Abstract: Aspects of the technology provides a method of retransmitting signals. The method may include receiving, by a first optical phased array (OPA) of a device, an optical signal from a remote device; amplifying, by one or more amplifiers of the device, the optical signal in the optical domain; and retransmitting, by a second OPA of the device, the optical signal to one or more remote devices without converting the optical signal from the optical domain.

Abstract: A free-space optical communication system includes an optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated chip, a transceiver photonic integrated chip, and one or more processors. The OPA chip includes a plurality of array elements and a plurality of phase shifters. The transceiver chip includes one or more transmitter components and one or more receiver components. The one or more processors are configured to transmit a first signal via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip, and receive a second signal via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide for a system including a first communications terminal. The first communications terminal may include a common aperture for transmitting signals and receiving signals and an optical phased array (OPA) architecture. The OPA architecture may include including a micro-lens array including a plurality of micro-lenses, each micro-lens of the plurality of micro-lenses having an additional grating structure on a surface of that micro-lens and being associated with a first pair of emitters, and each one of the pair of emitters being associated with a phase shifter. The OPA architecture may be configured for bidirectional communication with a second communications terminal.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of adjusting a plurality of phase shifters of an OPA. The method may include identifying, by one or more processors, one or more first subsets of phase shifters of the plurality of phase shifters based on an orthogonal set of functions; performing, by the one or more processors, one or more first dithers on the one or more first subsets of phase shifters of the plurality of phase shifters using one or more first frequencies of a predetermined set of frequencies; determining, by the one or more processors, one or more first corrections based on a first power output of the OPA resulting from the one or more first dithers; and adjusting, by the one or more processors, the one or more first subsets using the one or more first corrections, the adjustment resulting in a first set of corrected phase shifter values.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a system including a first optical communications terminal comprising. The first optical communications terminal may include a common aperture for transmitting signals and receiving signals. The first optical communications terminal may also include an optical phased array (OPA) architecture including a micro-lens array including a plurality of micro-lenses. Each micro-lens of the plurality of micro-lenses may have a plurality of concentric grooves arranged on a respective surface of that micro-lens. The OPA architecture may be configured for bidirectional communication with a second optical communications terminal.

Abstract: The technology relates to free-space optical communication systems that correct for errors in tracking and pointing accuracy to maintain connection integrity. Such systems can both proactively and reactively correct for errors in tracking performance and pointing accuracy of terminals within the system. An aspect includes receiving information indicative of at least one external disturbance associated with a communication device. A determination is made for a proactive estimation indicative of a first error associated with an effect of the at least one external disturbance at a current timestep. A determination is made for a reactive estimation indicative of a second error associated with the effect of the at least one external disturbance at a previous timestep. A final control signal is determined based on the proactive estimation and the reactive estimation. A controller is able to actuate an optical assembly of the communication device based on the determined final control signal.

Abstract: The technology relates to free-space optical communication systems that correct for errors in tracking and pointing accuracy to maintain connection integrity. Such systems can both proactively and reactively correct for errors in tracking performance and pointing accuracy of terminals within the system. An aspect includes receiving information indicative of at least one external disturbance associated with a communication device. A determination is made for a proactive estimation indicative of a first error associated with an effect of the at least one external disturbance at a current timestep. A determination is made for a reactive estimation indicative of a second error associated with the effect of the at least one external disturbance at a previous timestep. A final control signal is determined based on the proactive estimation and the reactive estimation. A controller is able to actuate an optical assembly of the communication device based on the determined final control signal.

Abstract: The technology relates to free-space optical communication systems that correct for errors in tracking and pointing accuracy to maintain connection integrity. Such systems can both proactively and reactively correct for errors in tracking performance and pointing accuracy of terminals within the system. An aspect includes receiving information indicative of at least one external disturbance associated with a communication device. A determination is made for a proactive estimation indicative of a first error associated with an effect of the at least one external disturbance at a current timestep. A determination is made for a reactive estimation indicative of a second error associated with the effect of the at least one external disturbance at a previous timestep. A final control signal is determined based on the proactive estimation and the reactive estimation. A controller is able to actuate an optical assembly of the communication device based on the determined final control signal.

Abstract: An optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated chip includes a plurality of array elements, a plurality of phase shifters, a plurality of combiners, and an edge coupler configured to couple to a single mode waveguide. The plurality of phase shifters includes a layer of phase shifters that has a phase shifter connected to each array element in the plurality of array elements. The plurality of combiners is configured to connect the plurality of phase shifters to the edge coupler. The plurality of combiners includes a first combiner that has a first output that is connected to a second combiner or the edge coupler, and a second output of the first combiner is connected to a photodetector. An in-phase light portion at the first combiner is output through the first output, and an out-of-phase light portion at the first combiner is output through the second output.

Abstract: An optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated chip includes a plurality of array elements, a plurality of phase shifters, a plurality of combiners, and an edge coupler configured to couple to a single mode waveguide. The plurality of phase shifters includes a layer of phase shifters that has a phase shifter connected to each array element in the plurality of array elements. The plurality of combiners is configured to connect the plurality of phase shifters to the edge coupler. The plurality of combiners includes a first combiner that has a first output that is connected to a second combiner or the edge coupler, and a second output of the first combiner is connected to a photodetector. An in-phase light portion at the first combiner is output through the first output, and an out-of-phase light portion at the first combiner is output through the second output.

