CN118151462A - Optical phased array structure and phased array laser radar - Google Patents

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an optical phased array structure and a phased array laser radar, which relate to the technical field of laser radars, wherein the optical phased array structure comprises: the end face coupler, the first optical beam splitter, the phase shifter array, the optical switch array and the grating array form an optical phased array structure, the optical phased array structure is mainly designed, each target beam is longitudinally deflected by the designed optical switch array, the phase of each target beam is changed to output each target beam in the forward direction to obtain a first beam, each target beam is reversely output to obtain a second beam, the grating array is used for realizing scanning of light in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction based on the first beam and the second beam, the scanning angle is 0 DEG to 2 DEG when the light enters the grating array from the forward direction, and the scanning angle is-2 DEG to 0 DEG when the light enters the grating array from the reverse direction. The range of longitudinal scan angles is increased within the same center wavelength tuning range.

Description

Optical phased array structure and phased array laser radar

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of radars, in particular to an optical phased array structure and a phased array laser radar.

Background

The silicon-based optical phased array mainly comprises an optical beam splitter, a phase shifter and a grating array, wherein the grating array is a device for finally emitting light beams. The grating array structure in the silicon-based optical phased array in the present stage is mainly divided into a one-dimensional array structure and a two-dimensional array structure, and the one-dimensional array structure of the grating array structure is shown in fig. 1. As in fig. 2, is a grating array structure. However, the two-dimensional arrangement structure requires a large-scale grating array to realize a large-scale two-dimensional scanning, and the control circuit is more complex, so that the two-dimensional arrangement structure is not a mainstream scheme. The one-dimensional arrangement structure can realize a large-scale transverse scanning by modulating the phase in each grating through the phase shifter, and can realize a longitudinal scanning of the light beam by tuning the center wavelength of the input light.

The silicon-based optical phased array structure corresponding to the one-dimensional arrangement structure is characterized in that the longitudinal scanning depends on the chromatic dispersion capability of the grating, and the input beam tuning range is more than 160nm for the longitudinal scanning within the range of +/-15 degrees, but the manufacturing of the laser with a large tuning range is difficult and the cost is high.

Therefore, it is difficult to realize a wide range of longitudinal scanning in the grating array structure in the related art.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide an optical phased array structure and a phased array laser radar, which can improve the longitudinal scanning range of a grating array.

In order to achieve the above object, the technical scheme adopted by the embodiment of the invention is as follows:

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an optical phased array structure, including an end-face coupler, a first optical beam splitter, a phase shifter array, an optical switch array, and a grating array;

the end face coupler is used for receiving the large-module-spot light beam and converting the large-module-spot light beam into a small-module-spot light beam;

the first beam splitter is used for uniformly dividing the small-mode-spot beam into N beams;

the phase shifter array is used for transversely deflecting each light beam and changing the phase of each light beam to obtain N target light beams;

the optical switch array is used for longitudinally deflecting each target beam and changing the phase of each target beam so as to output each target beam in the forward direction to obtain a first beam and output each target beam in the reverse direction to obtain a second beam;

The grating array is used for realizing scanning of light in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction based on the first light beam and the second light beam.

Optionally, the optical switch array includes: the optical fiber optical system comprises a first input waveguide, a second optical beam splitter, a first waveguide section, a second waveguide section, an optical beam combiner, a first output port and a second output port, wherein a first heat stage is arranged on the first waveguide section;

The first input waveguide is used for receiving each target light beam and inputting the target light beam to the second optical beam splitter;

The second beam splitter is configured to split each of the target beams into a third beam and a fourth beam;

The first waveguide segment is used for changing the phase of a third light beam passing through the first waveguide segment when the first thermal stage is pressurized;

the second waveguide section is used for conducting the fourth light beam to the light beam combiner;

The beam combiner is used for combining the fourth light beam and the third light beam with changed phase into a second light beam which is reversely output and outputting the second light beam from the corresponding first output port.

Optionally, the first waveguide section is further configured to conduct the third light beam to the beam combiner when the first thermal stage is unpressurized;

The beam combiner is further configured to combine the third light beam and the fourth light beam into a first light beam that is output in a forward direction and output the first light beam from the corresponding second output port.

Optionally, the end-face coupler includes:

A silica cladding, a plurality of through holes, and a waveguide;

Each through hole forms a first row of through hole combination and a second row of through hole combination;

The first row of through hole combinations and the second row of through hole combinations are arranged on the silicon dioxide cladding, and the first row of through hole combinations and the second row of through hole combinations are arranged at preset intervals;

the waveguide is disposed between the first row of via combinations and the second row of via combinations.

