Abstract: A coherent imaging system produces coherent flood illumination directed toward a remote object and local oscillator (LO) illumination derived based on a same master oscillator as the flood illumination. A Doppler sensor receives the LO illumination and a return of flood illumination reflected off the object. Doppler shift data from the Doppler sensor, corresponding to a longitudinal velocity of the object relative to the imaging system, is used to produce Doppler-shifted LO illumination received by a low bandwidth, large format focal plane array (FPA), together with the return illumination from the object. Interference between the Doppler-shifted LO illumination and the return illumination facilitates producing an image of the object with the low bandwidth FPA despite the longitudinal velocity. Pixel intensities from the FPA are integrated over a period approaching the maximum interference frequency. The Doppler sensor and FPA may concurrently process return for a high energy laser target spot.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a photonic integrated circuit having a first lenslet array and a first antenna element array forming a first pupil of the photonic integrated circuit and a second lenslet array and a second antenna element array forming a second pupil of the photonic integrated circuit, where the second pupil has a different size than the first pupil. The photonic integrated circuit also has a waveguide layer positioned between the first and second pupils, where the waveguide layer includes multiple waveguides configured to guide optical signals between antenna elements of the first antenna element array and antenna elements of the second antenna element array.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a photonic integrated circuit having a first lenslet array and a first antenna element array forming a first pupil of the photonic integrated circuit and a second lenslet array and a second antenna element array forming a second pupil of the photonic integrated circuit, where the second pupil has a different size than the first pupil. The photonic integrated circuit also has a waveguide layer positioned between the first and second pupils, where the waveguide layer includes multiple waveguides configured to guide optical signals between antenna elements of the first antenna element array and antenna elements of the second antenna element array.

Abstract: A system includes a laser source configured to generate laser energy and a LADAR source configured to generate LADAR energy. The system also includes a beam director configured to direct the laser energy as a laser beam towards a target and to direct the LADAR energy as a LADAR beam towards the target. The system further includes a LADAR detector configured to sense a received portion of the LADAR energy reflected from the target. In addition, the system includes one or more first filters configured to attenuate at least a portion of the laser energy following an optical path towards the LADAR detector while allowing at least part of the received portion of the LADAR energy reflected from the target to pass to the LADAR detector.

Abstract: A digital measuring device implemented on a photonic integrated circuit, the digital measuring device including a laser source configured to provide light, a first ring resonator configured to produce a first frequency comb of light from the laser source, wherein at least a portion of the first frequency comb of light is directed at a moving object, a local oscillator configured to provide a reference beam, at least one waveguide structure configured to combine the reference beam with light reflected from the moving object to produce a measurement beam, a first multiplexer configured to split the measurement beam into a plurality of channels spaced in frequency, and a plurality of detectors configured to detect an intensity value of each channel of the plurality of channels to measure a distance between the digital measuring device and the moving object.

Abstract: A method includes illuminating a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) of a transmit aperture of a laser communication terminal and a PIC of a receive aperture of the laser communication terminal with multi-wavelength light, where each PIC includes multiple antenna elements forming an optical phased array (OPA). The method also includes determining light intensities of different wavelengths of the multi-wavelength light after the multi-wavelength light has passed through each PIC. The method further includes estimating phases of light associated with the antenna elements based on variations in the light intensities. In addition, the method includes adjusting one or more phase shifters of at least one of the PICs based on the estimated phases of light.

Abstract: A laser detection and ranging system and method for operating thereof. In some embodiments, the method includes: transmitting a plurality of laser pulses, each at a respective one of a plurality of pulse transmission times; detecting a plurality of return pulses, each at a respective one of a plurality of return pulse times; and estimating a range or a range rate of a target based on the pulse transmission times and the return pulse times. Each of the pulse transmission times may be offset from a corresponding nominal pulse transmission time by a respective pulse position modulation offset, the nominal pulse transmission times being uniformly spaced with a period corresponding to a pulse repetition frequency, the pulse repetition frequency being greater than 500 kHz.

Abstract: A method includes capturing measurements of optical signals transmitted from an optical phased array that includes (i) multiple array elements each having an antenna element and a phase modulator and (ii) an additional antenna element spaced apart from the array elements. The method also includes performing digital holography using the measurements to identify relative phases of the array elements with respect to a phase of the additional antenna element. In addition, the method includes modifying phases provided by at least some of the phase modulators of at least some of the array elements to bring the array elements more closely into phase with one another.

Abstract: A method for operating a multifunction laser radar system including receiving a target state corresponding to parameters of a target, selecting a mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation for the laser radar system based on the target state, receiving returns reflected by the target via the laser radar system operating in the selected mode of operation, processing the returns to calculate at least one target measurement, and determining a filtered target state based on the at least one target measurement.

Abstract: A device includes a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), which includes an optical phased array. The optical phased array includes multiple array elements, where each array element includes (i) an antenna element configured to transmit or receive optical signals and (ii) a phase modulator configured to modulate the optical signals transmitted or received by the antenna element. The PIC also includes at least one of (i) a source laser configured to generate optical energy, where the antenna elements are configured to transmit the optical signals based on the optical energy, and (ii) a receiver configured to receive and process the optical signals received by the antenna elements.

