Abstract: A monostatic optical system adaptable for use as a circulator in a LiDAR system wherein the monostatic optical system includes a photonic integrated circuit and a first light detector. The photonic integrated circuit includes a nonlinear optical device. For example, the device may be a ring resonator or a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Transmitted light pulses are of sufficient power to alter the optical characteristics of the nonlinear optical device, whereas received reflected light is of low power thereby traveling on a different path to the first light detector. A feedback monitor and tuner may be included to tune the optical characteristics of the nonlinear optical device.

Abstract: A coupling interface arrangement is described for a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) device. The PIC includes an interface coupling surface having optical grating elements arranged to form optical output locations that produce corresponding light output beams. A coupling lens couples the light output beams into a conjugate plane at a far-field scene characterized by one or more optical aberrations that degrade optical resolution of the light outputs. The optical grating elements are configured to correct for the one or more optical aberrations.

Abstract: A single photon detection circuit is described that includes a germanium photodiode that is configured with zero voltage bias to avoid dark current output when no photon input is present and also is configured to respond to a single photon input by generating a photovoltaic output voltage. A single electron bipolar avalanche transistor (SEBAT) has a base emitter junction connected in parallel with the germanium photodiode and is configured so that the photovoltaic output voltage triggers an avalanche collector current output.

Abstract: A light steeling system and method for diffractive steering of electromagnetic radiation such as visible light is disclosed. Embodiments of the light steering system include leaky-mode SAW modulators as light modulator devices. The SAW modulators preferably include reflective diffractive gratings. The gratings are mounted to/patterned upon an exit face that opposes an exit surface of the SAW modulator, in one example. Steering of light signals emitted from the SAW modulators in these systems can be accomplished by varying wavelength of light signals introduced to the SAW modulators, and/or by varying frequency of RF drive signals applied to the SAW modulators. In addition, light field generators that incorporate SAW modulators of the proposed light steering system within displays of the light field generators are also disclosed.

Abstract: A light field generator system including a leaky-mode SAW modulator is disclosed. The modulator incorporates at least one optical power component, such as a concave mirror or volume grating having a non-zero diopter rating. In some embodiments, the system incorporates the at least one optical power component by embedding the optical power component within a substrate of the SAW modulator and/or by placing the optical power component upon a surface of the SAW modulator.

Abstract: Acousto-optical modulators, such as a SAW modulators, with telescope arrays and superimposed volume gratings for light field generation are disclosed. These devices can employ pixelated demagnification and have layers of output optics, such as reflective gratings and/or arrays of transmissive refractive or diffractive lenses that manipulate the light emitted by the SAW modulator. In other cases, superimposed volume gratings are used, in which pixilation occurs in angle space.

Abstract: A system and method for light field generation is disclosed. A proposed holographic display system encodes views of a scene into surface acoustic waves (SAW signals) that propagate along waveguides of SAW modulators and/or optical signals propagating in the waveguides. Each view provides a different perspective of the scene when the views are projected as light fields out of the SAW modulators and are viewed at different locations by an observer. In some examples, the system encodes the brightness information for each view into the light signals.

Abstract: Packaging and interconnect systems for edge-emitting light modulators are disclosed. Embodiments address the challenge of integrating many edge-emitting modulators such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) modulators together in a single light field generator system. In one example, a proposed light field generator system includes a stack of projector modules and a mounting block having slots. The projector modules preferably have a printed circuit board (PCB) form factor that enables the slots of the mounting block to receive and hold the modules. Each module includes a module board and one or more SAW substrates carried by the module board, and an array of SAW modulators are formed/fabricated within each substrate. Proposed substrate fabrication techniques provide wiring and routing of RF and optical signals to the SAW modulators within each substrate to achieve a density of light modulators suitable for practical application to light field projection systems.

Abstract: A steerable optical transmit and receive terminal includes a MEMS-based N×1 optical switching network. Each optical switch in the switching network uses an electrostatic MEMS structure to selectively position a translatable optical grating close to or far from an optical waveguide. In the close (“ON”) position, light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide, whereas in the far (“OFF”) position, no appreciable light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide. The translatable optical grating is disposed at or near a surface of the optical switching network. Thus, the translatable optical grating emits light into, or receives light from, free space. The steerable optical transmit and receive terminal also includes a lens and can steer a free space optical beam in a direction determined by which port of the N×1 optical switching network is ON.

