Hybrid integrated silicon nitride optical phased array with phase calibration for two-dimensional beam steering

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Integrated Optics
• Silicon Photonics

Background:

• Optical phased arrays (OPAs) are crucial for beam steering in applications like space communication and sensing.
• Existing OPA architectures often face challenges with size, power consumption, and integration complexity.
• Heterostructure silicon photonics offers a promising avenue for miniaturized and cost-effective optical systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel hybrid, integrated two-dimensional multi-layer optical phased array architecture.
• To demonstrate the key enabling technologies for compact, low-loss, and high-performance OPA systems.
• To showcase the application of deep reinforcement learning for efficient phase calibration and beam steering.

Main Methods:

• Development of a hybrid integrated silicon photonics platform.
• Implementation of efficient multi-level conical waveguides and low-scattering interlayer couplers.
• Design of compact cross waveguides and sector-structured grating antennas.
• Application of deep reinforcement learning for OPA phase calibration.
• Experimental demonstration of two-dimensional beam steering using thermal-optic (TO) phase control.

Main Results:

• Achieved a compact, low-loss, high-performance hybrid integrated two-dimensional OPA.
• Demonstrated key technologies including advanced waveguides, couplers, and grating antennas.
• Validated the superiority of deep reinforcement learning for OPA phase calibration.
• Successfully achieved two-dimensional beam steering with a wide field-of-view using the silicon photonics platform.

Conclusions:

• The proposed hybrid integrated OPA architecture offers significant advantages in terms of size, performance, and versatility.
• The developed platform enables cost-effective, miniaturized, and widely applicable heterostructure silicon photonics.
• This technology holds strong potential for enabling low-power, high-speed beam steering for diverse applications.