High-resolution aliasing-free optical beam steering
20 Aug 2016-Vol. 3, Iss: 8, pp 887-890
TL;DR: In this paper, a two-axis steerable optical phased array with over 500 resolvable spots and 80° steering in the phased array axis (measurement limited) and a record small divergence in both axes (0.14°).
Abstract: Many applications, including laser (LIDAR) mapping, free-space optical communications, and spatially resolved optical sensors, demand compact, robust solutions to steering an optical beam. Fine target addressability (high steering resolution) in these systems requires simultaneously achieving a wide steering angle and a small beam divergence, but this is difficult due to the fundamental trade-offs between resolution and steering range. So far, to our knowledge, chip-based two-axis optical phased arrays have achieved a resolution of no more than 23 resolvable spots in the phased-array axis. Here we report, using non-uniform emitter spacing on a large-scale emitter array, a dramatically higher-performance two-axis steerable optical phased array fabricated in a 300 mm CMOS facility with over 500 resolvable spots and 80° steering in the phased-array axis (measurement limited) and a record small divergence in both axes (0.14°). Including the demonstrated steering range in the other (wavelength-controlled) axis, this amounts to two-dimensional beam steering to more than 60,000 resolvable points.
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: In this paper , an optical phased array (OPA) with wide beam steering angle and low side-lobe level is designed based on the hybrid approach of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and convex optimization (CVX).
Abstract: In this paper, an optical phased array (OPA) with wide beam steering angle and low side-lobe level is designed based on the hybrid approach of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and convex optimization (CVX). The optimization process is divided into two steps. First, the antenna spacing distribution of the OPA is designed to obtain a wide beam steering range by using a PSO algorithm. Second, based on the antenna spacing distribution obtained in the previous step, the CVX algorithm is used to obtain the excitation amplitude and phase distribution of the OPA under different beam steering angles. By using this approach, we design an OPA with 1024 antennas. The beam steering range of the OPA is ±60° and the side-lobe level is reduced to -24.65 dB.
3 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , an indoor beam-steering IR OWC system with high accuracy and calibration-free localization ability by employing a coaxial frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system was proposed.
Abstract: By using narrow infrared (IR) optical beams, optical wireless communication (OWC) system can realize ultra-high capacity and high-privacy data transmission. However, due to the point-to-point connection approach, a high accuracy localization system and beam-steering antenna (BSA) are required to steer the signal beam to user terminals. In this paper, we proposed an indoor beam-steering IR OWC system with high accuracy and calibration-free localization ability by employing a coaxial frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system. In the meantime, benefitting from the mm-level ranging accuracy of the LiDAR system, a useful approach to assess the feasibility of the link alignment between beam-steering antenna and users is first demonstrated. With the assistance of the LiDAR system, we experimentally achieved the localization of user terminals with a 0.038-degree localization accuracy and on-off keying (OOK) downlink error-free transmission of 17 Gb/s in free space at a 3-m distance is demonstrated. The highest transmission data rate under the forward error correction (FEC) criterion (Bit error rate (BER) <3.8×103) can reach 24 Gb/s.
3 citations
TL;DR: This work investigated the optimization of the optical path-modulated 3D OPAs with Si3N4 as the core layer and SiO2 as the cladding layer using the particle swarm optimization algorithm to optimize high-performance random distributed OPAs.
Abstract: Silicon-based optical phased arrays (OPAs) have been widely explored, while the design of the structure with high sidelobe level reduction, remains a big challenge. This work investigated the optimization of the optical path-modulated 3D OPAs with Si3N4 as the core layer and SiO2 as the cladding layer. We used the particle swarm optimization algorithm to optimize high-performance random distributed OPAs. Our study provides an effective pathway to optimize the random distributed OPAs within a controllable time frame among a vast number of parameters.
3 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a programmable photonic processor based on two-dimensional meshes of self-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) resonant structures is presented, which can realize various basic optical components, as well as cascaded and coupled components.
