Optical beamsteering system

An optical beamsteering system for providing a plurality of respectively time-delayed optical signals, said optical beamsteering system comprising an optical signal processing system comprising a plurality of optical time delay units optically coupled together in a cascade, each of said optical time delay units further comprising:

• a respective spatial light modulator (SLM) having an array of liquid crystal pixels disposed such that respective ones of said optical signals pass through a respective one of said pixels such that each optical signal emerges from said SLM having a selected linear polarization orientation;
• and
• a respective multiple-pass optical delay path apparatus optically coupled to said respective optical time delay unit SLM to receive said respective optical signals from said SLM, said multiple-pass optical delay path apparatus comprising a polarizing beam splitter (PBS), a plurality of optical delay fibers, and a first and a second quarter wave plate, each of said optical delay lines being optically coupled at a respective first terminus of said fiber to said first quarter wave plate and optically coupled at a respective second terminus of said fiber to said PBS, said second quarter wave plate being optically coupled to said PBS so as to receive optical signals passing through said PBS from said optical delay lines,
• said PBS in each respective multiple-pass optical time delay unit being disposed such that respective ones of said optical signals pass along a direct path or a delay path dependent upon the polarization orientation of said respective optical signal and such that optical signals passing along a respective delay path pass through one respective fiber delay line twice before passing from said multiple-pass optical time delay unit.