Nearest neighbors phase control for optical phased array communications

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Optical Communications
• Array Signal Processing

Background:

• Optical phased arrays (OPAs) offer non-mechanical beam steering and scalability for communications.
• Current OPA designs often rely on large lenses for array sampling and focusing.
• Modularity in OPAs enhances reliability and simplifies manufacturing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a new OPA architecture that removes the requirement for large focusing optics.
• To demonstrate arbitrary phase control and beam steering capabilities.
• To enable modular and scalable OPA systems for optical communication.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a tiled phase control architecture.
• Utilizing an in-line modular geometry with one detector per array element.
• Experimental validation of arbitrary phase control and beam steering.

Main Results:

• Successfully eliminated the need for a large focusing optic.
• Achieved arbitrary phase control and precise beam steering.
• Demonstrated a modular architecture suitable for scalable OPA applications.

Conclusions:

• The proposed tiled phase control architecture offers a promising alternative for OPA development.
• This design facilitates enhanced modularity, scalability, and performance in optical communication.
• The architecture is well-suited for various optical phased array applications beyond communication.