Abstract

A compact free-space/solid optics phased array antenna/transducer optical controller is disclosed that uses the principle of in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) vector modulation via two dimensional (2-D) spatial light modulators (SLMs). The SLMs are used as distributed optical gain/amplitude control devices. The system can be fed by four independent lasers where one pair of lasers must be mutually incoherent (or their beat frequency is not in the interested spectrum) with the other pair of lasers. These lasers are modulated (directly or externally) by separate forms (different phase shifts: 0, 90, 180, 270) of the input source signal/modulated radio frequency (rf) carrier. Each of the four different sets of light beams (each set containing N light beams; N=Total antenna/transducer elements in phased array) is independently amplitude modulated by the 4X N modulating pixels of the SLM. Depending on the phase and amplitude of the carrier required on the nth antenna/transducer element, laser

Document Type

Patent

Patent Number

US 5,731,790

Application Serial Number

08/552,092

Issue Date

3-24-1998

Current Assignee

UCFRF

Assignee at Issuance

UCFRF

College

College of Optics and Photonics

Department

CREOL

Allowance Date

8-13-1997

Filing Date

11-2-1995

Assignee at Filing

UCFRF

Filing Type

Nonprovisional Application Record

Donated

no

Download Patent

Share

COinS