Optionally, the waveguide is composed of a tapered waveguide and a strip waveguide;

the tapered waveguide is composed of a plurality of tapered sub-waveguides with different parameters.

Optionally, each tapered sub-waveguide is isosceles trapezoid, and the slopes of the waists of two adjacent tapered sub-waveguides gradually decrease;

the large-mode-spot light beam sequentially passes through the silicon dioxide cladding layer, the conical waveguide and the strip waveguide and is converted into a small-mode-spot light beam.

Optionally, the first optical beam splitter includes one of:

Multimode interference coupler, Y-branch or directional coupler.

Optionally, the phase shifter array includes:

a second input waveguide, a waveguide transition structure, a first output waveguide, and a second thermal stage;

the second input waveguide is used for receiving each light beam output by the first light beam splitter;

the waveguide conversion structure is used for transmitting each light beam to the first output waveguide;

The second thermal stage is used for controlling the transverse deflection of each beam and changing the phase of the beam to obtain a target beam.

Optionally, the end-face coupler adopts a mode spot-size converter structure.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a phased array laser radar, including the optical phased array structure.

The invention has the following beneficial effects:

The invention skillfully designs and integrates the optical phased array structure, and forms the optical phased array structure by arranging the end face coupler, the first optical beam splitter, the phase shifter array, the optical switch array and the grating array, and controls the output port of each path of target light beam by adding the optical switch array after the phase shifter array, so that the light beam can be input into the grating array in the forward direction/the reverse direction, and the scanning angle is 0 DEG to2 DEG when the light enters the grating array from the forward direction and is-2 DEG to 0 DEG when the light enters the grating array from the reverse direction based on the design of the optical phased array structure. The range of longitudinal scan angles is increased within the same center wavelength tuning range.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings that are needed in the embodiments will be briefly described below, it being understood that the following drawings only illustrate some embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope, and other related drawings may be obtained according to these drawings without inventive effort for a person skilled in the art.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a one-dimensional arrangement of grating array structures in a silicon-based optical phased array in the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a two-dimensional arrangement of grating array structures in a silicon-based optical phased array in the prior art;

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an optical phased array structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a first optical splitter according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an optical switch array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an end-face coupler according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a phase shifter array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a grating array according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

For the purpose of making the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more apparent, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is apparent that the described embodiments are some embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments of the present invention. The components of the embodiments of the present invention generally described and illustrated in the figures herein may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations.

Thus, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, as presented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the invention.

It should be noted that: like reference numerals and letters denote like items in the following figures, and thus once an item is defined in one figure, no further definition or explanation thereof is necessary in the following figures.

In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, if the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", and the like indicate an azimuth or a positional relationship based on the azimuth or the positional relationship shown in the drawings, or the azimuth or the positional relationship in which the inventive product is conventionally put in use, it is merely for convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and it is not indicated or implied that the apparatus or element referred to must have a specific azimuth, be configured and operated in a specific azimuth, and thus it should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and the like, if any, are used merely for distinguishing between descriptions and not for indicating or implying a relative importance.

In the description of the present invention, it should also be noted that, unless explicitly specified and limited otherwise, the terms "disposed," "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, and may be, for example, fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected; can be mechanically or electrically connected; can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and can be communication between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention will be understood in specific cases by those of ordinary skill in the art.

Through researches, the silicon-based optical phased array mainly comprises an optical beam splitter, a phase shifter and a grating array, wherein the grating array is a device for finally emitting light beams. The grating array structure in the silicon-based optical phased array in the present stage is mainly divided into a one-dimensional array structure and a two-dimensional array structure, and the one-dimensional array structure of the grating array structure is shown in fig. 1. As in fig. 2, is a grating array structure. However, the two-dimensional arrangement structure requires a large-scale grating array to realize a large-scale two-dimensional scanning, and the control circuit is more complex, so that the two-dimensional arrangement structure is not a mainstream scheme. The one-dimensional arrangement structure can realize a large-scale transverse scanning by modulating the phase in each grating through the phase shifter, and can realize a longitudinal scanning of the light beam by tuning the center wavelength of the input light.

The silicon-based optical phased array structure corresponding to the one-dimensional arrangement structure is characterized in that the longitudinal scanning depends on the chromatic dispersion capability of the grating, and the input beam tuning range is more than 160nm for the longitudinal scanning within the range of +/-15 degrees, but the manufacturing of the laser with a large tuning range is difficult and the cost is high.