Abstract: A system includes a transmitter configured to output an optical signal. The transmitter includes a seed laser, an optical array including a plurality of array elements, and a plurality of phase shifters in a multi-layer arrangement. The multi-layer arrangement includes a plurality of layers between the seed laser and the optical array, wherein a first layer of the plurality of layers transmits light to a second layer of the plurality of layers. The first layer has fewer phase shifters than the second layer. The multi-layer arrangement also includes a plurality of branches wherein each branch includes a phase shifter from each of the plurality of layers connected in series between the seed laser and one of the plurality of array elements. Each phase shifter is configured to shift the optical signal incrementally to amass a total phase shift for each of the plurality of array elements.

Abstract: The technology relates to free-space optical communication systems that correct for errors in tracking and pointing accuracy to maintain connection integrity. Such systems can both proactively and reactively correct for errors in tracking performance and pointing accuracy of terminals within the system. An aspect includes receiving information indicative of at least one external disturbance associated with a communication device. A determination is made for a proactive estimation indicative of a first error associated with an effect of the at least one external disturbance at a current timestep. A determination is made for a reactive estimation indicative of a second error associated with the effect of the at least one external disturbance at a previous timestep. A final control signal is determined based on the proactive estimation and the reactive estimation. A controller is able to actuate an optical assembly of the communication device based on the determined final control signal.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide an optical communications terminal comprising an optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated chip comprising a plurality of phase shifters arranged in a plurality of segments; one or more additional phase shifters, a plurality of switches corresponding to each of the plurality of segments; and one or more splitters The optical communications terminal further comprising a full array transceiver configured to allow for transmission and receipt of optical communications beams functionality with the plurality of segments; and a plurality of segment transceivers each associated with one of the plurality of segments.

Abstract: A free-space optical communication system includes an optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated chip, a transceiver photonic integrated chip, and one or more processors. The OPA chip includes a plurality of array elements and a plurality of phase shifters. The transceiver chip includes one or more transmitter components and one or more receiver components. The one or more processors are configured to transmit a first signal via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip, and receive a second signal via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a system including a first communications terminal. The first communications terminal may include an optical phased array (OPA) including a plurality of phase shifters configured to receive an optical communications beam from a second communications terminal. The first communications terminal may also include one or more processors configured to determine a link axis for communication with the second communications terminal based on the received optical communications beam, identify a compensatory wavefront curvature for mitigating cross-coupling, and generate a wavefront of an outgoing optical communications beam using the plurality of phase shifters based on the determined link axis and the compensatory wavefront curvature.

Abstract: The technology relates to free-space optical communication systems that correct for errors in tracking and pointing accuracy to maintain connection integrity. Such systems can both proactively and reactively correct for errors in tracking performance and pointing accuracy of terminals within the system. An aspect includes receiving information indicative of at least one external disturbance associated with a communication device. A determination is made for a proactive estimation indicative of a first error associated with an effect of the at least one external disturbance at a current timestep. A determination is made for a reactive estimation indicative of a second error associated with the effect of the at least one external disturbance at a previous timestep. A final control signal is determined based on the proactive estimation and the reactive estimation. A controller is able to actuate an optical assembly of the communication device based on the determined final control signal.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of adjusting a plurality of phase shifters of an OPA. The method may include identifying, by one or more processors, one or more first subsets of phase shifters of the plurality of phase shifters based on an orthogonal set of functions; performing, by the one or more processors, one or more first dithers on the one or more first subsets of phase shifters of the plurality of phase shifters using one or more first frequencies of a predetermined set of frequencies; determining, by the one or more processors, one or more first corrections based on a first power output of the OPA resulting from the one or more first dithers; and adjusting, by the one or more processors, the one or more first subsets using the one or more first corrections, the adjustment resulting in a first set of corrected phase shifter values.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a system including a first optical communications terminal comprising. The first optical communications terminal may include a common aperture for transmitting signals and receiving signals. The first optical communications terminal may also include an optical phased array (OPA) architecture including a micro-lens array including a plurality of micro-lenses. Each micro-lens of the plurality of micro-lenses may have a plurality of concentric grooves arranged on a respective surface of that micro-lens. The OPA architecture may be configured for bidirectional communication with a second optical communications terminal.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a system including a first communications terminal. The first communications terminal may include an optical phased array (OPA) including a plurality of phase shifters configured to receive an optical communications beam from a second communications terminal. The first communications terminal may also include one or more processors configured to determine a link axis for communication with the second communications terminal based on the received optical communications beam, identify a compensatory wavefront curvature for mitigating cross-coupling, and generate a wavefront of an outgoing optical communications beam using the plurality of phase shifters based on the determined link axis and the compensatory wavefront curvature.

Abstract: A free-space optical communication system includes an optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated chip, a transceiver photonic integrated chip, and one or more processors. The OPA chip includes a plurality of array elements and a plurality of phase shifters. The transceiver chip includes one or more transmitter components and one or more receiver components. The one or more processors are configured to transmit a first signal via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip, and receive a second signal via the OPA chip and the transceiver chip.