Integrated optical system with optical phased array photonic integrated circuit

• US 10,191,145 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• 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:
  US15/467,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20170299500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 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

Disclosed herein are optical integration technologies, designs, systems and methods directed toward Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and other interferometric optical sensor, ranging, and imaging systems wherein such systems, methods and structures employ tunable optical sources, coherent detection and other structures on a single or multichip monolithic integration. In contrast to contemporary, prior-art OCT systems and structures that employ simple, miniature optical bench technology using small optical components positioned on a substrate, systems and methods according to the present disclosure employ one or more photonic integrated circuits (PICs), use swept-source techniques, and employ a widely tunable optical source(s).

In another embodiment the system uses an optical photonic phased array. The phase array can be a static phased array to eliminate or augment the lens that couples light to and from a sample of interest or can be static and use a spectrally dispersive antenna and a tunable source to perform angular sweeping. The phased array can be active in 1 or 2 dimensions so as to scan the light beam in angle. The phased array can also adjust focus. The phased array can implement an optical waveform that will extend depth of field focus for imaging. The phase array can also be a separate standalone element that is fed by one or more optical fibers. The phased array can be for scanning a biomedical specimen used in conjunction with a swept-source OCT system, can be used in a free-space coherent optical communication system for beam pointing or tracking, used in LIDAR applications, or many other beam control or beam steering applications.

Claims

1. An integrated optical system comprising:

a frequency tunable optical source;

a coherent optical receiver; and

a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) having an optical phased array that couples light to/from a sample, the optical phased array comprising a plurality of antenna elements that 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,

wherein said system is configured such that when the frequency tunable optical source is tuned in optical frequency said coherent optical receiver produces electrical signals that are processed to produce optical information about the sample.

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

3. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the PIC includes the coherent optical receiver.

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

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

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

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

8. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the PIC includes the frequency tunable optical source and the coherent optical receiver.

9. 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.

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

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

12. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical information comprises an axial reflectivity profile of the sample.

13. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical information comprises a 1D image of the sample.

14. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical information comprises a 2D image of the sample.

15. The integrated optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical information comprises a 3D image of the sample.