Patent ID: 8615028

Claim:
A vertically integrated optical phased array comprising: an array of a plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers disposed in an arrangement thereof, the plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers having light emitting ports disposed parallel to one another; an array of a plurality of vertical cavity phase modulators disposed in the same aperiodic arrangement as the array of the plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers, with individual modulators of said array of a plurality of vertical cavity phase modulators each being disposed in optical alignment with an injection port of a corresponding one of said plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers; a master laser; an array of a plurality of gratings optically coupled to the master laser, the plurality of gratings being disposed in the same arrangement as the array of the plurality of vertical cavity phase modulators, and each grating of the plurality of gratings optically aligned with a corresponding one of said plurality of vertical cavity phase modulators; and an array of grating taps disposed in the same arrangement as the array of the plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers, the grating taps being coupled to IQ interferometers for adjusting phase changes imposed by said plurality of vertical cavity phase modulators.