Performance comparison of continuous optical beam steering approaches

Abstract

Two methods for designing a continuous optical beam steering device are to use a linear phase profile based on physical optical pathlength (OPL) , and based on Pancharatnam phase (PP) . There are challenges with both of these basic approaches when considering design goals of high steering angle range, resolution, speed, and efficiency. In this overview talk, a comparison will be made between these two approaches with regard to these design goals. The limiting effects on each of these design goals will be considered with detailed FDTD optical modeling, and compared with experimental measurements.