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

An optical steering apparatus, comprising:

• a first steering layer structured to adjust an incident angle of an electromagnetic (EM) beam on a second steering layer, the first steering layer interposed between an EM source and the second steering layer;
• the second steering layer comprising:
• a high-side electrode layer comprising:
• a first plurality of electrical members alternated with, and electrically coupled to adjacent ones of a second plurality of electrical members;
• wherein one of the first plurality of electrical members or the second plurality of electrical members comprises a plurality of discrete electrodes;
• and
• wherein the other one of the first plurality of electrical members or the second plurality of electrical members comprises a plurality of resistors;
• a low-side electrode layer;
• and
• an electro-optic (EO) layer comprising a solid EO crystal active material at least partially interposed between the high-side electrode layer and the low-side electrode layer, thereby forming a plurality of active cells of the EO layer.

An optical steering system, comprising:

• a high-side electrode layer comprising:
• a first plurality of electrical members alternated with, and electrically coupled to adjacent ones of a second plurality of electrical members;
• wherein one of the first plurality of electrical members or the second plurality of electrical members comprises a plurality of discrete electrodes;
• and
• wherein the other one of the first plurality of electrical members or the second plurality of electrical members comprises a plurality of resistors;
• a low-side electrode layer;
• and
• an electro-optic (EO) layer comprising a solid EO crystal active material at least partially interposed between the high-side electrode layer and the low-side electrode layer, thereby forming a plurality of active cells of the EO layer.