Optical phased array controlled RF phased array

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by an optical phased array, a laser signal from a signal laser;
• outputting, by the optical phased array, an optical beam having an optical wave front, the optical beam based at least in part on the laser signal;
• receiving, by each photodiode of a photodiode array of photodiodes, at least a portion of the optical beam and at least a portion of an optical plane wave beam, wherein the optical plane wave beam is formed based at least on a local oscillator (LO) laser that outputs a laser beam having a different wavelength from the signal laser, wherein the signal laser and the LO laser are phase locked;
• outputting, by each photodiode of the photodiode array of the photodiodes, an electronic signal based on the at least the portion of the optical beam and the at least the portion of the optical plane wave beam;
• and
• outputting, by a radiofrequency (RF) antenna element array of RF antenna elements, an RF beam having an RF wave front based on received electronic signals from the photodiode array, each RF antenna element electrically coupled to one of the photodiodes;
• wherein the optical phased array further comprises phase shifters and an array of optical emitters, wherein the system further comprises at least one processor configured to control the phase shifters so as to steer the optical beam;
• wherein the laser signal from the signal laser is fed to a first set of the optical emitters configured to output the optical beam, wherein the laser beam from the LO laser is fed to a second set of the optical emitters configured to output the optical plane wave beam.

A system, comprising:

• an optical phased array configured to:
• receive a laser signal from a signal laser;
• and
• output an optical beam having an optical wave front, the optical beam based at least in part on the laser signal;
• a photodiode array of photodiodes, each photodiode configured to:
• receive at least a portion of the optical beam and at least a portion of an optical plane wave beam, wherein the optical plane wave beam is formed based at least on a local oscillator (LO) laser that outputs a laser beam having a different wavelength from the signal laser, wherein the signal laser and the LO laser are phase locked;
• and
• output an electronic signal based on the at least the portion of the optical beam and the at least a portion of the optical plane wave beam;
• and
• a radiofrequency (RF) antenna element array of RF antenna elements, each RF antenna element electrically coupled to one of the photodiodes, wherein the RF antenna element array is configured to output an RF beam having an RF wave front based on received electronic signals from the photodiode array;
• wherein the RF antenna element array is electrically coupled to the photodiode array, wherein the RF antenna element array is fabricated on first side of a substrate, wherein the photodiode array is fabricated on a second side of the substrate.