Abstract: An optical phased array including a wafer, optical waveguides, a root optical waveguide, the root optical waveguide being optically connected at one end to one optical waveguide, another end of the root optical waveguide constituting an optical port, optical couplers disposed in an array and located on the wafer, the optical waveguides optically connecting the optical couplers to the optical port via respective optical paths, one optical path per optical coupler, configurable optical delay lines; each configurable optical delay line being disposed in one respective optical path from the respective optical paths; the configurable optical delay lines being configured such that the optical couplers emit a non-planar phase front near field radiation pattern from light received from a light source coupled to the optical port.

Abstract: A broadband light source apparatus, and corresponding method, includes a broadband light source configured to provide source light with a source wavelength spectrum having a centroid thermal sensitivity. The apparatus also includes a broadband optical filter characterized by a filter spectrum that has one or more spectral characteristics and a thermal sensitivity with magnitude and sign. The filter is configured to receive the source light and to deliver broadband output light with an output spectrum that is a function of the source and filter spectra and has an output centroid wavelength. The spectral characteristics and the magnitude and sign of the thermal sensitivity of the filter are configured to minimize a thermal sensitivity of the output centroid wavelength. The filter can be configured in view of a particular source spectrum to stabilize output centroid wavelength and maximize total output power passively with respect to ambient temperature fluctuations.

Abstract: An electro-holographic light field generator device comprises surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulators arranged in different directions. Specifically, some embodiments have SAW modulators arranged in pairs, nose-to-nose with each other, and have output couplers that provide face-fire light emission. These SAW modulators also possibly include SAW sense transducers and/or viscoelastic surface material to reduce crosstalk.

Abstract: Electro-holographic light field generator devices comprising surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulators are disclosed that employ multiple output couplers. These output couplers might be distributed along waveguides of the SAW modulators, within output coupling regions. Each of these output couplers can be configured for directing an incident leaky mode light at different output angles. In some cases, it may be desirable to employ the output couplers to function as different sub-pixels, to provide light to different viewing directions. The output couplers may be mirrors, volume gratings, chirped gratings, reflection gratings, two dimensional gratings, and/or transmission gratings. The output couplers may be angled so that the coupling output fans for each optical modulator are offset from the waveguide for that optical modulator.

Abstract: An electro-holographic light field generator device comprises surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulators arranged in different directions. Specifically, some embodiments have SAW modulators arranged in pairs, nose-to-nose with each other, and have output couplers that provide face-fire light emission. These SAW modulators also possibly include SAW sense transducers and/or viscoelastic surface material to reduce crosstalk.

Abstract: An electro-holographic light field generator device is disclosed. The light field generator device has an optical substrate with a waveguide face and an exit face. One or more surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulator devices are included within each light field generator device. The SAW devices each include a light input, a waveguide, and a SAW transducer, all configured for guided mode confinement of input light within the waveguide. A leaky mode deflection of a portion of the waveguided light, or diffractive light, impinges upon the exit face. Multiple output optics at the exit face are configured for developing from each of the output optics a radiated exit light from the diffracted light for at least one of the waveguides. An RF controller is configured to control the SAW devices to develop the radiated exit light as a three-dimensional output light field with horizontal parallax and compatible with observer vertical motion.

Abstract: An electro-holographic light field generator device is disclosed. The light field generator device has an optical substrate with a waveguide face and an exit face. One or more surface acoustic wave (SAW) optical modulator devices are included within each light field generator device. The SAW devices each include a light input, a waveguide, and a SAW transducer, all configured for guided mode confinement of input light within the waveguide. A leaky mode deflection of a portion of the waveguided light, or diffractive light, impinges upon the exit face. Multiple output optics at the exit face are configured for developing from each of the output optics a radiated exit light from the diffracted light for at least one of the waveguides. An RF controller is configured to control the SAW devices to develop the radiated exit light as a three-dimensional output light field with horizontal parallax and compatible with observer vertical motion.

Abstract: A steerable optical transmit and receive terminal includes a MEMS-based N×1 optical switch network. Each optical switch in the optical switch network uses an electrostatic MEMS structure to selectively position a translatable optical grating close to or far from an optical waveguide. In the close (“ON”) position, light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide, whereas in the far (“OFF”) position, no appreciable light couples between the translatable optical grating and the optical waveguide. The translatable optical grating is disposed at or near a surface of the optical switch network. Thus, the translatable optical grating emits light into, or receives light from, free space. The steerable optical transmit and receive terminal also includes a lens and can steer a free space optical beam in a direction determined by which port of the N×1 optical switch network is ON.

Abstract: A multi-beam optical phased array on a single planar waveguide layer or a small number of planar waveguide layers enables building an optical sensor that performs much like a significantly larger telescope. Imaging systems use planar waveguides created using micro-lithographic techniques. These imagers are variants of “phased arrays,” common and familiar from microwave radar applications. However, there are significant differences when these same concepts are applied to visible and infrared light.