Conformal Liquid-Crystal Array Beam Steering Scanner

To address the Air Force’s need for a conformal optical steering system for high resolution LADAR, Intellisense Systems, Inc. (ISI) proposes to develop a new Conformal Liquid-crystal Array Beam Steering Scanner (CLASS), based on a novel electrically tunable liquid crystal microlens array (LCMLA) technology proven effective for beam steering by ISI. Specifically, our innovative use of new LCMLA will enable the lateral displacement of the focal point array, enabling CLASS to steer the beam non-mechanically to a desired angle. Standard techniques will be used to create liquid crystal elements, ensuring the system is readily scalable to large sizes. In addition, liquid crystal polymer composite will make the system polarization-independent, thus making it amenable for efficiently steering the LADAR imaging receiver. As a result, this device offers a scalable conformal optical steering system for high resolution LADAR. In Phase I, ISI will demonstrate the feasibility of CLASS through design, analysis, simulation, and experimentation. The successful completion of the Phase I effort will identify design challenges and trade-offs. In Phase II, ISI plans to develop a functional prototype compatible with the Air Force requirements. We will conduct tests to verify the performance parameters, such as beam steering efficiency, aperture, and SWaP requirements.