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

Volume

8

Issue

1

fYear

1996

Firstpage

160

Lastpage

162

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;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.475812

Filename

475812