the same direction in the far field (Fig.6(b)). The combined output of the different physical pixels can serve as a single-point measurement with reduced speckle. In one embodiment, the size of the radiators are different with respect to each other and across the aperture.

[0061] 2.4 Multi-Lens and Multi-Radiator for Enhanced Detection

[0062] A variety of combinations of lens and radiator count can be applied to enhance target detection and perception capabilities. They are detailed below.

[0063] 2.4.1 Single Lens-Multi Radiator Implementation with Wavelength Diversity

[0064] It is possible to implement multiple photonic radiators, each operating at different wavelengths in conjunction with a single lens where different radiators all point in the same direction in the far field. This will allow for a broader spectral detection capability applicable to material detection.

[0065] 2.4.2 Multi Lens-Single radiator Implementation for Focus Enhancement

[0066] In another implementation, different lenses focus light on different pixels and enhance the depth of field over which the system operates. Fig.7 illustrates an embodiment comprising the imager chip comprising an aperture 700 coupled to focusing elements 702 (e.g., lenses), wherein each of the elements 702 is positioned to focus the electromagnetic radiation 704 to different ones of the physical pixels 706 with different depth of field 708 or to control a spot size of the beam of electromagnetic radiation relative to a size of the radiator in a given one of the physical pixels. In some examples, a beam splitters 710 and mirrors 712 are used to route the electromagnetic radiation between the focusing elements and pixels.

[0067] For instance, a lens can focus light for objects at far distances on a few center pixels of the aperture. In contrast, a secondary lens focuses the light on more pixels at closer distances. This is depicted in Fig.7 (a). Alternatively, different lenses focus light on the particular segment of the coherent transceiver aperture to control the beam spot size (lens’s PSF) relative to the radiator size on the chip.

[0068] 2.4.3 Multi Lens-Multi Grating for hyper-spectral imaging

[0069] A hybrid approach of the two aforementioned methods can be used where different wavelengths of light are directed toward different parts of the coherent imagers for hyper-spectral imaging. This is shown in Fig.7(b). It is also possible to combine the coherent imager with standard visible range or mid-IR imaging direct detection sensors to create an enhanced data set from the scene.

[0070] 2.5 Fully Coherent Signal Processing

[0071] 2.5.1 Fully Coherent Combiner and splitter Tree for Signal and Power Distribution

[0072] A fully coherent combiner and / or distribution tree can be used to distribute the optical signal to all pixels. The signal generated by the laser is amplified via multiple parallel optical amplifiers. The parallel outputs are combined into a single waveguide to increase the total optical power using a fully coherent combining tree where individual path’s phase and amplitudes are adjusted to maximize the coherent combining gain. The same fully coherent combining tree in reverse acts as a power or signal distribution network, sending signals to different transceiver pixels. The power distribution can be configured to send a signal to any one set of transceiver pixels located near each other in the aperture or can send the signal to two or more groups of pixels in the aperture for arbitrary beam steering and target tracking.

[0073] 2.5.2 Fully Coherent receiver to sample the complex optical wavefront

[0074] The coherent photonic transceiver utilizes in-phase and quadrature (IQ) receives to extract both the amplitude and phase of the received optical signal. The resulting I and Q signals can be sum-squared (I2+ Q2) to find the intensity of the return light, or arctan(I / Q) to compute the optical phase. The computed intensity and phase terms can be compared against local on-chip mixed components to calculated the absolute and relative optical phase shift for each pixel which can be used for coherent imaging, coherent data transmission, and interferometry measurements. In addition, a blind pixel can be configured on the coherent transceiver where it samples and tracks the coherent light’s phase and amplitude on chip at all time. This on-chip time-domain light phase and amplitude data can be used to reduce / suppress noise sources resulting from the coherent optical source or the primary electrical supply source.

[0075] In one embodiment, it is possible to iteratively sample the scene with the coherent imager to create a more accurate perception data of the imaging data with reduced computational overhead using weighted averaging methods, Kalman filters, and other signal processing methods.

[0076] 2.6 Hyper-Spectral imaging and integrated processing

[0077] Combining the coherent imager output with a visual silicon camera (CMOS, CCD, etc.) output can result in pre-processed scene data where the infrared (IR) spatial perception data (x,y,z) and velocity data from the coherent imager is overlayed on the CMOS imager data.