Therefore, it is difficult to realize a wide range of longitudinal scanning in the grating array structure in the related art.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present embodiment provides an optical phased array structure and a phased array laser radar, which can increase the range of the longitudinal scanning angle, and the scheme provided in the present embodiment is described in detail below.

Referring to fig. 3, fig. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an optical phased array structure, and the optical phased array structure includes various components will be described in detail below.

The optical phased array structure comprises an end face coupler 1, a first optical beam splitter 2, a phase shifter array 3, an optical switch array 4 and a grating array 5, wherein the end face coupler 1 is used for receiving a large-mode-spot light beam and converting the large-mode-spot light beam into a small-mode-spot light beam, the first optical beam splitter 2 is used for uniformly dividing the input small-mode-spot light beam into N light beams, the phase shifter array 3 is used for transversely deflecting each light beam and changing the phase of each light beam to obtain N target light beams, the optical switch array 4 is used for longitudinally deflecting each target light beam and changing the phase of each target light beam to output each target light beam in the forward direction to obtain a first light beam and reversely output each target light beam to obtain a second light beam, and the grating array 5 is used for realizing scanning of light in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction based on the first light beam and the second light beam.

After the N light beams input by the first optical beam splitter are input to the phase shifter array, the phase shifter array adjusts the phase of each light beam, so that the transverse scanning angle of each light beam is changed, and the light finally input to the grating array is emitted into free space, so that transverse scanning is realized. Each target beam with the phase adjusted is input to the optical switch array, each target beam is input to the grating array in the forward direction or the reverse direction, and the output angles of the grating array in the longitudinal direction are respectively 0 DEG to2 theta and-2 theta to 0 DEG for the first beam and the second beam which are input in the forward direction and the reverse direction; and finally, the grating array emits the target light beam with the phase adjusted by the phase shifter array into free space through the light beam with the phase adjusted by the light array switch, so that transverse scanning and longitudinal scanning are realized.

The end face coupler can adopt a mode spot converter structure for receiving and converting a large mode spot light beam output by the optical fiber into a small mode spot, thereby realizing low-loss coupling.

The first optical beam splitter 2 is used for equally dividing the input small-mode-spot beam into N paths, and the first optical beam splitter can be realized by a binary tree structure of cascading 1×2 beam splitters. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a binary tree structure of cascaded 1 x2 beam splitters. The final input small-mode-spot beam is equally divided into N paths by the binary tree structure of the cascade 1X 2 beam splitter.

Wherein the first optical splitter structure may be a multimode interference coupler, a Y-branch or a directional coupler structure. The material of the first beam splitter may be silicon nitride.

N light beams equally divided by the first light beam splitter enter a phase shifter array, the phase shifter array is composed of a plurality of phase shifters, each light beam can pass through one phase shifter, and the phase shifters can change the phase of the light beam to obtain a target light beam.

In one example, each phase shifter outputs N target beams from the phase shifter array after laterally shifting the beam split from the first beam splitter and changing the phase of the beam entering the phase shifter. The target beam is the beam after the phase of which is changed by the phase shifter.

And the N target beams pass through the optical array switch to obtain a first beam output in the forward direction and a second beam output in the reverse direction of each target beam.

The optical switch array is formed by a plurality of optical switches, each optical switch processes one target beam, the optical switch longitudinally deflects the input target beam, and the optical switch changes the phase of the input target beam, so that the optical switch can forward output the target beam and backward output the target beam, the target beam forward output by the optical switch is a first beam, and the target beam backward output by the optical switch is a second beam. And scanning in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction is achieved by the grating array based on the first light beam output in the forward direction and the second light beam output in the reverse direction.

When the optical switch outputs the first light beam in the forward direction, the first light beam enters the grating array in the forward direction, the scanning angle is 0 DEG to 2 theta, and when the second light beam enters the grating array in the reverse direction, the scanning angle is-2 theta to 0 deg. The scan angle is doubled over the same center wavelength tuning range.

