Multi-beam Optical Beamformer PICs for LiDAR and RADAR Applications

The optical beamformers that rely on Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) have emerged as highly reliable alternatives compared to the bulky and energy-hungry RF chains and mechanical steering systems. Stemming from the rapid penetration of PIC technologies into both the radiofrequency (RF) and the free-space optics (FSO) application areas, Optical Multi-beam Beamformer Network (OMBFN) architectures have been demonstrated as a solution to the inevitable increase of the radiating elements when a single antenna array is employed for the generation of multiple beams. So far, these architectures rely primarily on the adaptation of network solutions developed for RF implementation, most prevalent to be Butler or Blass matrices. These solutions, however, come with their disadvantages supporting either static beams distribution or preventing every beam from being generated and steered independently. In this work, we present the exploitation of the crossbar (Xbar)-based universal linear operator as an OMBFN, offering the independent generation and control of multiple simultaneous beams.