Chip-Scale Optical Phased Array With Phase Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical phased arrays for beam steering suffer from large size, high weight, slow temporal response, significant power requirements, and complex control signals, making them unsuitable for many applications.
Innovation Solution
A chip-scale optical phased array device with a 1×N optical splitter and a phase compensation array using serpentine waveguides, which receives a non-uniform phase front and outputs a uniform phase front, along with a tunable uniform phase shifter for two-dimensional beam steering with simplified control signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mechanical beam steering using gimbals and fast steering mirrors is used, then beam steering capability is achieved, but device size and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical beam steering systems (gimbals, fast steering mirrors) with a photonic integrated circuit-based optical phased array. This substitution eliminates moving mechanical parts while achieving beam steering through phase control of light waves across multiple antenna elements, thereby dramatically reducing device weight and size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from mechanical spatial movement to controlling the phase dimension of light waves. By adjusting the phase of optical signals across the array aperture, beam steering is achieved in the phase domain rather than through physical movement, enabling compact integration on a chip.
2Ease of operation
If mechanical beam steering systems are used, then beam steering is achieved, but temporal response becomes slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical beam steering with an optical phased array that controls beam direction through electronic phase modulation. This eliminates mechanical inertia and friction limitations, enabling temporal response speeds determined only by the bandwidth of the phase modulators and detection electronics.
3Volume of moving object
If standard MEMS micromirrors are used for beam steering, then compact size is achieved, but fill factor is limited due to complicated actuator design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces MEMS micromirror actuation mechanisms with planar photonic integrated circuit structures. The optical phased array uses on-chip waveguides, phase modulators, and antenna elements that can be fabricated using standard semiconductor processing techniques, achieving high fill factors without complex three-dimensional mechanical actuators.
4Measurement precision
If optical phased arrays with many control signals are used, then beam steering precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a unified optical phased array architecture where a single integrated photonic circuit performs multiple functions: beam steering, beam focusing, and signal routing. The phased array processor applies phase corrections across all antenna elements through a standardized interface, reducing overall system complexity despite maintaining high steering precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the optical phased array into multiple antenna elements with individual phase control, allowing parallel processing of beam forming operations. This segmentation enables precise beam steering through coordinated phase adjustment across elements while maintaining manageable control complexity through modular architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables compact, lightweight, low-power optical phased arrays with reduced manufacturing costs, suitable for various applications, including FSO communication and consumer electronics, with improved fill factor and scalable design.
Implementation Method 1
a one-dimensional phase compensation array communicating with the optical splitter. The phase compensation array includes a plurality of serpentine optical waveguides. The phase compensation array receives the non-uniform phase front and outputs a uniform phase front
Implementation Method 2
a tunable uniform phase shifter for two-dimensional beam steering with simplified control signals
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes a waveguide grating out-coupler, and a tunable uniform phase shifter communicating with the waveguide grating out-coupler. The tunable uniform phase shifter steers a Hat phase front along a first angle in a first plane. Optionally, the waveguide grating out-coupler includes a modulated refractive index and a physical grating period. The tunable uniform phase shifter controls the refractive index, thereby controlling an effective grating period. The grating period relates to die modulated refractive index, and the physical grating period. Optionally, the tunable uniform phase shifter includes a first thermo-optic phase shifter, a first electro-optic phase shifter, or a first micro-electro-mechanical system index perturbation phase shifter. Optionally, the tunable linear gradient phase shifter communicates with the waveguide grating out-coupler and steers a beam along the flat phase front along a second angle in a second plane, which is perpendicular to the first plane.