Optical true time delay (TTD) device using microelectrical-mechanical system (MEMS) micromirror arrays (MMAS) that exhibit tip/tilt/piston (TTP) actuation

An optical true time delay (TTD) control device for controllably altering the transit time of an optical beam traveling through the device, the device comprising:

• an optically transparent reflection cavity for receiving the optical beam;
• first and second opposing surfaces on the reflection cavity, each surface comprising a plurality of interior Micro-Electrical-Mechanical System (MEMS) Micromirror Array (MMAs) comprising a plurality of independently and continuously controllable mirrors responsive to command signals to tip and tilt each illuminated mirror about first and second orthogonal axes to controllably alter an angle of reflection to reflect off of the next interior MEMS MMA on the opposing mirror surface so that during operation the optical beam reflects between the surfaces as the optical beam travels a path through the reflection cavity;
• an input Micro-Electrical-Mechanical System (MEMS) Micromirror Array (MMA) comprising a plurality of independently and continuously controllable mirrors responsive to command signals to tip and tilt each illuminated mirror about first and second orthogonal axes to alter an entrance angle at which the optical beam enters the reflection cavity to controllably alter a number of reflections off the interior MEMS MMMs that line the opposing surfaces thereby controllably altering a path length and a transit time to travel through the reflection cavity;
• and
• an output MEMS MMA comprising a plurality of independently and continuously controllable mirrors responsive to command signals to tip and tilt each illuminated mirror about first and second orthogonal axes to alter an exit angle at which the optical beam leaves the reflection cavity,
• wherein said input, output and interior MEMS MMA mirrors are further responsive to command signals to translate each illuminated mirror in a third axis orthogonal to the plane containing the first and second orthogonal axis to fine tune the path length and transit time.

An optical true time delay (TTD) control device for controllably altering the transit time of an optical beam traveling through the device, the device comprising:

• an optically transparent reflection cavity for receiving the optical beam;
• first and second opposing mirrored surfaces on the reflection cavity;
• an input Micro-Electrical-Mechanical System (MEMS) Micromirror Array (MMA) comprising a plurality of independently and continuously controllable mirrors responsive to command signals to segment the array into a plurality of segments each comprising one or more mirrors and within each segment to tip and tilt each illuminated mirror about first and second orthogonal axes to alter an entrance angle at which a channel optical beam enters the reflection cavity to controllably alter a number of reflections off the opposing mirrored surface thereby controllably altering a path length and a transit time through the reflection cavity for each channel optical beam to travel through the reflection cavity;
• and
• an output MEMS MMA comprising a plurality of independently and continuously controllable mirrors responsive to command signals to tip and tilt each illuminated mirror about first and second orthogonal axes to alter an exit angle at which each channel optical beam leaves the reflection cavity,
• wherein said input and output MEMS MMA mirrors are further responsive to command signals to translate each illuminated mirror in a third axis orthogonal to the plane containing the first and second orthogonal axis to fine tune the path length and transit time.