Lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device

• US 10,444,596 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2019
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shanghai JIAO TONG University
• Original Assignee: Shanghai JIAO TONG University
• Inventors: Wu, Kan, Cao, Xianyi, Li, Chao, Chen, Jianping
• Primary Examiner(s): Bedtelyon, John
• Application Number:
  US16/255,802
• Time in Patent Office: 265 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12107 Grating
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12145 Switch
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12195 Tapering
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12004 Combinations of two or more optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3548 1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/358 Latching of the moving element, i.e. maintaining or holding the moving element in place once operation has been performed; includes a mechanically bistable system
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3596 With planar waveguide arrangement, i.e. in a substrate, regardless if actuating mechanism is outside the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3137 with intersecting or branching waveguides, e.g. X-switches and Y-junctions

Abstract

A lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device comprising a substrate, an input waveguide, a connecting waveguide, a 1×N optical switch, an electrical interface for the switch, N output waveguides of the switch, N transmitting units, a lens and a controller. The device of the present invention realizes two-dimensional beam steering and has the characteristics of large power capacity, low control complexity, and low electric power consumption.

Claims

1. A lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device, comprising:

a substrate (1) having an upper surface,

an input waveguide (2),

a connecting waveguide (3),

a 1×

N optical switch (4) having a control port, one input port, and N output ports;

an electrical interface for the switch (5),

N output waveguides of the switch (6),

N transmitting units (7) having a plane where the N transmitting units (7) are located,

a lens (8) having a focal plane and an optical axis, and

a controller (51) having a control port,

where N is a positive integer that equals to or more than 2;

the input waveguide (2), the connecting waveguide (3), the 1×

N optical switch (4), the electrical interface for the switch (5), the N output waveguides of the switch (6), and the N transmitting units (7) are all prepared on the substrate (1), and the N transmitting units (7) are in a two-dimensional array on the upper surface of the substrate (1);

the lens (8) is located directly above the N transmitting units (7), the focal plane of the lens (8) is parallel to the plane where the N transmitting units (7) are located, and the optical axis of the lens (8) is perpendicular to the plane where the N transmitting units (7) are located;

the input port of the 1×

N optical switch (4) is connected to the connecting waveguide (3), the N output ports of the 1×

N optical switch (4) are respectively connected to the N transmitting units (7) via N output waveguides of the switch (6);

light beams output by the N transmitting units (7) are all output through the lens (8); and

the control port of the controller (51) is respectively connected to the control port of the 1×

N optical switch (4) through the electrical interface for the switch (5).

2. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the input waveguide (2) is made of silicon, III-V semiconductor, silicon nitride, or silicon dioxide material.

3. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the connecting waveguide (3) is made of silicon, III-V semiconductor, silicon nitride, or silicon dioxide material.

4. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the 1×

N optical switch (4) is made of silicon, III-V semiconductor, silicon nitride, or silicon dioxide material.

5. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the output waveguides of the switch (6) are made of silicon, III-V semiconductor, silicon nitride, or silicon dioxide material.

6. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the N transmitting units (7) are made of silicon, III-V semiconductor, silicon nitride, or silicon dioxide material.

7. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the input waveguide (2) is a tapered waveguide or a Bragg grating.

8. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the 1×

N optical switch (4) is a binary tree structure, a series structure, or a combination thereof.

9. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the N transmitting units (7) are Bragg grating structure.

10. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the lens (8) is a spherical plano-convex lens, a spherical biconvex lens, an aspherical plano-convex lens, or an aspherical biconvex lens.

11. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the input waveguide (2), the connecting waveguide (3), the output waveguides of the switch (6), and the N transmitting units (7) operates in a single mode transverse electric mode.

12. The lens-based integrated two-dimensional beam steering device of claim 1, wherein the input waveguide (2), the connecting waveguide (3), the output waveguides of the switch (6), and the N transmitting units (7) operates in a single mode transverse magnetic mode.