There are various ways to implement the structure of the optical switch array, in one implementation, as shown in fig. 5, the optical switch array includes: a first input waveguide 41, a second optical beam splitter 42, a first waveguide segment 43, a second waveguide segment 44, an optical combiner 45, a first output port 46, and a second output port 47, where a first thermal stage 48 is disposed on the first waveguide segment 43, the first input waveguide 41 is configured to receive each of the target beams, input the target beam to the second optical beam splitter 42, the second optical beam splitter 42 is configured to split each of the target beams into a third beam and a fourth beam, the first waveguide segment 43 is configured to change a phase of the third beam passing through the first waveguide segment 43 when the first thermal stage 48 is pressurized, the second waveguide segment 44 is configured to conduct the fourth beam to the optical combiner 45, and the optical combiner 45 is configured to combine the fourth beam and the phase-changed third beam into a second beam that is reversely output from the corresponding first output port 46.

The object beam processed by the phase shifter array enters each optical switch in the optical switch optical array, the object beam is input from a first input waveguide of the optical switch, the second optical beam splitter splits the input object beam into two beams of light, namely a third beam and a fourth beam, in one implementation, when the third beam passes through the first waveguide section, the first waveguide section and the first thermal stage change the phase of the third beam and transmit the third beam with the changed phase to the optical combiner when the third beam is pressurized at a first thermal stage of the first waveguide section, and when the fourth beam passes through the second waveguide section, the second waveguide section transmits the fourth beam to the optical combiner. The phase-changed third light beam and the phase-unchanged fourth light beam are combined into a second light beam which is reversely output by the beam combiner, and the second light beam is reversely input into the grating array from the first output port.

In another implementation, the third light beam may pass through a second waveguide segment that transmits the third light beam to the optical combiner, the fourth light beam may pass through a first waveguide segment that changes a phase of the fourth light beam and transmits the phase-changed fourth light beam to the optical combiner when the first thermal stage of the first waveguide segment is pressurized, the optical combiner combines the phase-changed fourth light beam and the non-phase-changed third light beam into a second light beam that is input in reverse, and outputs the second light beam from the first output port in reverse into the grating array.

The second beam splitter splits the object beam into a third beam and a fourth beam, and the second beam splitter may be a2 x 2 beam splitter.

The 2 x2 optical beam splitter equally divides the target beam input by the first input waveguide into two paths, and the two paths of light respectively pass through two sections of waveguides with equal lengths, namely a first waveguide section and a second waveguide section.

A first thermal stage is disposed on the first waveguide segment, which may be a titanium nitride hot plate. When the titanium nitride thermode is not energized, the resultant beam will be output from the second output port, i.e., forward into the grating array. When the titanium nitride thermode is energized to change the optical phase within the waveguide by pi, light is output from the first output port, i.e., back into the grating array.

There are various ways in which the end face coupler may be implemented, and in one implementation, as shown in fig. 6, the end face coupler 1 includes: a silica cladding 11, a plurality of through holes 12, and a waveguide 13; each of the through holes 12 constitutes a first row of through hole combinations 14 and a second row of through hole combinations 15; the first row of through hole combinations 14 and the second row of through hole combinations 15 are arranged on the silica cladding 11, and the first row of through hole combinations 14 and the second row of through hole combinations 16 are arranged at preset intervals; the waveguide 13 is disposed between the first row of via combinations and the second row of via combinations.

The waveguide 13 is composed of a tapered waveguide 131 and a stripe waveguide 132; the tapered waveguide is composed of a plurality of tapered sub-waveguides with different parameters. Each tapered sub-waveguide is in an isosceles trapezoid shape, and the slopes of the waists of two adjacent tapered sub-waveguides are gradually reduced; the large-mode-spot light beam sequentially passes through the silicon dioxide cladding layer, the conical waveguide and the strip waveguide and is converted into a small-mode-spot light beam.

In fig. 6, the white region is a silicon dioxide cladding layer, the black region is a through hole left by using a substrate hollowing process, and it can be considered that the region is air, the tapered waveguide can be composed of three tapered sub-waveguides with different parameters, the cross section of each tapered sub-waveguide is isosceles trapezoid, and the slope of the waist is gradually reduced. The three-segment structure has higher conversion efficiency than the mode spot-size converter structure using only one segment of tapered waveguide.

The overall length of the spot-size converter structure can be shortened with the same coupling loss. The strip waveguide is an output waveguide of the structure, and light with the converted mode spots enters the waveguide and is output to the next device. The materials of the tapered waveguide and the stripe waveguide may be silicon nitride.

The working principle of the end face coupler is as follows: the silicon dioxide layer and the substrate are hollowed, so that the air and the silicon dioxide at the end face form a waveguide structure, the mode spot size of the waveguide structure is matched with the spot size of the optical fiber output, and the light beam can be received with low loss (low mode spot mismatch loss); after the light beam is received, the energy of the light beam is gradually coupled to the strip waveguide in the process of passing through the tapered waveguide, and the mode spot is also reduced, finally becomes matched with the strip waveguide and is output from the strip waveguide.

