Fourier-basis structured illumination imaging with an array of integrated optical phased arrays

Area of Science:

• Integrated photonics
• Optical imaging systems
• Fourier optics

Background:

• Active imaging and structured illumination traditionally use bulk optical systems.
• Integrated optical systems aim to replace conventional bulk optics.
• Optical phased arrays offer a path towards miniaturized imaging systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the first array of optical phased arrays forming a composite aperture.
• To implement a Fourier-based structured-illumination imaging system using this composite aperture.
• To address complexity constraints in scaling integrated photonic apertures.

Main Methods:

• Constructed a composite aperture from an array of optical phased arrays.
• Employed Fourier-based structured illumination with moving fringe patterns.
• Used a single integrating detector to capture back-scattered light.
• Reconstructed target spatial structure from time-varying detector signals.

Main Results:

• Experimentally demonstrated 1D Fourier-basis imaging using a six-element array of optical phased arrays.
• Achieved pairwise interference to sample up to 11 spatial Fourier components.
• Successfully reconstructed a 1D delta-function target.
• Showcased a sparse array requiring only N elements for N^2 resolvable spots.

Conclusions:

• The developed composite aperture enables efficient structured illumination imaging.
• This approach significantly reduces complexity for scaling integrated photonic apertures.
• The technology offers a pathway to high-resolution imaging with reduced element counts.