Title

Demonstration of an all-digital 7-bit 33-channel photonic delay line for phased-array radars

Authors

Authors

N. Madamopoulos;N. A. Riza

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

Abbreviated Journal Title

Appl. Optics

Keywords

TRUE-TIME-DELAY; ANTENNA; SYSTEM; Optics

Abstract

A 7-bit multichannel photonic delay line for phased-array antenna control is demonstrated. Multichannel (33-pixel) ferroelectric liquid-crystal (FLC) devices are used as polarization rotation elements, and polarization beam-splitter cubes are used as polarization elements that route the optical signals to different paths. The controller is remotely fed by a unique fiber-optic-array design that uses gradient-index lens collimators for the input single-mode polarization-maintaining fibers. The optical signal is collected by a similar fiber array that uses multimode fibers for improved coupling efficiency. Photonic delay-line (PDL) design issues such as multiport assemblies, multipixel FLC designs, and delay-line architectures are discussed. Furthermore, various PDL parameters are examined. High electrical isolation numbers are obtained for both the within-channel leakage noise (e.g., less than -70 dB) and the interchannel cross talk (e.g., less than -90 dB). Optical and electrical insertion loss is examined for the PDL as well as for the overall system. A high-compression dynamic range of 149 dB . Hz and a spurious free dynamic range of 105 dB . Hz(2/3) are presented. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America. OCIS codes: 280.5110, 160.3710, 060.2300.

Journal Title

Applied Optics

Volume

39

Issue/Number

23

Publication Date

1-1-2000

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

4168

Last Page

4181

WOS Identifier

WOS:000088643100014

ISSN

1559-128X

Share

COinS