[0078] An exemplary realization of this device or system 800 is shown in Fig. 8, comprising a visible light camera 802 (e.g., comprising CMOS or CCD pixels), a mid infrared (IR) radiation imager 804; the aperture 811 in a coherent an near infrared (NIR) coherent imager 812; and a processor 806 operable to combine IR spatial perception data (x,y,z) obtained from the MIR imager, the visible image data, and data (e.g., velocity data or other ranging data) obtained about a target scene 820 from electromagnetic radiation 822 transmitted from the aperture and subsequently received on the aperture after the electromagnetic radiation has interacted with the target scene 820. For example, the processor can overlay the image data obtained from the visible camera 802 with the velocity data and the IR data. The device further comprises a focusing system (e.g., lens system 824) for collecting electromagnetic radiation 826 received from the target scene, optical high pass filter 828 for splitting off the midinfrared component 830 of the electromagnetic radiation for collection on the MIR imager; and optical low pass filter 832 for splitting off the visible component 834 of the electromagnetic radiation for collection on the visible light camera 802. The remaining near infrared electromagnetic radiation 836 is transmitted to the aperture 812 of the coherent imager. The processor 806 has electrical input 808 for receiving electrical signal from the MIR imager generated in response to midinfrared radiation 830, electrical input 810 for receiving electrical signal generated by the aperture in response to near infrared radiation 836, and electrical input 812 for receiving electrical signal generated by the visible camera in response to visible light 834. Processing of the signals to form image data and / or IR spatial perception data can be performed in the imagers 804, 802 or in processor 806. Processor can extract the velocity data (or other data) from the electrical signals outputted from the aperture. Thus, processor 806 can be programmed or be programmable for, or operable to, or configured for data integrated post processing of the signals to form at least one of the image data, velocity data (or other data from the aperture), IR perception data, or the overlay of the data from the aperture and IR perception data on the image data, and segmentation of the data, to form enhanced perception dataoutputted at output 840. Enhanced perception data can be used to reconstruct the target scene 842. In addition, the processed data can be further processed by image processing techniques for identifying and classifying targets in the scene and then feed the resulting data back into the coherent transceiver to scan and track certain targets of interest with higher frequency and / or higher accuracy.

[0079] This integrated processing can significantly reduce the computational overhead for the perception needs of the larger autonomous system. Components of the device or system 800 can be integrated on a single chip or substrate as an integrated circuit including photonic integrated circuit, or on one or more chips or substrates.

[0080] Coherent Identification Tag

[0081] Identification tags are widespread for inventory identification and security verification purposes. The RFID tags and QR codes are two classes of such identification tags with their own advantages and disadvantages. We propose a new class of NIR tags for advanced security and better encryption. We demonstrate four exemplary NIR tag implementation and reading devices, for applications including, but not limited to, security tags, NIR imagers, active security tag, passive security tag, encrypted security tags, coherent detectors, integrated photonic, coherent imager, photonic transceiver.

[0082] There are a variety of identification tags that are commonplace. Barcodes and QR codes are examples of passive tags. RFID tags are an example of active tags. Standard passive tags have limited use in security applications since the code can be easily read and decoded. Active electrical tags can be intercepted from a distance and are less secure. A directive optically readable security tag not in the visible range is more advantageous over both. It is difficult to detect without a specialized camera, and it is difficult to intercept like RFID since the electro-magnetic waves are directive. An appropriate illumination and detection device (photonic directive transceiver) is required for operation as shown in Fig.9. This device can be realized in a variety of methods depending on the type of photonic identification tag (PIDT). In one example, an integrated photonic directive and coherent transceiver can be used. In another, we describe a passive implementation example and its readout circuitry. In another, we describe an active tag implementation example. In another, we describe an active tag with handshake capabilities for better security. In another, we describe a passive tag with handshake capabilities. These tags can be used for inventory tracking, security tags, secure key distribution and encryption, and long- distance encrypted communications applications.

[0083] Passive PIDT

[0084] A passive PIDT can be implemented with two or more materials, resins, inks, etc. that have the same optical response in the visible spectrum and are indistinguishable from each other with conventional cameras, but have a different spectral response (spectral absorption, index, polarization, phase delay, etc.) in the IR region. The same structure can be implemented for other photonic wavelengths outside visible bands.

[0085] The camera illuminates the PIDT in a known sequence, and captures return photons from the PIDT. If the spots have a different absorption (in our exemplary case IR spectrum), they can be read with an IR camera. If the spots have different index, polarization, or phase delay, the spots can be distinguished with a coherent imager. The PIDT can have two types of materials (binary coding) or more (hex code, etc.). A binary example with two different index materials in a 5x5 grid (25-bit code) is shown in Fig.10.

