Agile beam steering using phased-array-like elements
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorMichael Wayne Farn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Agile steering of a laser beam using a pair of complementary optical elements which are mechanically translated. The elements consist of pixelated steps of varying depth. Structure is provided to steer a laser beam by translating one element with respect to the other element by a distance that is an integer multiple of the step width.
Claims22
Optical apparatus for agile steering of a light beam comprising:
- a complementary pair of first and second optical elements, each of the elements including a phased-array-like profile of pixelated steps with no step introducing a phase delay greater than one wave;
- and
- structure to position the elements to face each other in close proximity and to translate one element with respect to the other element by a distance equal to an integer multiple of the width of the pixelated step.
An optical device for agile steering a light beam comprising a complementary pair of binary optics elements with phased array profiles, the first element having a planar surface with one or more steps with each step introducing a phase delay of not more than one wave, the second element being identical to the first element but each step having phase delay opposite of said delay of the complementary step in the first element, wherein said elements with the profiled surfaces positioned to face each other in close proximity and mechanically translated in the direction parallel to any side of the elements by a distance that is an integer multiple of the step width, thus diffracting the incoming light beam into any diffraction order.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.