Electro-optic modulated phase array in hexagonally poled lithium niobate for flexible array illuminator device

We present an adaptive and dynamic hexagonal electro-optic phase array. The proposed device consists of a 2-dimensional hexagonal array of periodically inverted ferroelectric domains, along the z-axis, in lithium niobate crystals. The phase step is achieved via the application of an external electric field, along the z-axis, through transparent electrodes. Thanks to the electro-optic effect the phase step can changed with continuity over all the 0 to 2 by applying a variable voltage. In this way different patterns can be generated. In fact, one important property of this new proposed configuration of array iluminator is the intrinsic flexibility.