Method for providing beam steering in a subaperture-addressed optical beam steerer

摘要

A practical means for electrically addressing the extremely large number and high density of phase shifters needed for operation of an optical phased array beam steerer. The array of phase shifters is subdivided into identical subarrays which completely fill an optical aperture. All subarrays are connected electrically in parallel by electrically interconnecting corresponding electrodes of each subarray. Methods are disclosed herein for providing an enhanced number of beam steering positions for the subaperture-addressed beam steerer.