Photonic integrated circuit (PIC)-based optical phased array with integrated gyroscopic sensor
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsStephen P. Palese, Duane D. Smith, Amit Bhatia
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a photonic integrated circuit having an optical phased array, where the optical phased array includes multiple unit cells. Each unit cell includes (i) an antenna element configured to transmit or receive optical signals and (ii) a phase modulator configured to modify phases of the optical signals being transmitted or received by the antenna element. The apparatus also includes a gyroscopic sensor configured to sense movement of the photonic integrated circuit, where at least a portion of the gyroscopic sensor is integrated within the photonic integrated circuit.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a photonic integrated circuit comprising an optical phased array, the optical phased array comprising multiple unit cells, each unit cell comprising (i) an antenna element configured to transmit optical signals to an external node and receive optical signals from the external node and (ii) a phase modulator configured to modify phases of the optical signals being transmitted and received by the antenna element;
- a gyroscopic sensor configured to sense movement of the photonic integrated circuit, wherein at least a portion of the gyroscopic sensor is integrated within the photonic integrated circuit;
- and
- a phase controller configured to adjust the optical phased array based on (i) the sensed movement of the photonic integrated circuit from the gyroscopic sensor and (ii) samples of the optical signals that are received by the photonic integrated circuit from the external node.
A method comprising:
- transmitting and receiving optical signals using a photonic integrated circuit comprising an optical phased array, the optical phased array comprising multiple unit cells, each unit cell comprising (i) an antenna element that transmits the optical signals to an external node and receives the optical signals from the external node and (ii) a phase modulator that modifies phases of the optical signals being transmitted and received by the antenna element;
- sensing movement of the photonic integrated circuit using a gyroscopic sensor, wherein at least a portion of the gyroscopic sensor is integrated within the photonic integrated circuit;
- and
- adjusting the optical phased array based on (i) the sensed movement of the photonic integrated circuit from the gyroscopic sensor and (ii) samples of the optical signals that are received by the photonic integrated circuit from the external node.
An optical node comprising:
- one or more optical transmitters, optical receivers, or optical transceivers;
- wherein at least one of the one or more optical transmitters, optical receivers, or optical transceivers comprises:
- a photonic integrated circuit comprising an optical phased array, the optical phased array comprising multiple unit cells, each unit cell comprising (i) an antenna element configured to transmit optical signals to an external node and receive optical signals from the external node and (ii) a phase modulator configured to modify phases of the optical signals being transmitted and received by the antenna element;
- a gyroscopic sensor configured to sense movement of the photonic integrated circuit, wherein at least a portion of the gyroscopic sensor is integrated within the photonic integrated circuit;
- and
- a phase controller configured to adjust the optical phased array based on (i) the sensed movement of the photonic integrated circuit from the gyroscopic sensor and (ii) samples of the optical signals that are received by the photonic integrated circuit from the external node.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.