Scalable Optical Phased Arrays, SOPA

Exciting Technology is the world leader in scalable Optical Phased Arrays, OPAs, that can be made operational size in the relatively near term. Space fed optical phased arrays allow us to steer one dimension at a time. This requires many orders of magnitude less connections than chip scale, or transmit/receive module, based OPAs that others are developing, for example >300,000 times fewer connects for a 50 cm aperture, thousands of connections instead of hundreds of billions. Furthermore, we can make the required number of elements even lower by combining our space fed OPA technology with our patent pending decentered lens technology, and by using what we call an EZOPA approach. Our OPAs can provide rapid, precision beam steering for a variety of space applications, AND can also allow dynamic, non-mechanical, lens fabrication. If we have the ability to add a low-resolution adaptive optics element, there is no loss in generality by steering one dimension at a time, but steering one dimension at a time makes our OPAs much easier to scale to operational sizes. This phase 1 SBIR will allow NASA to design OPAs that replace slow, bulky, mechanical steering with compact OPAs that can be quickly scaled to operational size, from landing lidars to orbital remote sensing lidar. In phase 1 we will fabricate a 1 cm EZOPA with ±15 deg steering. We will demonstrate beam steering with the EZOPA and we will design an OPA based aperture to replace the 3 apertures on the Navigation Doppler Lidar, NDL. We will also design approaches to scale to 50 cm OPA based apertures, using only a 5 cm diameter OPA. Overall, non-mechanical steering is essential for increased lidar performance, a significant reduction in C-SWaP, and for reducing risk of mechanical component failure in a space environment. In phase 2 we will build a space application prototype with a path to space ruggedization and further scalability.
Benefits: This technology will allow rapid steering from one location to another for NDL, and will allow rapid scanning of a landing area for rocks or obstacles. This technology can be scaled to orbital 3D mapping lidar aperture sizes. It will allow scanning off to the side, and making rectangular tiles when doing orbital 3D mapping lidar. Fast, non-mechanical steering will revolutionize any lidar NASA is considering. The proposed technology is space-fed optical phased arrays (OPA). In a phase 1 we will fabricate 1 cm test chips steering to ±15 degrees. In phase 2 we plan to fabricate OPAs that could be used as a replacement in an NDL, and we will develop a plan to make 50 cm diameter OPA based apertures for 3D mapping or space situational awareness. The beauty of space fed OPAs is their scalability to operational size. We can also make a single aperture NDL, and then to scale to sizes that can be used for 3D mapping from LEO. In phase 2 we can make a scaled lidar for 3D mapping or space situational awareness. Our decentered lens technology can steer multiple beams simultaneously through the same aperture. For NDL we could make an aperture that independently steers 4 beams to locations ±25 from the centerline, using either OPAs or wavelength dependent galvos feeding into an f-theta lens. We also could use a rapidly rotating wedge that steers with a radius of 25 degrees. During phase 1 we will reduce the risk on the OPA approach, and then decide, in conjunction with NASA, on the phase 2 demos and approach. Having a single replacement aperture for NDL out of the phase 2 is low risk. A successful phase 2 will allow 50 cm diameter 3D mapping lidars to be deployed at reasonable risk. Dr McManamon is chief science officer for Nuview. Nuview will put up a constellation of 20 LEO satellites to 3D map earth using 3D lidar. Exciting Technology and Nuview have a license agreement to allow Nuview to use ET beam steering technology for 3D mapping. At this time it is anticipated Nuview will use novel mechanical scanning, and small angle OPAs from ET's Intellectual Property. If this effort is funded it could change the technology Nuview uses to an OPA based technology. This will significantly increase the capability of the commercial Nuview 3D mapping lidar constellation. Auto lidar is the largest lidar market. We have had the ability to make these OPAs for a while, but have not been funded. Once we have operational devices auto lidar companies will be VERY willing to support further work, but they need more than viewgraphs. They need to see operating devices. There is interest in orbital lidars to observe satellites in orbit. These will be similar in size to the 3D mapping lidars. We believe if we conduct a successful phase 2 we can get interest from DOD and primes in building such a lidar.