A RF spectrum analyzer with high performance and unique capabilities that traditional all-electronic spectrum analyzers
do not exhibit is demonstrated. The system is based on photonic signal processing techniques that have enabled us to
demonstrate the spectral analysis of a 1.5 GHz bandwidth with a 1.4 ms update time and a resolution bandwidth of 31
kHz. We observed a 100% probability of intercept for all signals, including short pulses, during the measurement
window. The spectrum analyzer operated over the 0.5 to 2.0 GHz range and exhibited a spur-free dynamic range of 42
dB. The potential applications of such a system are extensive and include: detection and location of transient electromagnetic
signals, spectrum monitoring for adaptive communications such as spectrum-sensing cognitive radio, and
battlefield spectrum management.
Experimental and analytical results for semiconductor electro-refractive modulators will be presented. Modulation structures investigated include quantum wells, coupled quantum wells and quantum dots.
As the frequencies and bandwidths in military RF systems escalate, we enter a realm where photonic technologies can play an important role in signal transmission and processing. Since it is very difficult to process large data bandwidths, either tunable or instantaneous, using conventional electronics, conventional receiver electronics becomes a bandwidth bottleneck, thus development is timely for optical processing of wideband signals. A review of critical mission requirements and photonics capabilities reveals a variety of military missions that can benefit immediately or in the near future from the advantages offered by photonics. In this paper we will discuss the implementation of an Integrated Sensor System (ISS) that is greatly simplified through the use of a coherent optical channelizer. In this system the received RF signal, which has been modulated onto an optical carrier, is routed via an all-optical switch to the coherent optical channelizer. A signal channelizer has the capability to process signals at frequencies of up to 100 Ghz and translate all the frequency channels to a convenient I.F. That is compatible with advanced digital receivers currently under development. The channelizer is also used on the transmit side of the system where a signal waveform is electronically synthesized at a convenient I.F. then photonically translated to a desired frequency band and transmitted to the aperture over fiber.
In recent years, many examples have been cited where photonic signal procesors have the potential of enabling the deployment of wideband RF sensor systems whose data rates would otherwise overwhelm the capabilities of traditional digital signal processors. Passive, synthetic aperture millimeter-wave (MMW) imaging arrays are one such class of sensor system that offers a solution to the need for a passive, all-weather look-down sensor for critical DoD and environmental missions. A photonic method of correlating the signals received by the various elements of the array offers a highly efficient, exceptionally wideband capability, exploiting a powerful new technology for aperture- synthesis imaging. Our trade study has helped to establish that a photonically based interferometric imager can significantly reduce the weight and power consumption of the system relative to an all-digital- electronics approach. In addition, the ability of an airborne or space based system to process multi-gigahertz bandwidths offers the first real-time MMW imager operating at video rates. Previous demonstrations of optical correlators have used discrete components, and generate only the real part of the correlation. Using integrated optical waveguide technology developed in part fof the telecommunications industry, we have developed an approach for computing complex correlations over wide bandwidths and in such a way to allow video rate imaging for passive MMW systems. We will describe a general processing architecture, its capability, and our trade study results to provide a motivation for the future development of these types of systems.
The authors present a monolithically integrated photodetector array combiner approach that operates over an extremely wide RF bandwidth. These arrays are suitable for coherent RF signal combining applications such as optically controlled phased array radar. The approach consisted of a monolithically integrated array of high-power, wideband photodetectors distributed along an RF transmission line resulting in a low power consumption, broadband, high power handling optical-to-RF combiner, The authors demonstrated a 4-element photodetector array with a small-signal 3dB bandwidth of 34 GHz. RF models were developed and calibrated to the measured results to predict the performance of larger arrays. The models predict than an 8-, 16-, and 48-element array would have a small-signal 3dB bandwidth of 25 Ghz, 15.7GHz, and 5.8GHz respectively. These arrays showed a reasonable amount of robustness to variations and/or errors in the time delays of the input optical feed network suggesting that implementation outside the laboratory should be practical.
Semiconductor based optical modulators offer flexibility in providing engineerable optical transfer characteristics that can target specific applications. Use of quantum well active regions provides the capability of efficient and linearized transfer characteristics that can benefit analog RF systems in terms of link gain, noise figure and spur free dynamic range. We present experimental results demonstrating the potential for improvements in modulator linearity and efficiency using quantum well based Mach-Zehnder modulators.
Coherent photonic systems promise novel functionality and/or improved performance compared to direct detection photonic system, but have the disadvantage of being sensitive to optical phase noise. The most common approach to this problem is to force one laser to track the phase of the other with a phase locked loop (PLL), so that the phase noise of the lasers cancels out of the RF heterodyne beat note. Although the PLL approach has been implemented for semiconductor lasers, the large linewidth of these lasers and the resulting large PLL loop bandwidth severely constrain the design and limit performance. This disadvantage of the PLL approach is particularly relevant for many applications, since semiconductor lasers are preferred for system insertion.
