Abstract: Small angle optical beam steering is performed using a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Micro-Mirror Array (MMA) that minimizes diffraction for a specified steering angle, Generally speaking, this is accomplished with a MEMS MMA that exhibits a “piston” capability to translate individual mirrors in addition to the tip and tilt capabilities. Adjacent mirrors can be tipped/tilted to the specified steering angle and then translated by a requisite amount to approximate a continuous surface. For a specified steering angle, the MEMS MMA is partitioned into one or more sections with each section including the maximum number of mirrors that can be grouped together and actuated to approximate a continuous surface given a maximum translation z. As a result, the only edge discontinuities exist between adjacent sections thereby minimizing distortion for a given steering angle.

Abstract: Imaging systems and method of optical imaging. One example of an imaging system includes an optical scanning subsystem including an optical source and a MEMS MMA, the MEMS MMA being configured to direct optical radiation generated by the optical source over an area of a scene, a detection subsystem including an optical sensor configured to collect reflected optical radiation from the area of the scene, and a fused fiber focusing assembly including a fused fiber bundle, a plurality of lenses coupled together and positioned to receive and focus the reflected optical radiation from the area of the scene directly onto the fused fiber bundle, a microlens array interposed between the fused fiber bundle and the optical sensor and positioned to receive the reflected optical radiation from the fused fiber bundle, and a focusing lens positioned to direct the reflected optical radiation from the microlens array onto the optical sensor.

Abstract: A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) provides a common architecture to feed both optical and RF phased arrays that may be used for missile guidance, mobile data links, autonomous vehicles and 5G cellular communications. A plurality of switches are monolithically fabricated on the PIC with the optical feed network to switch the optical power of the phase-modulated optical channel signals between the integrated optical antennas and the RF antennas to produce steerable optical and RF beams. The photo-detectors and RF antennas may be discrete components or integrated with the optical feed network.

Abstract: An optically powered cryogenic FPA with an optical data link eliminates electrical penetrations of the cryogenic chamber for power delivery thereby reducing heat leaks into the cold volume by copper wires and EMI. An optical splitter receives and separates an optical input signal into an optical carrier signal, an optical Data IN signal and an optical power signal. An optical-to-electrical (O/E) converter converts the optical power signal into an electrical power signal, which is converted into a plurality of DC voltage signals to supply power within the chamber. An optical data link modulates the optical carrier signal with electrical signals from the ROIC to form and output an optical Data OUT signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of a satellite transceiver configurable for inter-satellite communication and configurable for satellite to ground communication are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the satellite transceiver comprises a micro-electromechanical (MEM) micro-mirror array (MMA) (MEM-MMA) configured to steer a beam of encoded optical data over a field-of-view (FOV). The MEM-MMA comprises a plurality of individual mirror elements. Each of the mirror elements is controllable by control circuitry to steer the beam over the FOV.

Abstract: A multiple target tracker and beam steerer utilizes a MEMs MMA for beam steering to simultaneously illuminate multiple tracked targets per frame. The MMA can be adaptively segmented to change the number of output beams, and the power in a given beam, based on a list of tracked targets, range to targets, threat level etc. The MMA can be adaptively configured to simultaneously perform one or more Designation, Range Finding and Active Imaging modes on the same or different tracked targets. The MMA can be segmented so that each segment includes a plurality of mirrors to “oversample” the input beam. The mirrors in a given segment may be controlled to provide wavefront correction to the corresponding output beam.

Abstract: Optical sensors and particularly gimbaled optical sensors transmit an active signal at a given wavelength(s) and receive passive signals over a range of wavelengths and the active signal in a common aperture. The sensor includes a Tx/Rx Aperture Sharing Element (ASE) configured with a center region that couples the active signal to the telescope for transmission and an annular region that couples the passive emissions and the returned active signal to the detector. A filter wheel may be positioned behind the ASE to present separate passive and active images to the detector. These optical sensors may, for example, be used with guided munitions or autonomous vehicles.

Abstract: Optical sensors and particularly gimbaled optical sensors transmit an active signal at a given wavelength(s) and receive passive signals over a range of wavelengths and the active signal in a common aperture. The sensor includes a Tx/Rx Aperture Sharing Element (ASE) configured with an annular region that couples an active signal having a ring-shaped energy distribution to the telescope for transmission and a center region that couples the passive emissions and the returned active signal to the detector. A beam shaping element such as an Axicon lens, LCWG, Risley Prism, Unstable Optical Resonator or MEMS MMA may be used to form or trace the ring-shaped active signal onto the annular region of the ASE. A focusing optic may be used to reduce the divergence of the active signal so that it is collimated or slightly converging when transmitted such that the returned active signal approximates a spot. A filter wheel may be positioned behind the ASE to present separate passive and active images to the detector.

Abstract: Optical sensors and particularly gimbaled optical sensors transmit an active signal at a given wavelength and receive passive signals over a range of wavelengths while controlling pointing without benefit of measuring and locating the active signal return. The sensor includes a Tx/Rx Aperture Sharing Element (ASE) is configured to block the received active signal (e.g. reflections off a target in a scene) and process only the passive emissions. These optical sensors may, for example, be used with guided munitions or autonomous vehicles.

Abstract: A tip/tilt/piston (“TTP”) MEMS MMA is used to provide coherent beam combination (CBC) such that the combined beam behaves as if it were emitted from a single aperture laser, but with higher brightness than can be obtained from an individual laser. Piston actuation of the mirrors is used to adjust the phase of individual amplified laser beams and maintain a zero phase difference across all of the amplified laser beams. Tip/Tilt actuation of the mirrors is used to steer the phase-adjusted amplified laser beams to form a coherent output laser beam. Additional TTP actuation can be used to oversimple and superimpose Adaptive Optics correction or focusing/defocusing on the beam, A multi-spectral system may be implemented with a common MEMS MMA to produce a spectrally beam combined, multi-channel coherent laser beam.

