Mid-infrared 2D nonredundant optical phased array of mirror emitters in an InGaAs/InP platform

The extension of photonic technologies such as lidar and free-space optical communications from the traditional visible and near-infrared wavelengths to longer wavelengths can improve performance in adverse environments such as haze, fog, smoke, or strong solar background. Non-mechanical beam steerers will be a critical component of the low size, weight, and power modules needed for the portable or unmanned systems deployed in these environments. In this work, we demonstrate the first 2D optical phased array for non-mechanical beam steering in the mid-infrared spectral region. We combine a total-internal-reflection mirror emitter with a nonredundant array of 30 elements to carry out 2D beam steering at a single wavelength of 4.6 µm. The experiment yielded ∼600 resolvable far-field points, with ∼2400 points over a 28° × 28° field of view calculated theoretically. Moreover, the device was fabricated in a passive InGaAs/InP platform, contributing another advance in the ongoing development of quantum cascade laser-based photonic integration.