Silicon Waveguide Based Integrated Optical Phased Array Chips ⟨Invited⟩

Based on a silicon-on-insulator material platform with a core thickness of 220 nm, a 64-channel silicon-based optical phased array integrated chip with a large deflection angle was designed using the beam propagation method and the finite time domain difference method. The chip was fabricated using electron beam lithography and other processes, and the performance was characterized. The key beam splitter and the far-field interference image of the arrayed waveguide were simulated. The simulation results show a beam splitting efficiency higher than 49.7% and a deflection range greater than 31 degrees. The chip was fabricated using a standard silicon process on an insulating substrate and packaged as a whole. A self-feedback voltage modulation system optimized based on particle swami algorithm was used for phase modulation. The test results show that under voltage modulation, the light spot produces a horizontal deflection greater than +/- 13 degrees; at the same time, under the wavelength modulation of 1 550 similar to 1 610 nm, the vertical range also has a deflection of 8.4 degrees. It is expected to be widely used in fields such as autonomous driving and unmanned aerial vehicle.