Integrated laser detector

1. A PIC-based integrated laser detector comprising:

first, second and third elements fabricated on a common substrate;

wherein the first element comprises a structure supporting efficient coupling of one or more free-space optical modes of light incident on the first element into one or more waveguide guided optical modes;

wherein the second element comprises an on-chip interferometer comprising:

an input optically coupled to the waveguide guided optical modes;

one or more arms;

one or more outputs; and

a phase tuner configured to change optical path length in one or more of the arms; and

wherein the third element comprises one or more light detecting structures optically coupled to the one or more outputs of the second element, such that variation in optical power in the one or more outputs is detected, allowing an assessment of coherence characterizing the light incident on the first element to be provided.

2. The PIC-based integrated laser detector of claim 1 :

wherein key functionalities of the first and second elements are realized in dielectric materials; and

wherein a key functionality of the third element is realized in a semiconductor material.

3. The PIC-based integrated laser detector of claim 1 , additionally comprising:

a fourth element;

wherein the fourth element provides mode shaping functionality and enhances coupling efficiency between the free-space optical modes and the waveguide guided optical modes.

4. The PIC-based integrated laser detector of claim 1 :

wherein the first element comprises one or more optical gratings; and

wherein the optical gratings provide filtering based on at least one of wavelength and angle of incidence.

5. The PIC-based integrated laser detector of claim 4 , additionally comprising one or more control elements;

wherein the first element comprises two or more optical gratings; and

wherein the one or more control elements control coherent combining of power from different ones of the optical gratings.

6. The PIC-based integrated laser detector of claim 4 , additionally comprising:

a fifth element;

wherein the fifth element provides polarization control functionality and enhances the coupling efficiency between the free-space optical modes and the waveguide guided optical modes, independent of polarization.

7. The PIC-based integrated laser detector of claim 1 :

wherein the first element comprises a corner reflector; and

wherein the corner reflector provides broadband optical coupling between the free-space optical modes and the waveguide guided optical modes.

8. The PIC-based integrated laser detector of claim 1 :

wherein the first element comprises an edge coupler; and

wherein the edge coupler provides broadband optical coupling between the free-space optical modes and the waveguide optical modes.

9. The PIC-based integrated laser detector of claim 1 , connected to an electronic control circuit;

wherein the electronic control circuit:

provides control signals for the phase tuner;

controls the one or more light detecting structures; and

reads signals from the one or more light detecting structures.

10. A PIC-based integrated laser detector comprising:

two or more sub-systems and one or more phase tuners, the subsystems and the one or more phase tuners fabricated on a common substrate;

wherein each sub-system comprises:

first, second and third elements;

wherein the first element comprises a structure supporting efficient coupling of one or more free-space optical modes of light incident on the first element into one or more waveguide guided optical modes;

wherein the second element comprises an on-chip interferometer comprising:

an input optically coupled to the waveguide guided optical modes;

one or more arms; and

one or more outputs; and

wherein the third element comprises one or more light detecting structures optically coupled to the one or more outputs of the second element, such that variation in optical power in the one or more outputs is detected, providing a determination of coherence characterizing the incident light;

wherein one of the one or more phase tuners is shared between two or more of the sub-systems, being configured to change optical path length in one or more of the arms in the corresponding two or more interferometers.

11. A method of assessing coherence of incident light comprising one or more free space optical modes; the method comprising:

intercepting the one or more free space optical modes with a PIC-based integrated laser detector comprising:

first, second and third elements fabricated on a common substrate;

wherein the first element comprises a structure supporting efficient coupling of the one or more free-space optical modes into one or more waveguide guided optical modes;

wherein the second element comprises an on-chip interferometer comprising:

an input optically coupled to the waveguide guided optical modes;

one or more arms;

one or more outputs; and

a phase tuner configured to change optical path length in one or more of the arms; and

wherein the third element comprises one or more light detecting structures optically coupled to the one or more outputs of the second element;

operating the phase tuner, such that an optical path length of at least one arm of the interferometer is adjusted;

receiving one or more signals from the one or more light detecting structures as the phase tuner is operated; and

providing a measure of coherence of the incident light, based on analysis of the received one or more signals.

12. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein operating the phase tuner comprises operating an electronic control circuit connected to the integrated laser detector, such that a control signal is generated and supplied to the phase tuner.

13. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein providing a measure of coherence of the incident light comprises:

analyzing the one or more signals received from the light detecting structures to yield a measure of fringe extinction ratio; and

comparing the measure of fringe extinction ratio with a predetermined threshold of fringe extinction ratio.

14. The method of claim 13 ,

wherein providing a measure of coherence of the incident light further comprises analyzing the one or more signals received from the light detecting structures to yield a measure of average power.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein providing a measure of coherence of the incident light comprises operating an electronic control circuit connected to the integrated laser detector.

16. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein key functionalities of the first and second elements are realized in dielectric materials; and

wherein a key functionality of the third element is realized in a semiconductor material.

17. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the integrated laser detector additionally comprises a fourth element, the fourth element providing mode shaping functionality and enhancing coupling efficiency between the free-space optical modes and the waveguide guided optical modes.

18. The method of claim 11 :

wherein the first element comprises one or more optical gratings; and

wherein the optical gratings provide filtering based on at least one of wavelength and angle of incidence.