Arrayed waveguide lens for beam steering

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Integrated Optics
• Nanophotonics

Background:

• Conventional planar lenses for optical information processing face challenges in on-chip realization due to complex gradient index control.
• Beam steering is a key function for integrated photonic circuits in applications like imaging and sensing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel approach for on-chip beam steering using an arrayed waveguide lens.
• To demonstrate planar lensing and off-chip radiation simultaneously through engineered evanescent coupling.

Main Methods:

• Design of an array of coupled waveguides with segmented tails.
• Engineering evanescent coupling between adjacent waveguide channels.
• Utilizing coupled-mode analysis and full-wave numerical simulations.

Main Results:

• Achieved planar lensing and off-chip radiation with a single component.
• Demonstrated beam steering with a large field-of-view of approximately 60 degrees.
• Emulated a continuous parabolic index profile using a photonic lattice with equi-distant propagation constants.

Conclusions:

• The proposed arrayed waveguide lens offers a compact and efficient solution for beam steering in integrated photonic circuits.
• This technology can be applied to advanced imaging, sensing, and metrology systems.
• The design overcomes fabrication challenges associated with traditional gradient index lenses.