Despeckling in optical measurement systems

An optical measurement system comprising:

• a light generation assembly comprising a light source unit that is configured to generate light;
• a photonic integrated circuit comprising a launch group and a phase shifter array;
• and
• a controller, wherein:
• the launch group comprises a plurality of emitters;
• each emitter of the plurality of emitters is optically coupled to the light generation assembly to receive light generated by the light generation assembly and emit a corresponding beam of light;
• the phase shifter array comprises a plurality of phase shifters;
• each phase shifter of the plurality of phase shifters is controllable to set a phase state of the beam of light emitted by a corresponding emitter of the plurality of emitters;
• and
• the controller is configured to:
• control the light generation assembly to generate light such that the plurality of emitters simultaneously emits light from the photonic integrated circuit;
• and
• control, while the plurality of emitters simultaneously emits light, the phase shifter array to repeatedly cycle a measurement state of the plurality of emitters between a plurality of target measurement states;
• wherein:
• each of the plurality of target measurements states has a common phase state distribution.

A method of performing a measurement using an optical measurement system, the method comprising:

• simultaneously emitting light from a plurality of emitters of a launch group of a photonic integrated circuit;
• and
• performing a measurement sequence comprising a first measurement stage and a second measurement stage, wherein:
• performing the first measurement stage comprises:
• controlling, while the plurality of emitters simultaneously emits light, a phase shifter array to perform at least one first iteration in which a measurement state of the plurality of emitters is changed between a first plurality of target measurement states having a first common phase state distribution;
• and
• measuring, using a detector group, return light received during the at least one first iteration;
• and
• performing the second measurement stage comprises:
• controlling, while the plurality of emitters simultaneously emits light, the phase shifter array to perform at least one second iteration in which the measurement state of the plurality of emitters is changed between a second plurality of target measurement states having a second common phase state distribution that is different than the first common phase state distribution;
• and
• measuring, using the detector group, return light received during the at least one second iteration.