Lockheed Martin Corporation

Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.

William Walter Anderson

George Gal

Bruce J Herman

Dean M Shough

William Sven Barquist, Jr

Lawrence Lowell Ames

Patrick Elliott Perkins

Raymond Mark Bell, Jr

John Jesse Soderberg

Michael Gregory Abernathy

Marc A Stiller

John E McGinnis

Stephen F Somerstein

George Allan Whittaker

Timothy Edwin Van Eck

Paul V Mammini

Thomas John Rohrer

Richard J Plugge

William Sven Barquist

John Mcginnis

A radio frequency (RF) phased array transmitter system comprises a phased array for generating an RF signal. The phased array comprises conductive patches formed in an array, separation gaps, and active sources. Each of the separation gaps is formed between two adjacent ones of the conductive patches, and each of the active sources is formed across its associated one of the separation gaps. The system further comprises an optical source for generating an optical signal and an RF source for generating an RF signal. In addition, the system comprises an optical modulator coupled to the optical source and the RF source. The optical modulator receives an optical signal and an RF signal, and produces an RF modulated optical signal based on the received optical signal and the received RF signal.

System and method for transmitting signals via photonic excitation of a transmitter array

A free-space optically-coupled collimator for the efficient bidirectional transmission of an optical metrology beam emanating from a waveguide aperture of a waveguide optical transmission element, all contained in an isothermal nested enclosure, with the waveguide element mounted in a stress-free fashion. The focus of the collimator is set at the waveguide aperture of the waveguide optical transmission element, the optical axis of the collimator aligns with the optical metrology beam as it exits the waveguide aperture of the waveguide optical transmission element, and the numeric aperture of the collimator is equal to or larger than the numeric aperture of the optical metrology beam as it exits the waveguide aperture of the waveguide optical transmission element.

Enhanced waveguide metrology gauge collimator

A photonics sensor including first and second electro-optically active optical waveguides, being substantially parallel. The photonics sensor also includes third and fourth electro-optically active optical waveguides coplanar with the first and second waveguides, the third and fourth waveguides being substantially parallel and intersecting the first and second waveguides at a 90 degree angle. The photonics sensor further includes first, second, third and fourth co-planar and adjacent planar electrodes substantially parallel to the first and second waveguides, the planar electrodes arranged so that an incident electromagnetic signal will impinge upon the planar electrodes. The photonics sensor also includes first, second, third and fourth coupling strips substantially parallel to the planar electrodes, and disposed such that the waveguides lie between the coupling strips and the planar electrodes. Optical signals in the first, second, third and/or fourth waveguides are modulated by a varying voltage potential induced between the planar electrodes and the coupling strips by the incident electromagnetic signal.

Enhanced photonics sensor array

Techniques for measuring spatial locations. An apparatus for measuring spatial locations includes a first object at a first location, a second object at a second location, and a waveguide-based interferometer coupled between the first object and the second object. The waveguide-based interferometer includes a waveguide material. The waveguide material is adapted to carry at least a reference beam and a measurement beam. The reference beam traverses a first path defined within the waveguide material. The measurement beam traverses a second path defined within the waveguide material and a third path defined outside of the waveguide material. The third path is related to at least one of the first location and the second location.

Waveguide-based optical interferometer

A method for performing optical signal and beam distribution in a heterodyne interferometer. A planar lightwave circuit is provided including a plurality of waveguide optical transmission elements and an input coupler and an output coupler arranged along the optical transmission elements. Optical pathlengths of the transmission elements are matched between the input coupler and the output coupler to compensate for thermal effects. Reference and measurement optical phases are determined employing the input coupler and the output coupler.

Robust heterodyne interferometer optical gauge

An active sampler antenna capable of transmitting signals is disclosed. The active sampler antenna includes a first set of conducting surfaces, a second set of conducting surfaces, a power source, and multiple switches. The second set of conducting surfaces is located substantially parallel to the first set of conducting surfaces. The power source has two terminals, namely, a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal of the power source is connected to the second set of conducting surfaces. Each of the switches is connected between a respective one of the first set of conducting surfaces and the second terminal of the power source. The switches allows a defined amount and timing of charges to be delivered from the power source to the first set of conducting surface for signal transmissions.

