Integrated optical system with photonic integrated circuit including coherent optical receiver and optical phased array

• US 10,416,288 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Swanson
• Original Assignee: Eric Swanson
• Inventors: Swanson, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyons, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US15/467,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20170268988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2290/70 Using polarization in the interferometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02004 using frequency scans
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02051 Integrated design, e.g. on-chip or monolithic
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02069 Synchronization of light source or manipulator and detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/1787 Tomographic, i.e. computerised reconstruction from projective measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/17 Systems in which incident light is modified in accordance with the properties of the material investigated where the material investigated is optically excited causing a change in wavelength of the incident light G01N21/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/39 using tunable lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/4795 spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium in vivo A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4812 transmitted and received beams following a coaxial path
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02042 Multicore optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29302 based on birefringence or polarisation, e.g. wavelength dependent birefringence, polarisation interferometers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/292 by controlled diffraction or phased-array beam steering controlled diffraction for optical switching G02F1/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/61 Coherent receivers

Abstract

An integrated optical system includes a frequency tunable optical source. A reference path is coupled to the frequency tunable source. The integrated optical system also includes a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprising a coherent optical receiver that is optically coupled to the reference path. An optical phased array is optically coupled to the frequency tunable source and is positioned to couple light to and from a sample. The integrated optical system is configured such that when the frequency tunable optical source is tuned in optical frequency, the coherent optical receiver produces electrical signals having optical information about the sample.

Claims

1. An integrated optical system comprising:

a frequency tunable optical source;

a reference path coupled to the frequency tunable source;

a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprising a coherent optical receiver that is optically coupled to the reference path, and

an optical phased array that is optically coupled to the frequency tunable source and that is positioned to couple light to and from a sample,

wherein said integrated optical system is configured such that when the frequency tunable optical source is tuned in optical frequency, said coherent optical receiver produces electrical signals having optical information about the sample.

2. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein said phased array is configured to compensate for aberrations in the coupling of the light to/from the sample.

3. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the phased array is configured to extend a depth of focus beyond that associated with a normally Gaussian beam.

4. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the frequency tunable optical source comprises a frequency tunable optical source configured as a ring.

5. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the frequency tunable optical source comprises multiple gain sections in parallel.

6. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the frequency tunable optical source comprises at least two frequency shifters in a laser cavity.

7. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the frequency tunable optical source comprises a tunable tracking filter.

8. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the coherent optical receiver comprises a dual-polarization I/Q coherent receiver.

9. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the coherent optical receiver comprises a plurality of coherent optical receivers operating in parallel.

10. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical phased array is static.

11. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical phased array is adjustable.

12. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical phased array is configured to perform at least one of aberration compensation, depth of focus extension, and/or focus adjustment.

13. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical information comprises a longitudinal reflectivity profile of the sample.

14. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical information comprises a polarization independent image of the sample.

15. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical information comprises birefringence information along an axial profile of the sample.

16. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical information comprises an image of a property sample.

17. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical phased array comprises a plurality of antenna elements.

18. The integrated optical system of claim 17 wherein the plurality of antenna elements are configured to generate a wavelength dependent emission angle that is wavelength tuned in one dimension and configured to generate an emission angle that is at least partially phase tuned in another dimension.