Optically-activated array utilizing photonic integrated circuits (PICS)

• US 10,637,139 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2018
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Bowden, James M., Holzheimer, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V
• Application Number:
  US16/186,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20190097318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2676 Optically controlled phased array

Abstract

A photonic integrated circuit. The photonic integrated circuit includes: a plurality of antenna elements, an element of the plurality of antenna elements having an electrical port and including: a first laser configured to produce laser light of a first wavelength; and a first radiative patch conditionally connected to the electrical port and connected, by an optical connection, to the laser, the first radiative patch including, as a major component, a semiconductor material configured to be conductive when illuminated by light having the first wavelength, and to be nonconductive when not illuminated, the first radiative patch being configured, when conductive, to convert an electric signal received at the electrical port to radiated electromagnetic waves, or to convert received electromagnetic waves to an electrical signal at the electrical port.

Claims

1. An optically configurable array antenna comprising:

a transparent substrate comprising;

a plurality of radiative patches; and

a plurality of vias each forming a conductive path through the transparent substrate to a respective radiative patch of the plurality of radiative patches;

a microlens array below the transparent substrate;

a plurality of lasers, arranged in an array below the microlens array, the microlens array being configured to direct light from each of the plurality of lasers to a respective radiative patch of the plurality of radiative patches;

a nonconductive substrate below the plurality of lasers, the nonconductive substrate comprising a plurality of spring-loaded pins; and

an integrated circuit, comprising;

a plurality of laser drive circuits, each of the laser drive circuits being configured to provide drive current for a respective laser of the plurality of lasers; and

a plurality of transmit receive modules, each of the transmit receive modules being configured to provide drive current for, or receive a signal from, a respective radiative patch of the plurality of radiative patches,

the integrated circuit being connected to the plurality of lasers through a first subset of the spring-loaded pins, and

the integrated circuit being connected to the plurality of radiative patches through a second subset of the spring-loaded pins.

2. The optically configurable array antenna of claim 1, wherein the radiative patches are arranged on a rectangular grid.

3. The optically configurable array antenna of claim 1, wherein the radiative patches are arranged on a triangular grid.

4. The optically configurable array antenna of claim 1, wherein each of the radiative patches is rectangular.

5. The optically configurable array antenna of claim 1, wherein the nonconductive substrate comprises, as a major component, polytetrafluoroethylene.

6. The optically configurable array antenna of claim 1, wherein the microlens array comprises, as a major component, silicon dioxide.

7. The optically configurable array antenna of claim 1, wherein a laser of the plurality of lasers is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.