Angle measurement using the integrated amplitude of difference beam from an optical phased array.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Metrology
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional angle measurement methods, such as comparing amplitude (AMCA), have limitations in precision.
• Optical Phase Arrays (OPAs) offer advanced beam-forming capabilities not fully utilized in existing angle measurement techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel angle measurement method, AMCIAD, leveraging OPA technology for enhanced precision.
• To compare the performance of AMCIAD against the traditional AMCA method.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing an on-chip OPA to generate difference beams for object scanning.
• Developing a specialized algorithm to compute angular position from reflected light.
• Implementing the AMCIAD technique by comparing the integrated amplitude of the difference beam.

Main Results:

• The AMCIAD method demonstrated a significant improvement in angle measurement accuracy, achieving approximately four times greater precision than AMCA.
• Experimental results showed an accuracy of 0.13° for AMCIAD compared to 0.60° for AMCA.
• Achieved angular accuracy equivalent to approximately 4% of the beam width.

Conclusions:

• The proposed AMCIAD method offers a substantial advancement in angle measurement precision through the use of OPA beam-forming.
• This technique provides a more accurate and efficient approach for angular positioning applications.
• AMCIAD represents a significant improvement over conventional methods, paving the way for more precise optical metrology.