[0086] Active PIDT

[0087] An active PIDT tag can be realized with materials that have time- varying properties such as liquid crystal displays. In one exemplary implementation, the tags generate a random sequence of codes. Only the user with the correct directive photonic receiver who can decode the sequence correctly, can decode the PIDT tag. An example of active PIDT tag is shown in Fig.11. Only a reader with the correct read sequence can decode the alternating tags.

[0088] Active Handshake PIDT

[0089] Another exemplary realization of the PIDT tag can incorporate an active handshake. In this scenario, each active PIDT bit have detectors (such as photodiodes). The photonic directive transceiver illuminates the PIDT tag in a specific randomized sequence. The tag identifies the user sequence and based on the input, generates a PIDT tag. The PIDT tag can generate different tags for different users. It can also serve as a method for an encrypted communication protocol.

[0090] Passive Handshake PIDT

[0091] A modification of the active handshake will incorporate florescence tags for purely passive (no electronics in PIDT) operation. Alternatively, the photonic directive transceiver powers up the PIDT tag (through the active bits – photodiodes and photocells) and hence the PIDT tag will not require a source of power such as battery.

[0092] Process Steps

[0093] Fig.13 is a flowchart illustrating a method of making a device.

[0094] Block 1300 represents providing an aperture for a receiver or transceiver chip, the aperture comprising an array of physical pixels each comprising a radiator, wherein at least one of a spacing or area of the physical pixels accommodates a plurality of virtual pixels corresponding to focusing spots, comprising different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, mapped through one or more focusing elements and a wavelength sensitive beam steering device to a first set of illumination points in a far field.

[0095] Block 1302 represent coupling the wavefront sensitive beam steering device.

[0096] Block 1304 represents coupling one or more focusing elements.

[0097] Block 1306 represents the end result, a device.

[0098] One or more of the coherent imager components such as processor(s), wavefront manipulation components (such as splitters, gratings, filters), the focusing elements, and / or the wavelength sensitive beam steering device can be fabricated through lithographic patterning of one or more substrates (e.g., a silicon on insulator substrate) to form (e.g., an integrated circuit comprising) the device. The coherent source of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., laser) for the chip can be manufactured in another semiconductor platform (e.g., Indium phosphide, InP) that is integrated with the silicon platform (e.g., using an InP membrane on Silicon IMOS process). Example methods of manufacturing such integrated circuits are discussed in [6]). In one or more embodiments, the transceiver is implemented in a variety of standard silicon photonic, indium phosphide photonic, or any other nanophotonic platform that offers on-chip photonic waveguides. For example, the waveguides can comprise silicon waveguides clad by silicon dioxide.

