Abstract: In various embodiments, a tunable optical surface includes a dielectric substrate layer with an array of elongated metal rails extending from the dielectric substrate parallel to one another and spaced from one another to form channels therebetween. The channels are etched deeper into the dielectric substrate to form extended-depth channels. The depth of each extended-depth channel is greater than the height of adjacent elongated metal rails. The dimensions of the elongated metal rails and the extended-depth channels therebetween may be subwavelength with respect to an operational bandwidth. A tunable dielectric material that has a tunable refractive index, such as liquid crystal, is positioned within the extended-depth channels between adjacent elongated metal rails.

Abstract: An example optical transceiver system, such as a solid-state light detection and ranging (lidar) system, includes a tunable, optically reflective metasurface to selectively reflect incident optical radiation as transmit scan lines at transmit steering angles between a first steering angle and a second steering angle. In some embodiments, a feedback element, such as a volume Bragg grating element, may lock a laser to narrow the band of optical radiation. A receiver may include a tunable, optically reflective metasurface for receiver line-scanning or a two-dimensional array of detector elements forming a set of discrete receive scan lines. In embodiments incorporating a two-dimensional array of detector elements, receiver optics may direct optical radiation incident at each of a plurality of discrete receive steering angles to a unique subset of the discrete receive scan lines of detector elements.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a cover is sealed over a metasurface on a substrate to create a sealed chamber. Liquid crystal, or another tunable refractive index dielectric material, is positioned within the sealed chamber around optical structures of the metasurface before or after the cover is sealed. For example, the liquid crystal may be injected through small vias or holes to fill a sealed chamber. In some embodiments, a glass cover is shaped or patterned with photoresist to protrude into the sealed chamber to reduce the thickness of the liquid crystal used to fill the sealed chamber. A driver to control the metasurface may be, for example, integrated within the substrate, be attached to exposed bond pads of the metasurface, and/or be embodied as a control layer connected to the metasurface through the substrate by through-substrate vias (TSVs).

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a tunable optical metasurface includes an array of elongated resonator rails arranged parallel to one another. Liquid crystal is positioned within an optical field region between adjacent resonator rails. A controller can selectively apply a voltage differential pattern to the elongated resonator rails to adjust a phase response thereof. According to various embodiments, a cross-backplane reflector is utilized that allows for mid-array routing or edge-array routing of electrical connections between the controller and the resonator rails. The cross-backplane reflector comprises a plurality of elongated optical reflectors extending parallel to one another and perpendicular to the array of resonator rails. An optically transmissive (e.g., transparent) dielectric may electrically separate the resonator rails from the optical reflectors. A pattern of vias formed therein facilitates electrical connections between the optical reflectors and the resonator rails.

Abstract: An example optical transceiver system, such as a solid-state light detection and ranging (lidar) system, includes a tunable, optically reflective metasurface to selectively reflect incident optical radiation as transmit scan lines at transmit steering angles between a first steering angle and a second steering angle. In some embodiments, a feedback element, such as a volume Bragg grating element, may lock a laser to narrow the band of optical radiation. A receiver may include a tunable, optically reflective metasurface for receiver line-scanning or a two-dimensional array of detector elements forming a set of discrete receive scan lines. In embodiments incorporating a two-dimensional array of detector elements, receiver optics may direct optical radiation incident at each of a plurality of discrete receive steering angles to a unique subset of the discrete receive scan lines of detector elements.

Abstract: An example optical transceiver system, such as a solid-state light detection and ranging (lidar) system, includes a tunable, optically reflective metasurface to selectively reflect incident optical radiation as transmit scan lines at transmit steering angles between a first steering angle and a second steering angle. In some embodiments, a feedback element, such as a volume Bragg grating element, may lock a laser to narrow the band of optical radiation. A receiver may include a tunable, optically reflective metasurface for receiver line-scanning or a two-dimensional array of detector elements forming a set of discrete receive scan lines. In embodiments incorporating a two-dimensional array of detector elements, receiver optics may direct optical radiation incident at each of a plurality of discrete receive steering angles to a unique subset of the discrete receive scan lines of detector elements.

Abstract: A transceiver system may include first and second metasurfaces, such as radio frequency (RF) metasurfaces or optically reflective tunable liquid crystal metasurfaces (LCMs). In one specific example, a transmit LCM may be tuned by a controller to steerably reflect incident optical radiation at a target transmit steering angle. A laser or other optical radiation source may transmit optical radiation to the transmit LCM at a first angle of incidence. The controller may tune the second tunable LCM to steerably receive optical radiation at a target receive steering angle corresponding to the target transmit steering angle. The received optical radiation may be reflected at a second angle of incidence to a detector.

Abstract: An example optical transceiver system, such as a solid-state light detection and ranging (lidar) system, includes a tunable, optically reflective metasurface to selectively reflect incident optical radiation as transmit scan lines at transmit steering angles between a first steering angle and a second steering angle. In some embodiments, a feedback element, such as a volume Bragg grating element, may lock a laser to narrow the band of optical radiation. A receiver may include a tunable, optically reflective metasurface for receiver line-scanning or a two-dimensional array of detector elements forming a set of discrete receive scan lines. In embodiments incorporating a two-dimensional array of detector elements, receiver optics may direct optical radiation incident at each of a plurality of discrete receive steering angles to a unique subset of the discrete receive scan lines of detector elements.

Abstract: A transceiver system may include first and second metasurfaces, such as radio frequency (RF) metasurfaces or optically reflective tunable liquid crystal metasurfaces (LCMs). In one specific example, a transmit LCM may be tuned by a controller to steerably reflect incident optical radiation at a target transmit steering angle. A laser or other optical radiation source may transmit optical radiation to the transmit LCM at a first angle of incidence. The controller may tune the second tunable LCM to steerably receive optical radiation at a target receive steering angle corresponding to the target transmit steering angle. The received optical radiation may be reflected at a second angle of incidence to a detector.