An optical aperture system is provided that includes a photonic integrated circuit. The photonic integrated circuit includes a plurality of apertures, a plurality of optical phase shifters coupled to respective apertures of the plurality of apertures, an optical splitter-combiner coupled to the plurality of optical phase shifters, an optical switch coupled to the optical splitter-combiner, a light source coupled to the optical switch, and a photodetector coupled to the optical switch. The optical aperture system further includes a controller configured to execute a first set of instructions to control the plurality of optical phase shifters and the light source in accordance with a first operating mode of a plurality of operating modes of the optical aperture system, and a processor configured to execute a second set of instructions to process an output of the photodetector in accordance with the first operating mode of the optical aperture system.

A diffractive optical element (10) comprises a microstructure plane provided thereon with at least one microstructural pattern unit. The diffractive optical element (10) can receive a light beam emitted from a partitioned light source array (20) and project a light field on a target surface (OB), wherein the partitioned light source array (20) comprises a plurality of light source arrays (20-1, 20-2, ..., 20-n) spaced along a first direction, and the microstructural pattern unit is configured to be capable of diverging and light homogenization-modulating a light beam emitted from a light source in the plurality of light source arrays (20-1, 20-2, ..., 20-n) along the first direction such that light field regions projected by adjacent light source arrays (20-1, 20-2, ..., 20-n) on the target surface are adjoined or overlapped with each other in the first direction. In the embodiments of the invention, there are gaps between adjacent partitions. The light source partitions are lightened in turn. When each light source partition is lightened, only a region in the target light field corresponding to the partition is illuminated uniformly. Moreover, when all partitions are lightened together, the whole target light field is illuminated uniformly. There is no dark space caused by gaps between partitions, thereby realizing uniform illumination of partitions in the target light field.

The optical tracking module includes an optical phased array (OPA), an analog drive, an integrated photodetector, and one or more processors. The OPA includes a plurality of array elements, and a plurality of phase shifters. The analog drive is configured to adjust the plurality of phase shifters. The integrated photodetector is configured to receive light from the OPA. The one or more processors is configured to extract signal information of an incoming beam via the OPA, and control an outgoing beam using the analog drive based on the signal information. The OPA, the analog drive, the integrated photodetector and the one or more processors are in an integrated circuit.

An active metasurface includes a number of periodically-repeated unit cells arranged on a substrate that each include a plasmonic waveguide shaped and sized to provide a cutoff mode that captures light of a target wavelength. The active metasurface includes an index modulation controller that controllably varies a voltage differential across each one of the periodically-repeated cells to change a phase of light incident on the metasurface.

A capacitive micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) structure or device and methods of making and operating the same are described. Generally, the MEMS device provides a large stroke while maintaining good damping, enabling fast beam steering and large scan angles. In one embodiment, the capacitive MEMS device includes a bottom electrode formed over a substrate; an electrically permeable damping structure formed over the bottom electrode, the electrically permeable damping structure including a first air-gap and a dielectric layer suspended above and separated from the bottom electrode by the first air-gap; and a plurality of movable members suspended above the damping structure and separated therefrom by a second air-gap, each of the plurality of movable members including a top electrode and being configured to deflect towards the bottom electrode by electrostatic force. Other embodiments are also described.

A scanner is provided with a plurality of elementary scanners each able to scan a different surface by means of a light beam. Each elementary scanner comprises a beam, for example a vibrating beam, on or in which a phase-controlled array is formed, intended to extract, at a face of the beam, a light beam able to be emitted by a light source. At least one beam of one of the elementary scanners, referred to as the first scanner, has, at rest, a deflection different from that of the beams of the other elementary scanners. This arrangement enables the first scanner to scan a surface, referred to the first surface, different from that scanned by the other elementary scanners. The optical scanner according to the present invention makes it possible to cover a relatively large surface while keeping appreciable compactness.

An optical device includes a plurality of optical waveguides, and a planar optical waveguide. The plurality of optical waveguides each extend in a first direction, and are arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The planar optical waveguide is connected directly or indirectly with the plurality of optical waveguides. The plurality of optical waveguides each allow light to propagate in the first direction. The planar optical waveguide includes a first mirror and a second mirror, and an optical waveguide layer. The first mirror and the second mirror face each other, and extend in the first direction and the second direction. The optical waveguide layer is located between the first mirror and the second mirror.

An optical device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a plurality of separation walls, one or more optical waveguides, and one or more spacers. The first substrate has a surface which extends in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction. The second substrate faces the first substrate. The plurality of separation walls are positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate and extend in the first direction. The one or more optical waveguides are positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate and include one or more dielectric members which are positioned between the plurality of separation walls and which extend in the first direction. The one or more spacers are directly or indirectly sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate and positioned around the one or more optical waveguides.

A compressive/transform imager comprising a lens array positioned above input ports for collecting light into the input ports, waveguides routing the light from the input port to waveguide mixing regions (e.g. multi-mode interference couplers), and detectors for receiving outputs of the waveguide mixing regions.

A pointing unit (100) for use with a free space optical (FSO) communications terminal (105) that includes an optical arrangement (101) of one or more optically transmissive steering elements (101a, 101b). The steering elements (101a, 101b) are arranged in an optical path of an incident beam (107) entering the optical arrangement (100), and the orientation of at least one element (101a, 101b), and the refractive index of at least one element (101a, 101b), are controllable to steer a beam (107b) towards a target (110).