[0099] Illustrative embodiments include but are not limited to the following (referring to Figs.1-12 as non-limiting examples):1. A device, comprising: an aperture 302 for a receiver chip 201, the aperture comprising an array of physical pixels 304 each comprising a radiator 306, wherein at least one of a spacing or area of the physical pixels accommodates a plurality of virtual pixels 308 corresponding to focusing spots, comprising different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation 310, mapped through one or more focusing elements 312 and a wavelength sensitive beam steering device 314 to a first set of illumination points 316 in a far field. 2. The device of clause 1, wherein at least some of the virtual pixels overlap with different ones of the physical pixels for at least one of an appropriate selection of the different wavelengths or an orientation of the wavelength sensitive beam steering device with respect to the aperture. 3. The device of clause 1 or 2, wherein at least 90% of the virtual pixels overlap with the physical pixels. 4. The device of any of the clauses 1-3, wherein the illumination points fill regions between a second set of the illumination points 318 mapped to the physical pixels by the wavelength selective beam steering device and the focusing elements. 5. The device of any of the clauses 1-4, wherein the illumination points uniformly fill the regions. 6. The device of any of the clauses 1-5, further comprising: the one or more focusing elements; and the wavelength selective beam steering device between the aperture and the focusing elements, wherein the wavelength beam steering device couples each of the illumination points to a different one of the virtual pixels. 7. The device of any of the clauses 1-6, wherein the focusing element comprises a lens, the radiator comprises an optical antenna, and the wavelength selective beam steering device comprises a diffraction grating.8. The device of any of the clauses 1-7, wherein the aperture comprises a common aperture for a transceiver, the radiator is a polarization selective radiator comprising multiple ports 502, 503 including one or more inputs from one or more transmitters waveguides 504 and one or more outputs to one or more receiver waveguides 506, wherein the polarization selective radiator accepts one or more first polarizations of coherent electromagnetic radiation 508 from the transmitter waveguides and routes one or more second polarizations of received electromagnetic radiation 510, received on the polarization selective radiator, to the receiver waveguides. 9. The device of any of the clauses 1-8 comprising a transceiver 100, further comprising: a wavefront processor or circuit coupled to the radiators, the wavefront processor or circuit operable to: configure the radiators to output a range of the different wavelengths transmitting electromagnetic radiation in response to N input signals inputted to the radiators, where N is the number of the radiators; and process a data matrix comprising the N input signals and the number N of output signals outputted from the radiators in response to the coherent electromagnetic radiation received on the radiators to extract the signal carried by the electromagnetic radiation, wherein the process comprises a channel estimation of one or more of the pixels to suppress speckle pattern, path-relative turbulence, a sources of signal degradation to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio and the reliability of the signal. 10. The device of any of the clauses 1-9 comprising a transceiver 100, further comprising: a wavefront processor or circuit coupled to the radiators, the wavefront processor operable toconfigure the radiators to output a range of the different wavelengths transmitting electromagnetic radiation, wherein each of the radiators emits a different one of the wavelengths all pointing in the same direction towards a target. 11. The device of any of the clauses 9-10, wherein the wavefront processor or circuit is further operable to process a combined output of the different physical pixels as a single-point measurement of the target with reduced speckle. 12. The device of any of the clauses 1-11, wherein a size of the radiators is different with respect to each other and across the aperture. 13. The device of any of the clauses 1-12 comprising a transceiver, further comprising: a wavefront processor or circuit coupled to the radiators, the wavefront processor operable to configure the radiators to output a range of the different wavelengths transmitting electromagnetic radiation comprising a random speckle pattern; and process a number N of output signals outputted from the radiators in response to the random speckle pattern received on the radiators to extract the signal carried by the electromagnetic radiation, wherein the process suppresses the effects of speckle on the signal and N is the number of the radiators. 14. The device of clause 13, wherein the process is an average of the output signals, selection of a strongest one of the output signals, or a filter based estimation algorithm applied to the output signals. 15. The device of any of the clauses 1-14, further comprising the focal elements comprising a plurality of lenses 702 coupled to the apertures, each of the lenses positioned to focus the electromagnetic radiation to different ones of the physical pixels with different depth of field 708 or to control a spot size of the beam of electromagnetic radiation relative to a size of the radiator in a given one of the physical pixels.16. The device of any of the clauses 1-15, further comprising the focal elements directing different wavelength components of the electromagnetic radiation to different ones of the physical pixels. 