Abstract: A tunable metamaterial has a two dimensional array of resonant annular ring elements; and a plurality of voltage controllable electrical tuning elements disposed in or adjacent openings in each of said ring elements, each of said voltage controllable electrical tuning element ohmically contacting portions of only one of said ring elements. The voltage controllable electrical tuning elements may comprise highly doped semiconductor tunnel diodes, or the charge accumulation layer at the semiconductor/insulator interface of a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure, or nanoelectromechanical (NEMs) capacitors. The tunable metamaterial may be used, for example, in an optical beam steering device using the aforementioned tunable optical metamaterial in which a free-space optical beam is coupled into a receiving portion of a plane of the optical metamaterial and is steered out of a transmitter portion of the plane of the optical metamaterial in controllable azimuthal and elevational directions.

Abstract: A chip scale ultra violet laser source includes a plurality of laser elements on a substrate each including a back cavity mirror, a tapered gain medium, an outcoupler, a nonlinear crystal coupled to the outcoupler with a front facet that has a first coating that is anti-reflectivity (AR) to a fundamental wavelength of the laser element and high reflectivity (HR) to ultra violet wavelengths, and has an exit facet that has a second coating that has HR to a fundamental wavelength of the laser element and AR to the ultra violet wavelengths, a photodetector coupled to the outcoupler, a phase modulator coupled to the photodetector and coupled to the back cavity mirror, and a master laser diode on the substrate coupled to the phase modulator of each laser element. Each laser element emits an ultra violet beamlet and is frequency and phase locked to the master laser diode.

Abstract: A chip-scale scanning lidar includes a two dimensional (2D) scanning micromirror for a transmit beam and a 2D scanning micromirror for a receive beam, a laser diode and a photodetector, a first waveguide and first grating outcoupler coupled to a front facet of the laser diode, a second waveguide and a second grating outcoupler coupled to a rear facet of the laser diode on a substrate. A first fixed micromirror, a second micromirror, a third micromirror, and a focusing component are in a dielectric layer bonded to the substrate over the laser diode and photodetector. The photodetector is optically coupled to the second fixed micromirror and the third fixed micromirror for coherent detection.

Abstract: A chip-scale scanning lidar includes a two dimensional (2D) scanning micromirror for a transmit beam and a 2D scanning micromirror for a receive beam, a laser diode and a photodetector, a first waveguide and first grating outcoupler coupled to a front facet of the laser diode, a second waveguide and a second grating outcoupler coupled to a rear facet of the laser diode on a substrate. A first fixed micromirror, a second micromirror, a third micromirror, and a focusing component are in a dielectric layer bonded to the substrate over the laser diode and photodetector. The photodetector is optically coupled to the second fixed micromirror and the third fixed micromirror for coherent detection.

Abstract: A plasmonic phase modulator and a method of phase modulation employ modulation of surface plasmons. The plasmonic phase modulator includes a semiconductor substrate configured to provide a surface charge that forms a plasmonic channel at the substrate surface. The modulator further includes an electrode and an insulator between the electrode and the semiconductor substrate. The electrode is configured to provide an electric field that influences the surface charge. The electric field includes a bias field component and a modulation field component. The surface plasmon is supported within the plasmonic channel at an interface between the semiconductor substrate surface and the insulator. A phase of the surface plasmon in the plasmonic channel is modulated by changes in the electric field. The method includes propagating the surface plasmon in the plasmonic channel and varying the modulation field component to modulate the phase of the propagating surface plasmon.

Abstract: A tunable metamaterial has a two dimensional array of resonant annular ring elements; and a plurality of voltage controllable electrical tuning elements disposed in or adjacent openings in each of said ring elements, each of said voltage controllable electrical tuning element ohmically contacting portions of only one of said ring elements. The voltage controllable electrical tuning elements may comprise highly doped semiconductor tunnel diodes, or the charge accumulation layer at the semiconductor/insulator interface of a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure, or nanoelectromechanical (NEMs) capacitors. The tunable metamaterial may be used, for example, in an optical beam steering device using the aforementioned tunable optical metamaterial in which a free-space optical beam is coupled into a receiving portion of a plane of the optical metamaterial and is steered out of a transmitter portion of the plane of the optical metamaterial in controllable azimuthal and elevational directions.

