ACTIVE ALIGNMENT FOR MICROLENS ASSEMBLY TO OPTICAL PHASED ARRAY
Aspects of the technology provide a system for aligning a lens array of an optical phased array (OPA) architecture. The system may include a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprising a portion of the OPA architecture, the portion of the OPA architecture being configured to transmit and receive signals through a lens array; the lens array including an alignment lens array configured to transmit signals therethrough during alignment; a sensor configured to collect measures corresponding to the alignment lens array, the measures being indicative of signals passing through the alignment lens array; and one or more processors operatively connected to the pic, the lens array, and the sensor, the one or more processors configured to: induce the OPA architecture to transmit signals through the alignment lens array, and adjust the lens array relative to a PIC to align the lens array with the PIC based on the measures from the sensor.
1 . A system for aligning a lens array of an optical phased array (OPA) architecture, the system comprising:
a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprising a portion of the OPA architecture, the portion of the OPA architecture being configured to transmit and receive signals through a lens array;
the lens array including an alignment lens array configured to transmit signals therethrough during alignment;
a sensor configured to collect measures corresponding to each lens of the alignment lens array, the measures being indicative of signals passing through the alignment lens array; and
one or more processors operatively connected to the pic, the lens array, and the sensor, the one or more processors configured to:
induce the OPA architecture to transmit signals through the alignment lens array, and
adjust the lens array relative to a PIC to align the lens array with the PIC based on the measures from the sensor.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the alignment lens array is configured to not transmit signals therethrough during normal operation.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the alignment lens array includes four lenses disposed in a symmetrical configuration.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the lens array further includes a second alignment lens array.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the alignment lens array and the second alignment lens array are in a symmetric configuration within the lens array.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to move the sensor to a target location of the alignment lens array.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a camera or one or more photodiodes (PDs).
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a number of segments corresponding to the number of lenses in the alignment lens array.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein each segment is configured to detect a measure of one lens of the alignment lens array.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the lens array is a micro-lens array of the OPA architecture.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each lens of the alignment lens array has a diameter in a range of 13 μm to 120 μm.
12 . A method of aligning a lens array of an OPA architecture, the method comprising:
transmitting, through an alignment lens array of the lens array, a signal to a sensor, the sensor configured to take measures corresponding to each lens of the alignment lens array;
collecting, by the sensor, a set of measures of the signal corresponding to each lens of the alignment lens array; and
adjusting, by one or more processors, the lens array relative to a PIC based on the set of measures to align the lens array with the PIC, wherein the PIC includes a portion of the OPA architecture.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the adjusting of the lens array relative to the PIC occurs until the set of measures of the signal corresponding to each lens of the alignment lens array are equal.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the set of measures includes at least one of power levels, illumination levels, or intensity levels.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the adjusting of the lens array is in at least one of the x-direction, the y-direction, and the z-direction.
16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising positioning, by the one or more processors, the sensor at a target location of the alignment lens array.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the target location is an intended location of transmitted signals.
18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising positioning, by the one or more processors, the sensor at a target location of a second alignment lens array.
19 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
transmitting, through a second alignment lens array of the lens array, a second signal to the sensor; and
collecting, by the sensor, a second set of measures of the signal corresponding to each lens of the second alignment lens array,
wherein adjusting, the lens array relative to the PIC is further based on the second set of measures.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
transmitting, through the alignment lens array of the lens array, a third signal to the sensor; and
collecting, by the sensor, a third set of measures of the signal corresponding to each lens of the alignment lens array,
wherein adjusting, the lens array relative to the PIC is further based on the third set of measures.