Radio frequency wave and optical beam steerer combination
AssigneeHRL Laboratories, LLC
InventorGregory L. Tangonan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A combination RF and optical beam steerer comprising an optically transparent substrate having first and second major surfaces, the first surface having disposed thereon an array of conductive elements associated with a radio frequency beam steerer and the second surface thereof having an array of elements disposed thereon associated with an optical beam steerer. The spacing of the elements in the RF beam steerer are at least ten times the wavelength of the optical energy to be steered by the device so that the RF beam steerer appears to be essentially optically transparent to the optical energy whereas as the array associated with the optical beam steerer is sufficiently closely spaced so as to function as a ground plane for the RF beam steerer.
Claims47
A beam steerer for steering electromagnetic energy received by the beam steerer, the beam steerer comprising a plurality of secondary beam steerers, each secondary beam steerer being associated with a different region of the electromagnetic spectrum from the other secondary beam steerers, the electromagnetic energy comprising a plurality of components, each component being associated with a different region of the electromagnetic spectrum, wherein each component is directed by the beam steerer into a different direction from the direction into which the other components are directed.
A beam steerer for separating a first electromagnetic beam and a second electromagnetic beam simultaneously impinging the beam steerer, the first electromagnetic beam having a first frequency band associated therewith, the second electromagnetic beam having a second frequency band associated therewith, the first electromagnetic beam being directed into a first direction, the second electromagnetic beam being directed into a second direction.
A method of steering a first electromagnetic beam and a second electromagnetic beam, the first electromagnetic beam having a frequency within a first region of the electromagnetic spectrum, the second electromagnetic beam having a frequency within a second region of the electromagnetic spectrum, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving the first electromagnetic beam and the second electromagnetic beam;
- (b) steering the first electromagnetic beam into a first direction;
- and
- (c) steering the second electromagnetic beam into a second direction.
A combination RF and optical beam steerer for steering RF energy and optical energy, the combination RF and optical beam steerer comprising an optically transparent substrate having first and second major surfaces, the first surface having disposed thereon an array of conductive elements associated with a radio frequency beam steerer and the second surface thereof having an array of elements disposed thereon associated with an optical beam steerer, a spacing of the elements in the RF beam steerer being at least 10 times the wavelength of the optical energy to be steered so that the RF beam steerer appears to be essentially optically transparent to the optical energy whereas the array associated with the optical beam steerer is sufficiently closely spaced so as to function as a ground plane for the RF beam steerer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.