Open AccessArbitrary multiple beam forming by two cascaded liquid crystal optical phased arrays
Author(s) -
Liang Wu,
Xiangru Wang,
Xin He,
Ziqiang Huang,
Xinning Huang,
Cai-Dong Xiong
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.26.017066
Subject(s) - optics , wavefront , phased array optics , beam steering , beam (structure) , diffraction , amplitude , phase (matter) , laser , phase modulation , phased array , laser beam quality , physics , liquid crystal , materials science , laser beams , computer science , telecommunications , phase noise , quantum mechanics , antenna (radio)
A new method for non-mechanical laser beam splitting and steering is demonstrated. Two cascaded liquid crystal optical phased arrays (LC-OPAs) controllably modulate the amplitude and phase of an incident laser beam to realize the near-field wavefronts of multiple simultaneous beams with arbitrary directions. Diffraction between the two arrays is avoided by precise 4-f imaging from one LC-OPA to the other (array resolution 1×1920). In the method of cascaded amplitude and phase (CAP) devices, numerical simulation results show the characteristics of amplitude and phase modulation profiles, as well as the far-field intensity patterns. Both the numerical and experimental results clearly demonstrate the capabilities of fast multi-beam forming with high efficiency (>85%, 4 beams) and accuracy (deviation <90μrad).