US 12,554,069 B2Granted

Multi-directional adaptive optical device

AssigneeOmmatidia LIDAR S.L.

InventorsEduardo Margallo Balbás, José Luis Rubio Guivernau

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Abstract

Multi-directional optical devices are disclosed. The optical device may employ a multiple input/multiple output optical coupling structure to determine propagation direction of received light (in receiver configuration), and/or control the propagation direction of transmitted light (in transmitter configuration). Propagation direction can be determined without the need for moving parts. In accordance with some embodiments, designs of solid-state photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are disclosed herein that utilize N×M star couplers to perform Fourier transformations to light traversing between the N ports and M ports such that light arriving at one or more of the N ports is distributed with a linear phase profile across the M ports. The slope of the linear phase profile is dependent on which of the N ports that light was received from. The light exits from waveguides coupled to the M ports at one or more propagation directions dependent on the linear phase profile.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An integrated photonic system, comprising:

a substrate;
a plurality of optical elements on the substrate, each of the plurality of optical elements comprising
a coupling region;
a first plurality of waveguides each coupled to a first side of the coupling region, wherein the first plurality of waveguides each has a substantially same optical path length, and
a second plurality of waveguides each coupled to a second side of the coupling region,
wherein the coupling region is configured to couple light received from the first plurality of waveguides into one or more of the second plurality of waveguides based on a relative phase difference of the light across the first plurality of waveguides,
wherein ends of the first plurality of waveguides across the plurality of optical elements are arranged in a two-dimensional array on the substrate;
and
one or more photodetectors configured to receive the light from the one or more of the second plurality of waveguides, such that the light received from each waveguide of the one or more of the second plurality of waveguides is associated with a different propagation direction of light through free space as it impinges upon the ends of the first plurality of waveguides.

6 more elements

An integrated photonic system, comprising:

a substrate;
one or more optical sources on the substrate;
and
a plurality of optical elements on the substrate, each of the plurality of optical elements comprising
a coupling region;
a first plurality of waveguides each coupled to a first side of the coupling region,
a second plurality of waveguides each having a first end configured to receive light from at least one of the one or more optical sources and each having a second end coupled to a second side of the coupling region,
wherein the second plurality of waveguides each has a substantially same optical path length,
wherein the coupling region is configured to couple light received from one or more of the second plurality of waveguides into the first plurality of waveguides, such that a relative phase difference of the light across the first plurality of waveguides is based on which of the second plurality of waveguides the light is received from,
wherein ends of the first plurality of waveguides across the plurality of optical elements are arranged in a two-dimensional array on the substrate, and
wherein light exiting from the ends of each of one or more of the first plurality of waveguides exits at a propagation direction through free space that is based on the relative phase difference of the light between each of the one or more of the first plurality of waveguides.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/016,788Filed 19 Jul 2021 · us provisional application
Priority: 20 Jul 2020
Published: US 2023/0288638 A114 Sep 2023
Granted: 17 Feb 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

G02B 6/262
Optical coupling means: optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated…
G02B 6/12004
Of the integrated circuit kind: combinations of two or more optical elements
G02B 6/125
Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths: bends, branchings or intersections
G02B 6/2804
Having data bus means, i.e. plural waveguides interconnected and providing an inherently bidirectional system by mixing and splitting signals:…