Abstract: A tunable metamaterial has a two dimensional array of resonant annular ring elements; and a plurality of voltage controllable electrical tuning elements disposed in or adjacent openings in each of said ring elements, each of said voltage controllable electrical tuning element ohmically contacting portions of only one of said ring elements. The voltage controllable electrical tuning elements may comprise highly doped semiconductor tunnel diodes, or the charge accumulation layer at the semiconductor/insulator interface of a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure, or nanoelectromechanical (NEMs) capacitors. The tunable metamaterial may be used, for example, in an optical beam steering device using the aforementioned tunable optical metamaterial in which a free-space optical beam is coupled into a receiving portion of a plane of the optical metamaterial and is steered out of a transmitter portion of the plane of the optical metamaterial in controllable azimuthal and elevational directions.

Abstract: A tunable metamaterial has a two dimensional array of resonant annular ring elements; and a plurality of voltage controllable electrical tuning elements disposed in or adjacent openings in each of said ring elements, each of said voltage controllable electrical tuning element ohmically contacting portions of only one of said ring elements. The voltage controllable electrical tuning elements may comprise highly doped semiconductor tunnel diodes, or the charge accumulation layer at the semiconductor/insulator interface of a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure, or nanoelectromechanical (NEMs) capacitors. The tunable metamaterial may be used, for example, in an optical beam steering device using the aforementioned tunable optical metamaterial in which a free-space optical beam is coupled into a receiving portion of a plane of the optical metamaterial and is steered out of a transmitter portion of the plane of the optical metamaterial in controllable azimuthal and elevational directions.

Abstract: A plasmonic phase modulator and a method of phase modulation employ modulation of surface plasmons. The plasmonic phase modulator includes a semiconductor substrate configured to provide a surface charge that forms a plasmonic channel at the substrate surface. The modulator further includes an electrode and an insulator between the electrode and the semiconductor substrate. The electrode is configured to provide an electric field that influences the surface charge. The electric field includes a bias field component and a modulation field component. The surface plasmon is supported within the plasmonic channel at an interface between the semiconductor substrate surface and the insulator. A phase of the surface plasmon in the plasmonic channel is modulated by changes in the electric field. The method includes propagating the surface plasmon in the plasmonic channel and varying the modulation field component to modulate the phase of the propagating surface plasmon.

Abstract: A spread spectrum waveform generator has a photonic oscillator and an optical heterodyne synthesizer. The photonic oscillator is a multi-tone optical comb generator for generating a series of RF comb lines on an optical carrier. The optical heterodyne synthesizer includes first and second phase-locked lasers, where the first laser feeds the multi-tone optical comb generator and the second laser is a single tone laser whose output light provides a frequency translation reference. At least one photodetector is provided for heterodyning the frequency translation reference with the optical output of the photonic oscillator to generate a spread spectrum waveform. A receiver pre-processor may be provided to operate on the spread spectrum waveform.

Abstract: A vertically integrated optical phased array has an array of a plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers disposed in an aperiodic arrangement thereof, the plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers having light emitting ports disposed parallel to one another. An array of a plurality of vertical cavity phase modulators disposed in the same aperiodic arrangement as the array of the plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers, with individual modulators of said array of a plurality of vertical cavity phase modulators each being disposed in optical alignment with an injection port of a corresponding one of said plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers.

Abstract: A spread spectrum waveform generator has a photonic oscillator and an optical heterodyne synthesizer. The photonic oscillator is a multi-tone optical comb generator for generating a series of RF comb lines on an optical carrier. The optical heterodyne synthesizer includes first and second phase-locked lasers, where the first laser feeds the multi-tone optical comb generator and the second laser is a single tone laser whose output light provides a frequency translation reference. At least one photodetector is provided for heterodyning the frequency translation reference with the optical output of the photonic oscillator to generate a spread spectrum waveform. A receiver pre-processor may be provided to operate on the spread spectrum waveform.