There are various ways to implement the structure of the phase shifter array, and in one implementation, as shown in fig. 7, the phase shifter array 3 includes: a second input waveguide 31, a waveguide transition structure 32, a first output waveguide 33, and a second thermal stage 34; the second input waveguide 31 is configured to receive each light beam output by the first optical splitter 2; the waveguide conversion structure 32 is configured to transmit each of the light beams to the first output waveguide 33; the second thermal stage 34 is used to control the lateral deflection of each beam and to change the phase of the beam to obtain the target beam.

The N beams equally split by the first beam splitter 2 enter the phase shifter array 3, and each beam passes through a phase shifter, which changes the phase of the beam.

The second input waveguide 31 may be a silicon nitride waveguide, the first output waveguide 33 may be a silicon waveguide, the second thermal stage 34 may be a titanium nitride hot electrode, and the titanium nitride hot electrode heats up after being powered up, so as to change the temperature of the second output waveguide, i.e. the silicon waveguide, and the waveguide conversion structure is used for transferring light in the second thermal stage silicon nitride waveguide into the first output waveguide silicon waveguide.

The specific working principle is as follows: one path of light beam passes through the waveguide conversion structure 32, the light beam in the second input waveguide 31 is transferred to the first output waveguide 33, then the second heat stage 34 is powered on to generate heat, and the effective refractive index of the first output waveguide 33 is changed through the thermo-optical effect, so that the function of changing the optical phase is realized. Through a specific phase combination, the emergent direction of the light beam can be deflected, and transverse scanning is realized.

The grating array is formed of a plurality of grating waveguide structures, a single grating waveguide structure is schematically illustrated in fig. 8, the waveguides are etched to form grating structures, and after light enters the grating structures from the waveguides, the light beams are emitted upwards. When light enters in the forward direction (arrow direction in the figure), the light beam deflects and emits in the longitudinal direction (along the waveguide direction) within the range of (0 DEG, 2 theta) along with the wavelength change of the input light; when light enters reversely, the light beam deflects in the longitudinal direction (along the waveguide direction) and emits within a range (-2 theta, 0 deg.) as the wavelength of the input light changes. After the grating arrays are formed by the grating waveguides, light emitted by the grating waveguides interfere with each other to finally form interference enhancement beams at specific angles, the beams are final detection beams, the horizontal emergent angles of the detection beams are related to the phases of each path of light, and the horizontal emergent angles formed by different light phase combinations are different.

In one possible design, each grating waveguide in the grating array may be an arrayed waveguide grating or a photonic crystal grating array, or the like.

In a specific example, the optical fiber outputs a laser light with a wavelength range tunable from 1500nm to 1600 nm. The laser beam is incident on the input end of the end face coupler 1, received by the end face, converted by the mode spot, coupled into the bar waveguide and output. The light beam received by the end face coupler 1 enters the first optical beam splitter 2 and is equally divided into 256 paths, each path of light beam enters the phase shifter of the corresponding phase shifter array, is transferred from the second input waveguide to the first output waveguide through the waveguide conversion structure, and then the effective refractive index of the first output waveguide is changed through the second thermal stage heating, so that the light beam obtains a specific phase, and N target light beams are obtained. Each target beam then passes through each optical switch in the optical switch array, and when no voltage is applied to a first thermal stage in the optical switch, light is output from the second output port and enters the grating waveguide in the grating array in the forward direction. When the laser wavelength is 1500nm, the emergent angle of the light beam in the vertical direction is 15 degrees; when the laser wavelength is 1600nm, the outgoing angle of the light beam in the vertical direction is 0 degrees. When a first thermal stage in the optical switch is energized, such that the optical phase within the waveguide changes by pi, light is output from the first output port and back into the grating waveguide in the grating array. When the laser wavelength is 1500nm, the emergent angle of the light beam in the vertical direction is-15 degrees; when the laser wavelength is 1600nm, the outgoing angle of the light beam in the vertical direction is 0 degrees. By tuning the wavelength range of the incident light and switching the operating state of the optical switch, a large-range longitudinal scan of 30 ° can be achieved. In the horizontal direction, the optical phase combinations of all the optical paths are different, the final light beam emission angles are different, different phase combination modes are obtained by changing the applied voltage of the second heat stage of each phase shifter, and finally the horizontal scanning is realized.

