Lockheed Martin Corporation
Planar optical head for free space optical communications, coherent LIDAR, and other applications

Abstract:

A multi-aperture optical system includes a photonic integrated circuit, a spacer substrate coupled to the photonic integrated circuit, a plurality of optical cells, a beam combiner, and a photodetector coupled to the beam combiner. The photonic integrated circuit, the spacer substrate, the plurality of optical cells, the beam combiner, and the photodetector are integrated as a single monolithically formed optical head. Each optical cell includes a focusing optical element formed on the spacer substrate and configured to focus the light through the substrate and onto a folding element. The folding element is integrated into the photonic integrated circuit to couple light incident on the optical cell into a waveguide. The waveguide is coupled to the phase shifter to transport the light reflected by the folding element through a phase shifter. The phase shifter is coupled to the focusing optical element to shift a phase of an optical signal received by the focusing optical element.