Abstract: Reconfigurable photonic processors, which can be programmed to perform multiple photonic processing tasks by using the same hardware platform, own the advantages of higher flexibility and more cost-effectiveness compared with application-specific photonic integration circuits (ASPICs). In this paper, we present a novel programmable photonic processor based on two-dimensional meshes of self-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) resonant structures. The proposed processor can be configured for realizing various basic optical components, as well as cascaded and coupled components. As a proof-of-principle, we experimentally demonstrate the concept with a 3 × 1 SCOW-based processor on the silicon platform, including tunable couplers, variable optical attenuators, and phase shifters. We implement eight different configurations using the chip, including ring resonators, Mach-Zehnder interferometers, Fabry-Perot resonators, and composite structures built of these basic components. These results demonstrate that the proposed processor can be a promising candidate for multi-functional photonic processors.
3 citations
Cites background from "High-resolution aliasing-free optic..."
...ing [7], quantum optics [8], [9], and optical ranging [10], [11], require considerably more complex optical circuits with a number of interconnected optical components....
[...]
...The power consumption for optical attenuation with the reversebiased SOA is sub mW [11]....
[...]
TL;DR: In this paper, a low-loss, high-speed optical phased array (OPA) has been designed and fabricated, and two different platforms have been utilized in combination to leverage electro-optic tuning.
Abstract: A low-loss, high-speed optical phased array (OPA) has been designed and fabricated. Two different platforms have been utilized in combination to leverage electro-optic (EO) tuning. A lithium niobate (LiNbO3) optical phased array was fabricated and used in conjunction with a silicon nitride (Si3N4) 8x8 waveguide array that condenses the output pitch and utilizes the TriplexTM waveguide technology. This OPA allows for the non-mechanical beam steering (NMBS) of 1550 nm light on an edge coupled optic platform and takes advantage of the high electro-optic coefficient and high speed capability of LiNbO3 for electro-optic phase tuning. This coupled OPA has an overall insertion loss of ~3.5 dB which is advantageous to silicon-on-insulator OPAs that have shown overall insertion losses of ~14 dB. To characterize and tune this device, a 3 lens imaging system was employed to produce both near- and far- field intensity patterns of the output of the OPA on a static image plane. At the image plane, a high resolution infrared camera was used to observe the resulting intensity pattern. The control software for tuning the OPA reads the intensity incident at a specified position on the detector array, and has a PWM interface to drive the electro-optic phase controls. Beam steering was accomplished using an iterative tuning algorithm.
3 citations
References
More filters
TL;DR: This work demonstrates that a robust design, together with state-of-the-art complementary metal-oxide–semiconductor technology, allows large-scale NPAs to be implemented on compact and inexpensive nanophotonic chips and therefore extends the functionalities of phased arrays beyond conventional beam focusing and steering, opening up possibilities for large- scale deployment.
Abstract: A large-scale silicon nanophotonic phased array with more than 4,000 antennas is demonstrated using a state-of-the-art complementary metal-oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) process, enabling arbitrary holograms with tunability, which brings phased arrays to many new technological territories. Nanophotonic approaches allow the construction of chip-scale arrays of optical nanoantennas capable of producing radiation patterns in the far field. This could be useful for a range of applications in communications, LADAR (laser detection and ranging) and three-dimensional holography. Until now this technology has been restricted to one-dimensional or small two-dimensional arrays. This paper reports the construction of a large-scale silicon nanophotonic phased array containing 4,096 optical nanoantennas balanced in power and aligned in phase. The array was used to generate a complex radiation pattern—the MIT logo—in the far field. The authors show that this type of nanophotonic phased array can be actively tuned, and in some cases the beam is steerable. Electromagnetic phased arrays at radio frequencies are well known and have enabled applications ranging from communications to radar, broadcasting and astronomy1. The ability to generate arbitrary radiation patterns with large-scale phased arrays has long been pursued. Although it is extremely expensive and cumbersome to deploy large-scale