The invention also provides a phased array laser radar which comprises the optical phased array structure.

In the embodiments provided in the present invention, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and method may be implemented in other manners. The apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative, for example, of the flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures that illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of apparatus, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems which perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

In addition, functional modules in the embodiments of the present invention may be integrated together to form a single part, or each module may exist alone, or two or more modules may be integrated to form a single part. The functions, if implemented in the form of software functional modules and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention may be embodied essentially or in a part contributing to the prior art or in a part of the technical solution, in the form of a software product stored in a storage medium, comprising several instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method according to the embodiments of the present invention. And the aforementioned storage medium includes: a usb disk, a removable hard disk, a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a random access Memory (RAM, random Access Memory), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, or other various media capable of storing program codes.

It is noted that relational terms such as first and second, and the like are used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one … …" does not exclude the presence of other like elements in a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.

The above description is merely illustrative of various embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and any person skilled in the art can easily think about variations or substitutions within the scope of the present invention, and the invention is intended to be covered by the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims (10)

1. An optical phased array structure is characterized by comprising an end face coupler, a first optical beam splitter, a phase shifter array, an optical switch array and a grating array;

the end face coupler is used for receiving the large-module-spot light beam and converting the large-module-spot light beam into a small-module-spot light beam;

the first beam splitter is used for uniformly dividing the small-mode-spot beam into N beams;

the phase shifter array is used for transversely deflecting each light beam and changing the phase of each light beam to obtain N target light beams;

the optical switch array is used for longitudinally deflecting each target beam and changing the phase of each target beam so as to output each target beam in the forward direction to obtain a first beam and output each target beam in the reverse direction to obtain a second beam;

The grating array is used for realizing scanning of light in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction based on the first light beam and the second light beam.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the optical switch array comprises: the optical fiber optical system comprises a first input waveguide, a second optical beam splitter, a first waveguide section, a second waveguide section, an optical beam combiner, a first output port and a second output port, wherein a first heat stage is arranged on the first waveguide section;

The first input waveguide is used for receiving each target light beam and inputting the target light beam to the second optical beam splitter;

The second beam splitter is configured to split each of the target beams into a third beam and a fourth beam;

The first waveguide segment is used for changing the phase of a third light beam passing through the first waveguide segment when the first thermal stage is pressurized;

the second waveguide section is used for conducting the fourth light beam to the light beam combiner;

The beam combiner is used for combining the fourth light beam and the third light beam with changed phase into a second light beam which is reversely output and outputting the second light beam from the corresponding first output port.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the first waveguide section is further configured to conduct the third light beam to the light combiner when the first thermal stage is unpressurized;

The beam combiner is further configured to combine the third light beam and the fourth light beam into a first light beam that is output in a forward direction and output the first light beam from the corresponding second output port.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the end coupler comprises:

A silica cladding, a plurality of through holes, and a waveguide;

Each through hole forms a first row of through hole combination and a second row of through hole combination;

The first row of through hole combinations and the second row of through hole combinations are arranged on the silicon dioxide cladding, and the first row of through hole combinations and the second row of through hole combinations are arranged at preset intervals;

the waveguide is disposed between the first row of via combinations and the second row of via combinations.

5. The structure of claim 4, wherein the waveguide is comprised of a tapered waveguide and a strip waveguide;

the tapered waveguide is composed of a plurality of tapered sub-waveguides with different parameters.

6. The structure of claim 5, wherein,

Each tapered sub-waveguide is in an isosceles trapezoid shape, and the slopes of the waists of two adjacent tapered sub-waveguides are gradually reduced;

the large-mode-spot light beam sequentially passes through the silicon dioxide cladding layer, the conical waveguide and the strip waveguide and is converted into a small-mode-spot light beam.

7. The structure of claim 1, wherein the first optical splitter comprises one of:

Multimode interference coupler, Y-branch or directional coupler.

8. The structure of claim 1, wherein the phase shifter array comprises:

a second input waveguide, a waveguide transition structure, a first output waveguide, and a second thermal stage;

the second input waveguide is used for receiving each light beam output by the first light beam splitter;

the waveguide conversion structure is used for transmitting each light beam to the first output waveguide;

The second thermal stage is used for controlling the transverse deflection of each beam and changing the phase of the beam to obtain a target beam.

9. The structure of claim 1, wherein the end coupler is a spot-size converter structure.

10. A phased array lidar comprising the optical phased array structure of any of claims 1-9.