High Throughput, Waveguide Based, Non-Mechanical Laser Beam Steering

Vescent photonics has developed and optimized a game-changing liquid crystal-clad waveguide technology that is capable of steering infrared laser beams quickly over a large field of view with no moving parts. This enables devices with greatly-reduced Size Weight and Power (SWaP) compared to the mechanical beamsteering systems which are currently in use. It is also expected to result in greatly extended mean time between failures. The purpose of this phase II is to extend this light steering technology so that it can operate in an active scanning mode with the ability to quickly locate and lock onto far away infrared sources with high sensitivity and angular precision. We will design, build, and deliver a high speed non-mechanical scanning receiver operating in the short-wave infrared (SWIR). In parallel with the SWIR effort, we will also develop this electro-optic beamsteering technology for use in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) band. Device parameters will be chosen to match NAVAIR-specified performance requirements.