Lockheed Martin Corporation
N-arm interferometric photonic integrated circuit based imaging and communication system

Abstract:

A scalable interferometric imaging and laser communications system integrated as a single satellite payload is provided. Multiple lenslets are coupled via associated waveguides to a single multi-mode interferometer in an N-arm beam combination using a PIC based architecture. The multi-mode interferometer is coupled to a communication sensor via a splitter and to an imaging sensor via an array waveguide grating, which in turn are coupled to a processor. The system interferes all input waveguides simultaneously and provides OPD control over individual input waveguides.