Abstract: A device includes a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), which includes an optical phased array. The optical phased array includes multiple array elements, where each array element includes (i) an antenna element configured to transmit or receive optical signals and (ii) a phase modulator configured to modulate the optical signals transmitted or received by the antenna element. The PIC also includes at least one of (i) a source laser configured to generate optical energy, where the antenna elements are configured to transmit the optical signals based on the optical energy, and (ii) a receiver configured to receive and process the optical signals received by the antenna elements.

Abstract: A method includes capturing measurements of optical signals transmitted from an optical phased array that includes (i) multiple array elements each having an antenna element and a phase modulator and (ii) an additional antenna element spaced apart from the array elements. The method also includes performing digital holography using the measurements to identify relative phases of the array elements with respect to a phase of the additional antenna element. In addition, the method includes modifying phases provided by at least some of the phase modulators of at least some of the array elements to bring the array elements more closely into phase with one another.

Abstract: A method includes illuminating a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) of a transmit aperture of a laser communication terminal and a PIC of a receive aperture of the laser communication terminal with multi-wavelength light, where each PIC includes multiple antenna elements forming an optical phased array (OPA). The method also includes determining light intensities of different wavelengths of the multi-wavelength light after the multi-wavelength light has passed through each PIC. The method further includes estimating phases of light associated with the antenna elements based on variations in the light intensities. In addition, the method includes adjusting one or more phase shifters of at least one of the PICs based on the estimated phases of light.

Abstract: A digital measuring device implemented on a photonic integrated circuit, the digital measuring device including a laser source configured to provide light, a first ring resonator configured to produce a first frequency comb of light from the laser source, wherein at least a portion of the first frequency comb of light is directed at a moving object, a local oscillator configured to provide a reference beam, at least one waveguide structure configured to combine the reference beam with light reflected from the moving object to produce a measurement beam, a first multiplexer configured to split the measurement beam into a plurality of channels spaced in frequency, and a plurality of detectors configured to detect an intensity value of each channel of the plurality of channels to measure a distance between the digital measuring device and the moving object.

Abstract: A digital measuring device implemented on a photonic integrated circuit, the digital measuring device including a tunable laser source implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to sweep over a frequency range to provide multi-wavelength light, a first waveguide structure implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to direct a first portion of light from the laser source at a moving object and receive light reflected from the moving object, a second waveguide structure implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to combine a second portion of light from the laser source with the light reflected from the moving object to produce a measurement beam, and a first detector implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to detect intensity values of the measurement beam to measure a distance between the digital measuring device and the moving object.

Abstract: A digital measuring device implemented on a photonic integrated circuit, the digital measuring device including a tunable laser source implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to sweep over a frequency range to provide multi-wavelength light, a first waveguide structure implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to direct a first portion of light from the laser source at a moving object and receive light reflected from the moving object, a second waveguide structure implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to combine a second portion of light from the laser source with the light reflected from the moving object to produce a measurement beam, and a first detector implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to detect intensity values of the measurement beam to measure a distance between the digital measuring device and the moving object.

Abstract: A digital measuring device implemented on a photonic integrated circuit, the digital measuring device including a laser source implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to provide light, a first waveguide structure implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to direct a first portion of light from the laser source at a moving object and receive light reflected from the moving object, a second waveguide structure implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to combine a second portion of light from the laser source with the light reflected from the moving object to produce a measurement beam, a first multiplexer implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to split the measurement beam into a plurality of channels, and a plurality of detectors implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to detect an intensity value of each channel to measure a distance between the digital measuring device and the moving object.

Abstract: A digital measuring device implemented on a photonic integrated circuit, the digital measuring device including a laser source configured to provide light, a first ring resonator configured to produce a first frequency comb of light from the laser source, wherein at least a portion of the first frequency comb of light is directed at a moving object, a local oscillator configured to provide a reference beam, at least one waveguide structure configured to combine the reference beam with light reflected from the moving object to produce a measurement beam, a first multiplexer configured to split the measurement beam into a plurality of channels spaced in frequency, and a plurality of detectors configured to detect an intensity value of each channel of the plurality of channels to measure a distance between the digital measuring device and the moving object.

Abstract: A laser detection and ranging system and method for operating thereof. In some embodiments, the method includes: transmitting a plurality of laser pulses, each at a respective one of a plurality of pulse transmission times; detecting a plurality of return pulses, each at a respective one of a plurality of return pulse times; and estimating a range or a range rate of a target based on the pulse transmission times and the return pulse times. Each of the pulse transmission times may be offset from a corresponding nominal pulse transmission time by a respective pulse position modulation offset, the nominal pulse transmission times being uniformly spaced with a period corresponding to a pulse repetition frequency, the pulse repetition frequency being greater than 500 kHz.

Abstract: A coherent imaging system produces coherent flood illumination directed toward a remote object and local oscillator (LO) illumination derived based on a same master oscillator as the flood illumination. A Doppler sensor receives the LO illumination and a return of flood illumination reflected off the object. Doppler shift data from the Doppler sensor, corresponding to a longitudinal velocity of the object relative to the imaging system, is used to produce Doppler-shifted LO illumination received by a low bandwidth, large format focal plane array (FPA), together with the return illumination from the object. Interference between the Doppler-shifted LO illumination and the return illumination facilitates producing an image of the object with the low bandwidth FPA despite the longitudinal velocity. Pixel intensities from the FPA are integrated over a period approaching the maximum interference frequency. The Doppler sensor and FPA may concurrently process return for a high energy laser target spot.