Title :
True time-delay phased-array antenna feed system based on optical heterodyne techniques
Author :
Ligeng Xu ; Taylor, Russell ; Forrest, S.R.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Princeton Univ., NJ, USA
Abstract :
We demonstrate a true-time delay phased-array antenna feed system based on multi-channel optical heterodyne detection techniques. The system is relatively insensitive to laser linewidth and IF frequency instabilities. We demonstrate accurate true-time delay from 0.8 to 1.5 GHz. The dynamic range for one channel is 52 dB for 1 MHz bandwidth. For a very narrow channel spacing of 13 GHz (/spl sim/1 /spl Aring/ at a transmission wavelength of 1.55 μm), the interchannel interference is negligible. Such an architecture has potential for large scale system implementations.
Keywords :
amplitude modulation; antenna feeds; antenna phased arrays; demodulation; optical modulation; optical receivers; spectral line breadth; stability; 0.8 to 1.5 GHz; 1 A; 1 MHz; 1.55 mum; IF frequency instabilities; accurate true-time delay; dynamic range; interchannel interference; large scale system implementations; laser linewidth; multi-channel optical heterodyne detection techniques; optical AM receiver; optical heterodyne techniques; transmission wavelength; true time-delay phased-array antenna feed system; true-time delay phased-array antenna feed system; very narrow channel spacing; Antenna feeds; Bandwidth; Channel spacing; Delay; Dynamic range; Frequency; Interchannel interference; Optical detectors; Optical mixing; Phase detection;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
