Title :
Array transmitter/receiver controlled by a true time-delay fiber-optic beamformer
Author :
Frankel, Michael Y. ; Esman, Ronald D. ; Parent, Mark G.
Author_Institution :
Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC, USA
Abstract :
We demonstrate a phased-array antenna controlled by a fiber-optic beamformer in true time-delayed transmit mode and in phase-delayed receive mode. The wavelength-tunable optical carrier propagating in a high-dispersion fiber realizes a true time-delay, with the steering direction set by a single voltage controlling the wavelength. The linear antenna is a sparsely-populated array with eight broadband spiral elements. The transmitter operates in 2-18 GHz frequency range over /spl plusmn/50/spl deg/ azimuth steering, and the receiver operates in 6-16 GHz frequency range over /spl plusmn/35/spl deg/ azimuth steering.<>
Keywords :
antenna phased arrays; linear antenna arrays; optical delay lines; optical fibres; receiving antennas; transmitting antennas; 2 to 18 GHz; 6 to 16 GHz; array receiver; array transmitter; azimuth steering; broadband spiral elements; fiber-optic beamformer; high-dispersion fiber; linear antenna; phase-delayed receive mode; phased-array antenna; sparsely-populated array; steering direction; time-delayed transmit mode; wavelength control; wavelength-tunable optical carrier; Antennas and propagation; Azimuth; Broadband antennas; Frequency; Linear antenna arrays; Optical propagation; Optical receivers; Optical transmitters; Receiving antennas; Transmitting antennas;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
