Reconfigurable photonic integrated circuit focal plane array
US9316534B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 28, 2014 |
| Grant date | Apr 19, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 8, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L1/0042
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A reconfigurable photonic integrated circuit focal plane array (RPIC-FPA) includes detectors and photonic integrated circuit coupled to the detectors that are configured to mix a return signal beam with local oscillator (LO) beams to produce a combined beam and direct the combined beam to the detectors. The LO beams have reconfigurable optical properties enabled by the RPIC-FPA. The LO beams are individually addressed to switch the detectors between a direct detection mode and various coherent detection modes based on adjustments to the optical properties of the LO beams. In the coherent detection mode, the controller is configured to mix the return signal beam with the LO beam having adjusted optical properties to produce the combined beam, and, in the direct detection mode, the controller is configured to disable the LO beams based on adjustments to the optical properties and to direct the return signal beam to the detectors without mixing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.