17. The device of any of the clauses 1-16 comprising a transceiver chip further comprising the aperture coupled to: a coherent combiner coupled to the physical pixels, the coherent combiner comprising a plurality of receive waveguides each connected at a first end to a different one of the physical pixels and at a second end via junction to a single output waveguide coupled to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the focusing elements, each of the receive waveguides coupled to an amplifier, operable to control gain, and a phase modulator, operable to control phase of the electromagnetic radiation coupled to different ones of the radiators, thereby providing for adjustment of coherent combining gain; and’ / or a power or signal distribution network comprising a plurality of input waveguides each coupled to phase modulator and amplifier for controlling gain and phase and transmit inputs of a different one or set of the physical pixels, so that the phase and or gain is can be used to control beam steering and target tracking of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the pixels. 18. The device of any of the clauses 1-17, wherein: the physical pixels each comprise or are coupled to an IQ mixer 212 to extract both the amplitude and phase of the electromagnetic signal received at the radiator in the physical pixel, the device further comprising a wavefront processor or circuit operable to perform at least one of sum-squaring (I2+ Q2) the resulting I and Q signals outputted from the mixer to find an intensity of the optical signal, or computing arctan(I / Q) to determine a phase of the optical signal, andcomparing the intensity and the phase against a local on-chip mixed component to calculate the absolute and relative optical phase shift of the signals at each of the pixels for generating coherent imaging or coherent data transmission data. 19. The device of any of the clauses 1-18, further comprising a transceiver chip 100 useful in a coherent imager and comprising a wavefront processor coupled to the aperture and operable to control an amplitude or phase of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the radiators to a target, using feedback derived from the detected signals outputted from the radiator in response to the electromagnetic radiation after interaction with the target, to create more accurate perception data of the target from imaging data calculated from the detected signals. 20. The device 800 of any of the clauses 1-19, further comprising a transceiver chip useful as coherent imager, further comprising a visible light camera 802, a mid infrared (MIR) radiation imager 804; and a processor 806 operable to combine infrared (IR) spatial perception data (x,y,z) obtained from the mid infrared (MIR) imager, velocity data or other ranging data obtained from the electromagnetic radiation 836 received on the aperture as an overlay on the imager data obtained from the camera.21. Ther device of any of the clauses 1-20 comprising a coherent imager comprising (optionally) an input for receiving coherent electromagnetic radiation outputted from a coherent source of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., laser); the at least one aperture for at least one of transmission of transmitted electromagnetic radiation or reception of received electromagnetic radiation; a wavefront processor comprising an array of nodes operable, in response to activation by a plurality of drivers and a plurality of control switches, for at least one of modulating the coherent electromagnetic radiation, when received from the coherent source, to form a waveform of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the aperture; or determining a phase and an amplitude of a received waveform from received signals generated by the aperture in response to received electromagnetic radiation received on the aperture; or configuring the aperture as at least one of a transmitter aperture for transmitting the transmitted electromagnetic radiation or a receiver aperture for receiving the electromagnetic radiation.22. The device of any of the clauses 1-20, comprising a coherent imager comprising (optionally) an input for receiving coherent electromagnetic radiation from a coherent source (e.g., laser); one or more processors; a first photonic wavefront manipulation block or module (e.g., comprising one or more splitters, gratings, filters, and / or modulators) coupled to the one or more processors and the aperture; a second photonic wavefront manipulation block or module (e.g., comprising one or more splitters, gratings, filters, and / or modulators); and one or more focusing elements (e.g., lenses) coupled between the aperture and the second photonic wavefront manipulation block, wherein the second photonic wavefront block or module comprises components operable to couple electromagnetic radiation from the far field via the focusing elements onto the aperture. The first photonic wavefront manipulation block or module comprises components operable to couple electromagnetic radiation into the aperture to control transmission of the electromagnetic radiation from the aperture or control distribution of electromagnetic radiation received on the aperture to the pixels. The processor processes (e.g., using segmentation and / or signal processing) electrical signals outputted from the pixels in response to the received on the pixels to extract information (e.g., velocity or ranging data) from the received electromagnetic radiation.23. The device of any of the clauses 1-21(comprising at least one of the aperture, coherent imager components (e.g., wavefront manipulation blocks 110), focusing elements, or wavelength sensitive beam steering device) fabricated through lithographic patterning of one or more substrates (e.g., a silicon on insulator substrate) to form (e.g., an integrated circuit comprising) the device. The coherent source of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., laser) for the chip can be manufactured in another semiconductor platform (e.g., Indium phosphide, InP) that is integrated with the silicon platform (e.g., using an InP membrane on Silicon IMOS process). Example methods of manufacturing such integrated circuits are discussed in [6]). In one or more embodiments, the transceiver is implemented in a variety of standard silicon photonic, indium phosphide photonic, or any other nanophotonic platform that offers on-chip photonic waveguides. For example, the waveguides can comprise silicon waveguides clad by silicon dioxide. 