Optimization of electro-optic phase shifters for integrated optical phased arrays Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • 2017 SPIE. A low-loss, high-speed optical phased array (OPA) has been designed and fabricated. Two different platforms have been utilized in combination to leverage electro-optic (EO) tuning. A lithium niobate (LiNbO3) optical phased array was fabricated and used in conjunction with a silicon nitride (Si3N4) 8x8 waveguide array that condenses the output pitch and utilizes the TriplexTM waveguide technology. This OPA allows for the non-mechanical beam steering (NMBS) of 1550 nm light on an edge coupled optic platform and takes advantage of the high electro-optic coefficient and high speed capability of LiNbO3 for electro-optic phase tuning. This coupled OPA has an overall insertion loss of 3.5 dB which is advantageous to silicon-on-insulator OPAs that have shown overall insertion losses of 14 dB. To characterize and tune this device, a 3 lens imaging system was employed to produce both near- and far- field intensity patterns of the output of the OPA on a static image plane. At the image plane, a high resolution infrared camera was used to observe the resulting intensity pattern. The control software for tuning the OPA reads the intensity incident at a specified position on the detector array, and has a PWM interface to drive the electro-optic phase controls. Beam steering was accomplished using an iterative tuning algorithm.

name of conference

  • Advanced Optics for Defense Applications: UV through LWIR II

published proceedings

  • ADVANCED OPTICS FOR DEFENSE APPLICATIONS: UV THROUGH LWIR II

altmetric score

  • 3

author list (cited authors)

  • Macik, D. D., Bravo, T. E., Pentecost, S. M., Espinal, F. A., & Madsen, C. K.

citation count

  • 2

complete list of authors

  • Macik, Dwayne D||Bravo, Tyler E||Pentecost, Seeley M||Espinal, Francisco A||Madsen, Christi K

editor list (cited editors)

  • Vizgaitis, J. N., Andresen, B. F., Marasco, P. L., Sanghera, J. S., & Snyder, M. P.

publication date

  • January 2017