A 2D Pixelated Optical Beam Scanner Controlled by the Laser Wavelength

Abstract

We present a chip-based optical beam scanner based on a dispersive optical phased array (OPA) that illuminates the far field with a pixelated pattern. To scale up the OPA to a large number of antennas, we break it up into manageable blocks with acceptable losses. The 2D wavelength scanning within a block is handled by dispersive delay lines. Between blocks, there are no delay lines, and the OPA will only have constructive interference for a discrete set of wavelengths. This results in the far-field illumination of a pixelated pattern along both x and y directions. The sidelobes and the power in the main lobe can be controlled by the power distribution of the individual OPA antennas.