24. The device of any of the clauses 1-22, wherein the aperture and / or physical pixels comprise, or the device further comprises, waveguides positioned for coupling electromagnetic radiation into and out of the aperture and / or pixels, e.g., comprising paths for transmitting the signal comprising electromagnetic radiation, waves, or fields (e.g., having any wavelength including, but not limited to, wavelengths in a range from visible to infrared) used to generate (or that are received in response to) the electromagnetic radiation (e.g., photons) transmitted from (or received on) the radiator. The electromagnetic radiation / waves / fields can be modulated with signals (e.g., waveforms) at various frequencies including, but not limited to, radio frequencies.25. The device of any of the clauses 1-23, comprising modulators coupled to the aperture (e.g., phase shifter) comprising a material (e.g., liquid crystal or nonlinear material, or electro-optic material, or thermo-optic material) thermally or electrically coupled to an electrode, wherein application of a voltage to the electrode (via bias lines connected to a driver) controls, e.g., resistive heating, piezoelectric actuation, bi refringence, or electro-optic actuation of the material so as to control a phase of the electromagnetic field passing through the material. Such modulators can be coupled to waveguides carrying the electromagnetic field, e.g., in an interferometer, to further modulate the phase. 26. The device of any of the clauses 1-24 further comprising one or more processors or circuits for the transceiver chip e.g., wavefront processor (e.g., to control amplitude and phase of transmitted electromagnetic radiation and signal processing of received light and IQ mixing processing), or data integrated post processing and segmentation 108 can be included as an integrated circuit or located as a separate chip or separate integrated circuit or computer or computing system. The processor(s) can comprise a computer, one or more integrated circuits, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), or one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), graphics processing units (GPU) or processors designed for artificial intelligence or machine learning (e.g., AI accelerator, or neural processing unit, for example). The wavefront processors or circuits (to control amplitude and phase of electromagnetic radiation emitted from the aperture in the imager transceiver 102 and signal processing of radiation received on the aperture, including IQ mixing processing) can be located on transceiver 102, 202 PIC or imager 812, or on wavefront manipulation module 110. 27. The device of any of the clauses 1-25, wherein the aperture is useful in a transmitter and / or receiver, wherein the aperture comprises a photonic integrated circuit comprising an array of the radiators each comprising an input / output interface to a waveguide.28. The device of any of the clauses 1-26, wherein the transmitted electromagnetic radiation and received electromagnetic radiation are used for LIDAR, remote sensing, collision avoidance, or object detection e.g., for self- driving / autonomous vehicles, e.g., by extracting information about a target from electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the aperture and subsequently received on the aperture after the electromagnetic radiation has interacted with the target. 29. The device of any of the clauses 1-27, wherein the electromagnetic radiation transmitted from and / or received on the aperture comprises one or more wavelengths in a range of 100 nm -25 microns, including, ultraviolet, near infrared, and far-infrared electromagnetic radiation in a range of 2.5-25 microns and the components of the transceiver are configured for manipulating the wavelengths. 30. The device of any of the clauses 1-28, wherein the radiators include grating couplers, a diffraction grating, or an antenna, an optical antenna, or a metasurface. 31. The device of any of the clauses 1-29, wherein the wavelength sensitive beam steering devices include grating couplers, a diffraction grating, or an antenna,or a metasurface. 32. The device of any of the clauses 1-30, wherein the focusing elements comprise lenses or mirrors. 33. The device of any of the clauses 1-32, wherein the physical pixels each comprise or are coupled to an IQ mixer comprising an input for an LO signal (a portion of the transmitted electromagnetic radiation) and an input for the signal outputted from the radiator in response to the electromagnetic radiation received on the radiator, wherein the IQ mixer is operable to mix the signal and the LO signal to obtain a mixed signal from which both the amplitude and phase of the signal received at the radiator can be extracted (e.g., in the processor).34. The device of any of the clauses 1-33, wherein the coherent imager comprises one or more chips comprising at least one of (or all of) the processor(s), the wavefront manipulation components, the aperture, or the focusing elements, e.g., as an integrated circuit or photonic integrated circuit. 35. The device of any of the clauses 1-34, comprising an integrated circuit and / or a photonic integrated circuit. 36. The device of any of the clauses 1-35 implemented for integrated photonic, coherent processing, as a photonic transceiver, as an optical switch circuit, using low complexity control, beamforming, or beam steering, e.g., for speckle suppression, multi-wavelength imaging, or hyper-spectral imaging. 37. The device of any of the clauses 1-36, wherein the aperture has at least 90% effective fill factor, or an effective fill factor in a range of 90%-100%, or at least 90% or 90-100% of the aperture is covered by optical antennas (Virtual pixels make it at least 90% fill factor). 38. The device of any of the clauses, wherein the splitters in the wavefront manipulation blocks comprise a plurality of waveguides coupled to a junction to a single waveguide. Method of Use

