Electro-optic beam deflector device having adjustable in-plane beam control
First Claim
1. A planar waveguide for adjusting an angle of a light beam in an in-plane direction, the waveguide comprising:
- a waveguide core shaped to guide a light beam along a length of the waveguide;
a cladding including an electro-optic material capable of an interaction with a portion of the light beam;
electrodes shaped and arranged to adjust an angle of the light beam in an in-plane direction by adjusting an index of refraction of the electro-optic material, wherein the arrangement of electrodes includes;
a first row of electrically connected electrodes, wherein individual electrodes in the first row are capable of respectively adjusting an angle of a portion of the light beam by adjusting an index of refraction of the electro-optic material.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A substantially planar waveguide for dynamically controlling the out-of-plane angle at which a light beam exits the waveguide. Generally, liquid crystal materials may be disposed within a waveguide in a cladding proximate or adjacent to a core layer of the waveguide. In one example, the waveguide may contain one or more taper regions such that the light beam exits the waveguide and propagates out-of-the-plane of the waveguide into an out-coupling medium at a propagation angle. In one example, the waveguide may contain one or more electrodes onto which one or more voltages may be applied. The magnitude of the propagation angle may be electronically controlled by altered by controlling or altering the magnitude of the one or more applied voltages.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A planar waveguide for adjusting an angle of a light beam in an in-plane direction, the waveguide comprising:
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a waveguide core shaped to guide a light beam along a length of the waveguide; a cladding including an electro-optic material capable of an interaction with a portion of the light beam; electrodes shaped and arranged to adjust an angle of the light beam in an in-plane direction by adjusting an index of refraction of the electro-optic material, wherein the arrangement of electrodes includes; a first row of electrically connected electrodes, wherein individual electrodes in the first row are capable of respectively adjusting an angle of a portion of the light beam by adjusting an index of refraction of the electro-optic material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for adjusting an angle of a light beam in an in-plane direction, the method comprising:
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guiding the light beam along a core of a waveguide in a longitudinal direction; providing a first row of electrically connected electrodes shaped and arranged to adjust an angle of the light beam in an in-plane direction, respectively having a first facet normal to the longitudinal direction and a second facet non-normal to the longitudinal direction; and applying a first voltage to electrodes in the first row to adjust an angle of the light beam in an in-plane direction by adjusting an index of refraction of an electro-optic material in a cladding of the waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A planar waveguide for adjusting an angle of a light beam in an in-plane direction, the waveguide comprising:
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a waveguide core shaped to guide a light beam along a length of the waveguide; a cladding including an electro-optic material capable of an interaction with a portion of the light beam; electrodes shaped and arranged to adjust an angle of the light beam in an in-plane direction by adjusting an index of refraction of the electro-optic material, wherein the arrangement of electrodes includes; successive rows of shaped electrodes capable of collectively adjusting an angle of the light beam in an in-plane direction, where an individual one of the successive rows is electrically connected to a steering voltage and capable of adjusting an angle of the light beam by adjusting an index of refraction of the electro-optic material in response to the steering voltage, the individual one of the successive rows being at a slanted angle with respect to another one of the successive rows of shaped electrodes and at least one facet of the shaped electrodes of the individual one of the successive rows being oblique to at least one facet of the shaped electrodes in the other one of the successive rows of shaped electrodes.
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Specification