radiofrequency phased arrays2, optical phased arrays have a unique advantage in that the much shorter optical wavelength holds promise for large-scale integration3. However, the short optical wavelength also imposes stringent requirements on fabrication. As a consequence, although optical phased arrays have been studied with various platforms4,5,6,7,8 and recently with chip-scale nanophotonics9,10,11,12, all of the demonstrations so far are restricted to one-dimensional or small-scale two-dimensional arrays. Here we report the demonstration of a large-scale two-dimensional nanophotonic phased array (NPA), in which 64 × 64 (4,096) optical nanoantennas are densely integrated on a silicon chip within a footprint of 576 μm × 576 μm with all of the nanoantennas precisely balanced in power and aligned in phase to generate a designed, sophisticated radiation pattern in the far field. We also show that active phase tunability can be realized in the proposed NPA by demonstrating dynamic beam steering and shaping with an 8 × 8 array. This work demonstrates that a robust design, together with state-of-the-art complementary metal-oxide–semiconductor technology, allows large-scale NPAs to be implemented on compact and inexpensive nanophotonic chips. In turn, this enables arbitrary radiation pattern generation using NPAs and therefore extends the functionalities of phased arrays beyond conventional beam focusing and steering, opening up possibilities for large-scale deployment in applications such as communication, laser detection and ranging, three-dimensional holography and biomedical sciences, to name just a few.
1,065 citations
01 Aug 1998
TL;DR: The digital display engine (DDE) as discussed by the authors is based on a single DMD device having array dimensions of 800/spl times/600 elements, illuminated by a metal halide arc lamp through a compact optics train.
Abstract: A period of rapid growth and change in the display industry has recently given rise to many new display technologies. One such technology, the Digital Micromirror Device/sup TM/ (DMD), developed at Texas Instruments, represents a unique application of microelectromechanical systems to the area of projection displays. In this paper, we describe a representative example of a DMD-based projection display engine, the digital display engine (DDE). The DDE is based on a single-DMD device having array dimensions of 800/spl times/600 elements, illuminated by a metal halide arc lamp through a compact optics train. The engine is designed for portable and fixed conference-room graphics and video display applications, and many design decisions were made to tailor the engine for its intended venue. The design of the projection engine optics and electronics is discussed, along with the basic operation, manufacture, and reliability of the DMD itself.
642 citations
TL;DR: A 16-channel, independently tuned waveguide surface grating optical phased array in silicon for two dimensional beam steering with a total field of view of 20° x 14° and full-window background peak suppression of 10 dB is demonstrated.
Abstract: We demonstrate a 16-channel, independently tuned waveguide surface grating optical phased array in silicon for two dimensional beam steering with a total field of view of 20° x 14°, beam width of 0.6° x 1.6°, and full-window background peak suppression of 10 dB.
373 citations
TL;DR: An integrated approach is followed in which a 1D optical phased array is fabricated on silicon-on-insulator in which continuous thermo-optical steering of 2.3 degrees and wavelength steering of 14.1 degrees is reported.
Abstract: Optical phased arrays are versatile components enabling rapid and precise beam steering. An integrated approach is followed in which a 1D optical phased array is fabricated on silicon-on-insulator. The optical phased array consists of 16 parallel grating couplers spaced 2 mum apart. Steering in one direction is done thermo-optically by means of a titanium electrode on top of the structure using the phased array principle, while steering in the other direction is accomplished by wavelength tuning. At a wavelength of 1550 nm, continuous thermo-optical steering of 2.3 degrees and wavelength steering of 14.1 degrees is reported.
299 citations
TL;DR: The photonic integrated circuit (PIC) consists of 164 optical components including lasers, amplifiers, photodiodes, phase tuners, grating couplers, splitters, and a photonic crystal lens and exhibited steering over 23° x 3.6°.
Abstract: In this work we present the first fully-integrated free-space beam-steering chip using the hybrid silicon platform. The photonic integrated circuit (PIC) consists of 164 optical components including lasers, amplifiers, photodiodes, phase tuners, grating couplers, splitters, and a photonic crystal lens. The PIC exhibited steering over 23° x 3.6° with beam widths of 1° x 0.6°.
283 citations