[0100] Fig.14 is a flowchart illustrating a method of imaging, comprising the following steps.

[0101] Block 1400 represents transmitting electromagnetic radiation from an aperture to a target.

[0102] Block 1402 represents collecting the electromagnetic radiation after interaction with the target on a collection system comprising focusing elements that transmit the electromagnetic radiation through a wavelength sensitive beam steering device to the aperture.

[0103] Block 1404 represents optionally processing the data obtained from the aperture, e.g., to obtain imaging data about a target that has interacted with the transmitted electromagnetic radiation that is then subsequently received on the aperture.

[0104] The method can be used with the device of any of the embodiments discussed herein.

[0105] Coherent Identification Tag

[0106] Fig.15 illustrates a method of making a coherent identification tag and system for communicating with the tag.

[0107] Block 1500 represents patterning a substrate with a plurality of pixels forming a photonic identification tag.

[0108] Block 1502 represents optionally electromagnetically coupling an transceiver to the tag, so that electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the transceiver to the tag is received back on the transceiver after interaction with the tag.

[0109] Block 1504 represents the end result, a photonic identification tag and optionally a system including the tag.

[0110] The system and tag can be embodied in many ways including, but not limited to, the following.

[0111] 1. A device comprising a coherent photonic identification tag PIDT, comprising a plurality of passive 1002or active pixels 1102 on a substrate, wherein an optical response of the pixels the visible spectrum and are indistinguishable from each other but have a different spectral response (at least one of a different spectral absorption, refractive index, polarization, or phase delay inducing properties) in the infrared radiation or other wavelengths outside visible bands.

[0112] 2. The device of clause 1, comprising active pixels comprising materials or detectors producing the different spectral response that is time varying according to a random or patterned sequence of codes.

[0113] 3. A system 900 comprising the device of clause 1 or 2 comprising a transceiver 902 coupled to the tag, wherein the transceiver identifies the tag by determining the spectral response of the pixels from the electromagnetic radiation 904 received from the pixels after transmission from the transceiver.

[0114] The system of clause 2 and 3, wherein the transceiver transmits the electromagnetic radiation with a time sequence that matches the temporal variation of the spectral response.

[0115] References The following references are incorporated by reference herein

[0116] [1] Firooz Aflatouni, Behrooz Abiri, Angad Rekhi, and Ali Hajimiri. Nanophotonic coherent imager. Opt. Express, 23(4):5117–5125, Feb 2015. doi:10.1364 / OE.23.005117. URL https: / / opg.optica.org / oe / abstract.cfm?URI=oe-23- 4-5117.

[0117] [2] Reza Fatemi, Parham P. Khial, Aroutin Khachaturian, and Ali Hajimiri. Breaking fov-aperture trade-off with multi-mode nano-photonic antennas. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, 27(1):1–14, 2021. doi:10.1109 / JSTQE.2020.3026966.Reza Fatemi, and Ali Hajimiri. Iq photonic receiver for coherent imaging with a scalable aperture. IEEE Open Journal of the Solid-State Circuits Society, 1:263–270, 2021. doi:10.1109 / OJSSCS.2021.3113264.

[0119] [4] Aroutin Khachaturian, Behrooz Abiri, Seyed Mohammadreza Fatemi, and Seyed Ali Hajimiri. Coherent photonics imager with optical carrier suppression and phase detection capability, December 152022. US Patent App. 17 / 726,867.

[0120] [5] Aroutin Khachaturian, Reza Fatemi, and Ali Hajimiri. Achieving full grating-lobe-free field of view with low-complexity co-prime photonic beamforming transceivers. Photon. Res., 10(5):A66–A73, May 2022. doi:10.1364 / PRJ.437518. URL https: / / opg.optica.org / prj / abstract.cfm?URI= prj-10-5- A66.

[0121] [6] Meint Smit, Kevin Williams, Jos van der Tol; Past, present, and of InP-based photonic integration. APL Photonics 1 May 2019; 4 (5): 050901. https: / / doi.org / 10.1063 / 1.5087862

[0122] [7] PCT International Application No. PCT / US2024 / 029441, Publication No. WO2024238640^‐entitled^LOW‐COMPLEXITY^PHOTONIC^TRANSCEIVER

[0123] Conclusion This concludes the description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The foregoing description of one or more embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A device, comprising: an aperture for a transceiver chip, the aperture comprising an array of physical pixels each comprising a radiator, wherein at least one of a spacing or area of the physical pixels accommodates a plurality of virtual pixels corresponding to focusing spots, comprising different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, mapped through one or more focusing elements and a wavelength sensitive beam steering device to a first set of illumination points in a far field.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein at least some of the virtual pixels overlap with different ones of the physical pixels for at least one of an appropriate selection of the different wavelengths or an orientation of the wavelength sensitive beam steering device with respect to the aperture.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein at least 90% of the virtual pixels overlap with the physical pixels.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the illumination points fill regions between a second set of the illumination points mapped to the physical pixels by the wavelength selective beam steering device and the focusing elements.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the illumination points uniformly fill the regions.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising: the wavelength selective beam steering device;the one or more focusing elements between the aperture and the wavelength selective steering device, wherein the wavelength beam steering device couples each of the illumination points to a different one of the virtual pixels via the focusing elements.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements comprise a lens, the radiator comprises an optical antenna, and the wavelength selective beam steering device comprises a diffraction grating.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the aperture comprises a common aperture for the transceiver, the radiator is a polarization selective radiator comprising multiple ports including one or more inputs from one or more transmitters waveguides and one or more outputs to one or more receiver waveguides, wherein the polarization selective radiator accepts one or more first polarizations of coherent electromagnetic radiation from the transmitter waveguides and routes one or more second polarizations of received electromagnetic radiation, received on the polarization selective radiator, to the receiver waveguides.