Method and apparatus for transmitting signals via an active sampler antenna

An electro-optic modulator, a system including an electro-optic modulator, and a method for producing an electro-optic modulator, which provides improved modulation sensitivity and improved environmental characteristics. The electro-optic modulator, according to the present invention, comprises: a substrate having a surface, the substrate having a first index of refraction, a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide, the optical waveguides formed in the substrate and being co-planar, each waveguide having a second index of refraction, each waveguide operable to transmit a light signal, a first electrode disposed on the surface of the substrate between the first and second optical waveguides, the first electrode operable to receive a modulation signal, and a second electrode and a third electrode disposed on the surface of the substrate surrounding the first and second optical waveguides, the second and third electrodes connected to a common potential, whereby the light signal is modulated in accordance with the modulation signal.

Traveling wave electro-optic modulator based on an organic electro-optic crystal

A photonics sensor and array for the reception and processing of RF signals. In one embodiment, the present invention is an antenna comprising: a first electro-optically active optical waveguide; a first planar electrode substantially parallel to the first waveguide; a second electro-optically active optical waveguide; a second planar electrode substantially parallel to the second waveguide, the first and second planar electrodes being substantially adjacent and coplanar; and a third planar electrode substantially parallel to the first and second planar electrodes and disposed such that the first waveguide lies between the first and third planar electrodes, and the second waveguide lies between the second and third planar electrodes. In another embodiment, the present invention is an antenna comprising: first and second planar electrodes being substantially adjacent and coplanar; a first electro-optically active optical waveguide disposed between the planar electrodes; and a second electro-optically active optical waveguide substantially parallel to the first waveguide.

Photonics sensor array for wideband reception and processing of electromagnetic signals

A method for aligning optical fibers (20) with leads (21) from electro-optical components (2). The method comprises the steps of completely severing a single crystallographic substrate (15) into discrete first (3) and second (5 or 7) pieces; on the first piece (3), fabricating at least one electro-optical component (2) having an elongated lead (21); on the second piece (5 or 7) fabricating at least one elongated groove (6) adapted to hold an optical fiber (20); and abutting the first (3) and second (5 or 7) piece against each other on a flat surface (17) so that each lead (21) abuts a groove (6). A film layer (18), e.g., comprising a thin-film polymer, may be placed on top surface (4) of crystallographic substrate (15). The electro-optical component (2) may be an array of electro-optical components comprising one or more integrated electro-optical components. At least one alignment channel (11) is formed in the upper surface (4) of the substrate (15). The alignment channel (11) traverses the first piece (3) and the second piece (5 or 7). A rod or pin (12) is placed in each alignment channel (11) to provide for lateral alignment.

Electro-optical component alignment technique

A monolithically integrated, micro-fabricated optical device for use in photonic applications has at least one waveguide surface configuration which cannot be fabricated by binary processing. The optical device comprises a plurality of layers of substrate materials. The material in at least one layer has an index of refraction different from the index of retraction of the material in an adjacent layer. A waveguide surface is formed at an interface between the layers and has a configuration fabricated by use of a gray scale mask.

Gray scale microfabrication for integrated optical devices

Wavefront correction apparatus for correcting a stepped wavefront output produced by certain angles of scan and by certain positions of scan in scanning microlens arrays includes anamorphic transfer optics with diffractive corrections. The transfer optics form the outputs of all of the unit cell trains of the microlens arrays into a unique, separate, linear image at each position of scan of the scanning array. A stepped wavefront corrector is positioned in the path of each linear image, and selected thicknesses of the material in the stepped wavefront corrector are effective to vary the times of optical passage through the stepped wavefront corrector in amounts to restore the wavefront to a continuous, unstepped form at the outlet of the plate.

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Half Moon Bay, CA, United States of America

William Walter Anderson