Abstract: An RF imaging receiver using photonic spatial beam processing focuses a composite optical signal into a spot on an optical detector array to extract an image of an RF scene. The receiver steers the composite optical signal to move the location of the spot to increase the detected power in the image and selectively turns off one or more detector pixels around the spot to reduce noise in the image.

Abstract: An active imaging system uses a MEMS Micro-Mirror Array to form and scan an optical beam over a first portion of scene within a first edge region of the field-of-view of the optical receiver in the direction of motion of the imaging system. In addition to tip and tilt control of the mirrors, the MMA may have piston control which can be used to minimize diffraction losses when focusing and scanning the beam, provide wavefront correction or to compensate for path length variations. The MMA may be partitioned into segments to independently form and scan a plurality of optical beams, which may be used to scan the first or different portions of the scene. The different segments may be provided with reflective coatings at different wavelengths to provide for multi-spectral imaging. The different segments may be used to combine multiple optical sources to increase power or provide multi-spectral illumination.

Abstract: An optical true time delay (TTD) control device for controllably alters the transit time of an optical beam traveling through the device by using the tip & tilt capability of MEMS MMAs to control the entrance and exit angles to a reflection cavity to coarsely control the path length and transit time and the piston capability to fine tune the path length and transit time. The reflection cavity can be configured in one, two or three dimensions with or without an optically transparent solid medium and using additional MEMS MMAs to provide controllable mirror surfaces within the cavity to enhance dynamic range and tenability. The input MEMS MMA may be “segmented” to re-direct a plurality of channel optical beams from the cavity at the same or different exit angles. The segments may be coated with different AR coatings to provide channel optical beams at different wavelengths.

Abstract: An optical feed network (OFN) for an RF phased antenna array includes a single free-space optical beamformer that supports all of the RF electrical feed signals for the RF phased antenna array to steer an RF beam. The free-space optical beamformer can more easily scale to accommodate larger array sizes than either the discrete fiber channel or PIC implementations. Furthermore, certain embodiments of the optical beamformer avoid the complexity of having to compute FFTs for each channel to steer the beam, instead relying on the inherent function of an imaging lens to perform the FFT, which in turn facilitates rapid steering.

Abstract: An RF imaging receiver using photonic spatial beam processing is provided with an optical beam steerer that acts on the individual modulated optical signals to induce individual phase delays that produce a phase delay with a linear term, and possibly spherical or aspherical terms, across a two-dimensional wavefront of the composite optical signal to steer the composite optical signal and move the location of the spot on the optical detector array. The optical beam steerer may change the path length or a refractive index for each of the modulated optical signals to induce the requisite phase delays. The optical beam steerer may be implemented, for example, with a Risley prism or liquid crystal or MEMs spatial light modulator.

Abstract: A sensing system. In some embodiments, the sensing system includes an imaging radio frequency receiver, an imaging radio frequency to optical converter, an imaging optical receiver, an optical beam combiner, and an imaging optical detector. The optical beam combiner is configured to combine an optical signal of the imaging radio frequency to optical converter, and an optical signal of the imaging optical receiver. In operation, the imaging radio frequency receiver, the imaging radio frequency to optical converter, and the optical beam combiner together form, on the imaging optical detector, an optical image of a radio frequency scene within a field of view of the imaging radio frequency receiver, and the imaging optical receiver and the optical beam combiner together form, on the imaging optical detector, an optical image of an optical scene within a field of view of the imaging optical receiver.

Abstract: An identification patch having a pattern of plasmonic resonance elements may be used to ensure that an article is counterfeit-proof. The identification patch is formed by laser-induced superplasticity to create a distinctive pattern of resonance elements that each contain a plurality of nanostructures. When the identification patch is irradiated, the pattern of resonance elements produces a unique spectral response that is associated only with the counterfeit-proof article. The counterfeit-proof article may be a metal component or an integrated circuit. The resonant absorption of the plasmonic resonance elements may be measured to verify the authenticity of the article before use of the article.

Abstract: An RF antenna feed module uses an optical feed network and photo-detectors to generate RF feed signals to drive a dual polarization RF antenna to produce an RF beam with a variable polarization state. The optical feed network and suitably the photo-detectors are monolithically fabricated PIC. Multiple modules may be configured to drive a dual polarization RF phased array. A single feed module can produce RF feed signals over a frequency range of at least 300 GHz.

Abstract: An optically powered cryogenic FPA with an optical data link eliminates electrical penetrations of the cryogenic chamber for power delivery thereby reducing heat leaks into the cold volume by copper wires and EMI. An optical splitter receives and separates an optical input signal into an optical carrier signal, an optical Data IN signal and an optical power signal. An optical-to-electrical (0/E) converter converts the optical power signal into an electrical power signal, which is converted into a plurality of DC voltage signals to supply power within the chamber. An optical data link modulates the optical carrier signal with electrical signals from the ROIC to form and output an optical Data OUT signal.

Abstract: An optical feed network (OFN) for an RF phased antenna array includes a single free-space optical beamformer that supports all of the RF electrical feed signals for the RF phased antenna array to steer an RF beam. The free-space optical beamformer can more easily scale to accommodate larger array sizes than either the discrete fiber channel or PIC implementations. Furthermore, certain embodiments of the optical beamformer avoid the complexity of having to compute FFTs for each channel to steer the beam, instead relying on the inherent function of an imaging lens to perform the FFT, which in turn facilitates rapid steering.