9. The device of claim 8 comprising a transceiver, further comprising: a wavefront processor coupled to the radiators, the wavefront processor operable to configure the radiators to output a range of the different wavelengths transmitting electromagnetic radiation in response to N input signals inputted to the radiators, where N is the number of the radiators; and process a data matrix comprising the N input signals and the number N of output signals outputted from the radiators in response to the coherent electromagnetic radiation received on the radiators to extract the signal carried by the electromagnetic radiation, wherein the process comprises a channel estimation of one or more of the pixels to suppress at least one of a speckle pattern, path-relative turbulence, or a sourceof signal degradation to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio and the reliability of the signal.

10. The device of claim 8 comprising a transceiver, further comprising: a wavefront processor coupled to the radiators, the wavefront processor operable to configure the radiators to output a range of the different wavelengths transmitting electromagnetic radiation, wherein each of the radiators emits a different one of the wavelengths all pointing in the same direction towards a target.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the wavefront processor is further operable to process a combined output of the different physical pixels as a single-point measurement of the target with reduced speckle.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein a size of the radiators is different with respect to each other and across the aperture.

13. The device of claim 1 comprising a transceiver, further comprising: a wavefront processor coupled to the radiators, the wavefront processor operable to: configure the radiators to output a range of the different wavelengths transmitting electromagnetic radiation comprising a random speckle pattern; and process a number N of output signals outputted from the radiators in response to the random speckle pattern received on the radiators to extract the signal carried by the electromagnetic radiation, wherein the process suppresses the effects of speckle on the signal and N is the number of the radiators.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the process is an average of the output signals, selection of a strongest one of the output signals, or a filter based estimation algorithm applied to the output signals.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising the focal elements comprising a plurality of lenses coupled to the aperture, each of the lenses positioned to focus the electromagnetic radiation to different ones of the physical pixels with different depth of field or to control a spot size of the beam of electromagnetic radiation relative to a size of the radiator in a given one of the physical pixels.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising the focal elements positioned to direct different wavelength components of the electromagnetic radiation to different ones of the physical pixels.

17. The device of claim 1 comprising a transceiver chip further comprising the aperture coupled to: a coherent combiner coupled to the physical pixels, the coherent combiner comprising a plurality of receive waveguides each connected at a first end to a different one of the physical pixels and at a second end via junction to a single output waveguide coupled to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the focusing elements, each of the receive waveguides coupled to an amplifier, operable to control gain, and a phase modulator, operable to control phase of the electromagnetic radiation coupled to different ones of the radiators, thereby providing for adjustment of coherent combining gain; and’ / or a power or signal distribution network comprising a plurality of input waveguides each coupled to phase modulator and amplifier for controlling gain and phase and transmit inputs of a different one or set of the physical pixels, so that thephase and or gain is can be used to control beam steering and target tracking of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the pixels.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein: the physical pixels each comprise or are coupled to an IQ mixer to extract both the amplitude and phase of the electromagnetic signal received at the radiator in the physical pixel, the device further comprising a wavefront processor operable to perform at least one of sum-squaring (I2+ Q2) the resulting I and Q signals outputted from the mixer to find an intensity of the optical signal, or computing arctan(I / Q) to determine a phase of the optical signal, and comparing the intensity and the phase against a local on-chip mixed component to calculate the absolute and relative optical phase shift of the signals at each of the pixels for generating coherent imaging or coherent data transmission data.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising a transceiver chip useful in a coherent imager and comprising a wavefront processor coupled to the aperture and operable to control an amplitude or phase of the electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the radiators to a target, using feedback derived from the detected signals outputted from the radiator in response to the electromagnetic radiation after interaction with the target, to create more accurate perception data of the target from imaging data calculated from the detected signals.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver chip useful as coherent imager, further comprising a visible light camera, a mid infrared radiation imager; and a processor operable to combine IR spatial perception data (x,y,z) obtained from the MIR imager, velocity data obtained from the signals transmitted and received on the aperture as an overlay on the imager data obtained from the camera.

21. A device comprising a coherent photonic identification tag, comprising a plurality of passive or active pixels on a substrate, wherein an optical response of each of the pixels to a visible spectrum of electromagnetic radiation are indistinguishable from each other but have a different spectral response for other wavelengths outside the visible spectrum.

22. The device of claim 21, comprising the active pixels comprising materials or detectors producing the different spectral response that is time varying according to a random or patterned sequence of codes.

23. The device of claim 21 coupled to a transceiver for interrogating the pixels.

Images