US 12,085,833 B2
Optical phased array light steering
Michael Robert Watts, Hingham, MA (US); Katia Shtyrkova, Lexington, MA (US); Christopher Vincent Poulton, Cambridge, MA (US); Ehsan Shah Hosseini, Boston, MA (US); and Benjamin Roy Moss, Cambridge, MA (US)
Assigned to Analog Photonics LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed by Analog Photonics LLC, Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/501,419.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/203,468, filed on Jul. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/112,301, filed on Nov. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0146903 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 6/12 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G02F 1/29 (2006.01); H04B 10/112 (2013.01); H04B 10/40 (2013.01)
CPC G02F 1/292 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4817 (2013.01); G02B 6/12009 (2013.01); H04B 10/1123 (2013.01); H04B 10/40 (2013.01); G02F 2201/30 (2013.01); G02F 2201/34 (2013.01)] 49 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a photonic integrated circuit comprising an optical phased array comprising a plurality of antenna elements that are coupled to respective optical waveguides formed in the photonic integrated circuit,
a focusing element at a fixed position relative to the optical phased array and configured to couple an optical beam to or from two or more of the plurality of antenna elements of the optical phased array, and
a steering element at a fixed position relative to the focusing element and configured to steer the optical beam to or from the focusing element over a plurality of different angles within a steering range that is determined at least in part by at least one characteristic of the optical beam;
wherein at least one of the focusing element or the steering element is externally coupled to the photonic integrated circuit.