System, method and apparatus for non-mechanical optical and photonic beam steering

A system, comprising:

• a first electro-optic (EO) layer comprising an EO active material, and further comprising a first plurality of active elements, wherein the EO active material comprises a solid material;
• a second EO layer comprising the EO active material, and further comprising a second plurality of active elements;
• a first high-side electrode layer comprising a first plurality of discrete electrodes, each of the first plurality of discrete electrodes associated with one of the first plurality of active elements and positioned on a first side of the first EO layer;
• a second high-side electrode layer comprising a second plurality of discrete electrodes, each of the second plurality of discrete electrodes associated with one of the second plurality of active elements and positioned on a first side of the second EO layer;
• a first plurality of insulating elements, each of the first plurality of insulating elements being positioned between adjacent ones of the first plurality of active elements, and a second plurality of insulating elements, each of the second plurality of insulating elements being positioned between adjacent ones of the second plurality of active elements, each of the first and second plurality of insulating elements being configured to block a fringing electric field from passing therethrough;
• and
• a low-side electrode arrangement comprising at least one of:
• a first low-side electrode layer positioned on a second side of the first EO layer and a second low-side electrode layer positioned on a second side of the second EO layer;
• a low-side electrode layer positioned on a second side of the first EO layer and further positioned on a second side of the second EO layer;
• and
• a plurality of low-side electrodes, each positioned on a second side of the first EO layer or a second side of the second EO layer, each active element of the first plurality of active elements and the second plurality of active elements having an associated one of the plurality of low-side electrodes,
• wherein the first EO layer and the second EO layer are arranged such that the first plurality of active elements are not aligned with the second plurality of active elements.