Abstract: An optical MEMS retro-reflective apparatus with modulation capability having a retro-reflecting structure including a pair of reflective surfaces; and a MEMS device for moving at least one of the reflective surfaces of said pair of reflective surfaces relative to another one of the reflective surfaces of said pair of reflective surfaces a distance which causes the pair of reflective surfaces to switch between a reflective mode of operation and a transmissive mode of operation. A substrate and a moveable grating structure may be substituted for the reflective surfaces.

Abstract: A photonic detector, a photonic imaging system and a method of photonic detection employ plasmonic resonant absorption to detect an incident electromagnetic signal. The photonic detector and imaging system include a micro/nanoshell (MNS) structure that supports a surface plasmon and a rectifying junction that rectifies an evanescent electric field of the surface plasmon. The surface plasmon is excited by the incident electromagnetic signal at a plasmonic resonant absorption wavelength of the MNS structure. The method of photonic detection includes providing an MNS structure, exciting a surface plasmon on the MNS structure and rectifying an evanescent electric field of the excited surface plasmon to produce a rectified output signal. The rectified output signal provides detection of the incident electromagnetic signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for encoding and decoding data are disclosed. The method for transmitting and receiving data allows for coding and decoding each bit of data with a different code. The transmitter and receiver devices allow encoding and decoding, respectively, each bit of data with different a code.

Abstract: A vertical cavity modulator/detector (VCMD) device and a method for modulating and detecting light are disclosed. The VCMD device contains an n-type contact layer, a transparent tuning layer, a multiple quantum well structure, a p-type contact layer, a low reflectance mirror arranged to be an input for a light that is to be modulated and a light that is to be detected, and a high reflectance mirror, wherein said n-type contact layer, said transparent tuning layer, said multiple quantum well structure and said p-type contact layer are arranged in a stack between said low reflectance mirror and said high reflectance back mirror.

Abstract: There is provided in one of the embodiments of the disclosure a lithium niobate modulator structure for mitigating DC bias drift comprising a highly doped semiconductor layer patterned above an optical waveguide having one or more DC sections and an RF section, wherein a metal layer or contact is in contact with a portion of the semiconductor layer and a buffer layer is deposited in the RF section. There is provided in another embodiment of the disclosure a method for making a lithium niobate electro-optical modulator for mitigation of DC bias drift.

Abstract: An optical MEMS retro-reflective apparatus with modulation capability having a retro-reflecting structure including a pair of reflective surfaces; and a MEMS device for moving at least one of the reflective surfaces of said pair of reflective surfaces relative to another one of the reflective surfaces of said pair of reflective surfaces a distance which causes the pair of reflective surfaces to switch between a reflective mode of operation and a transmissive mode of operation. A substrate and a moveable grating structure may be substituted for the reflective surfaces.

Abstract: There is provided in one of the embodiments of the disclosure a lithium niobate modulator structure for mitigating DC bias drift comprising a highly doped semiconductor layer patterned above an optical waveguide having one or more DC sections and an RF section, wherein a metal layer or contact is in contact with a portion of the semiconductor layer and a buffer layer is deposited in the RF section. There is provided in another embodiment of the disclosure a method for making a lithium niobate electro-optical modulator for mitigation of DC bias drift.

Abstract: A spread spectrum waveform generator has a photonic oscillator and an optical heterodyne synthesizer. The photonic oscillator is a multi-tone optical comb generator for generating a series of RF comb lines on an optical carrier. The optical heterodyne synthesizer includes first and second phase-locked lasers, where the first laser feeds the multi-tone optical comb generator and the second laser is a single tone laser whose output light provides a frequency translation reference. At least one photodetector is provided for heterodyning the frequency translation reference with the optical output of the photonic oscillator to generate a spread spectrum waveform. A receiver pre-processor may be provided to operate on the spread spectrum waveform.