Performance Analysis of a Prime-Parameterized Fibonacci Spiral-Based Optical Phased Array

Abstract

Optical phased arrays (OPAs) are a promising technology for realizing fast and on-chip non-mechanical beam steering. In this work, we propose and analyze the performance of a non-uniformly spaced antenna arrangement based on the Fibonacci Spiral. A unique prime-number-based parameterization for antenna positioning and a tunable positional-control parameter ($\alpha$) are introduced. We show that, depending on the intended application of the OPA, by adjusting $\alpha$, we can achieve $\approx$ 56,562 resolvable points with 93 antennas arranged according to the prime-parametrization. To the best of our knowledge, this result exceeds the reported values in existing literature for comparable non-redundant array configurations. We analyze the robustness of this design by evaluating the sensitivities of the three key performance metrics of an OPA: side-lobe suppression ratio (SLSR), field of view (FoV), and the far-field full width at half-maximum (FWHM), to the random disturbances in antenna positions that may occur for practical implementation on a photonic chip.