The demonstration of RF photonic links with bandwidths of 100 GHz or more is expected in the near future, due to rapid and continuing progress in modulator and detector technology. Since it is very difficult to electronically process such a large bandwidth after photodetection, photonic approaches that reduce the burden on the electronics are increasingly relevant.One such approach is an optical channelizer, where an RF modulator optical carrier is optically dispersed onto a detector array. Each element of the array only sees a portion of the original wideband RF spectrum. We analyze the RF performance of optical channelizers in terms of crosstalk and uniformity of response. Both direct detection and heterodyne channelizers will be considered. Analysis of this kind is necessary for our application, since the usual parameters of a dispersive optical system, such as resolution, resolving power or filter linewidth do not provide enough information to determine the RF performance. The analysis has shown that a Fabry-Perot filter based channelizer cannot provide adequate RF performance, while a grating-based channelizer can. For channelizer to 1 GHz channels with a -70 dB crosstalk specification, a total grating length of roughly 80 cm is required, so a multiple bounce geometry is necessary to obtain a reasonably compact system.
We discuss radiation test results on 1.55 micrometers , polarization maintaining fiber from two sources. One fiber employs stress induced birefringence, the other is an elliptical waveguide that achieves birefringence through a geometrical shaping of the core. Testing was conducted in accordance with FOTP-64 at the SEGIT Facility at the Defense Microelectronics Activity, Sacramento, CA. Overall dose rate was approximately 10.5 kilorads/min (SiO2) for a total dose of 10 Megarads (SiO2) at temperatures of -55, +23 and +125 degree(s)C.
Semiconductor optical amplifiers are investigated for use in large optical signal distributions systems requiring high dynamic range. The impact of amplifier length on the gain and noise figure of the microwave signal is illustrated experimentally. The performance of a device which simultaneously splits and amplifies the optical signal using the principle of multimode interference will be discussed, and it will be shown that this device has potentially higher performance that the previous generation Y-branch/amplifier combination.
We report an RF optical InP-based PIN-HEMT photoreceiver operating across a measured 36-46 GHz frequency band fabricated on the same wafer using selective area regrowth with molecular beam epitaxy. The photoreceiver design consists of a 20 micron circular InGaAs/InP photodiode integrated with a wide band 0.15 micron gate length InGaAs/InAlAs/InP low noise amplifier optimized for 44 GHz operation. The heterodyne technique of beating the frequency of two lasers was used to generate an RF modulated light signal at 1.3 micron wavelength. The output of the photoreceiver was measured on a spectrum analyzer and was found to be -24 to -27 dBm across a 36-46 GHz band.
KEYWORDS: Optical amplifiers, Phased array optics, Signal to noise ratio, Interference (communication), Waveguides, Active optics, Near field optics, Integrated optics, Semiconductor optical amplifiers, Signal attenuation
Microwave optical splitter/amplifier integrated chip devices using semiconductor optical amplifiers are investigated for use in large optical signal distribution systems requiring high dynamic range. After demonstrating the need for optical amplification in large optical distribution systems, we show that the amplifier length should be minimized in order to minimize the noise figure, and that the optical power level should be well below the saturation power. We have demonstrated 11 dB fiber-to-fiber RF gain in a 1 X 4 device, and 15 dB single-pass optical gain in an active 1 X 10 multimode splitter.
A fiber-optic approach for low-loss true time delay of wideband RF signals for phased-array-antenna beamsteering is presented. An optical carrier modulated by the RF signal of interest is launched into a delay-line fiber composed of optical Bragg reflection gratings written holographically into the core of a single-mode fiber. The desired beam steering is realized by tuning the optical carrier wavelength for reflection from the appropriate grating. Radiation testing of various fibers with Bragg gratings has been performed indicating preferable fiber types. True time delay offers much reduced beam squint and sharper antenna superior nulling compared to phase shift scanned antenna. Examples of applications of this concept showing its advantages are presented.
We discuss the development of a fiber-optic approach for low-loss true time delay of wideband RF signals for phased-array-antenna beamsteering and general analog signal-processing applications. The device utilizes narrowband optical Bragg reflection gratings written holographically into the core of a single-mode fiber to reflect light of different optical wavelengths. An optical carrier modulated by the RF signal of interest is launched into this delay-line fiber. The desired RF time delay is realized by runing the optical carrier wavelength for reflection from the appropriate grating. Unlike conventional switching schemes, this time- delay element has an RF insertion loss that is independent of the number of time delays (bit resolution) provided. The wavelength selectable nature of the TTD device can simplify beamsteering control and channel multiplexing in phased-array antennas. Experimental results are reported for optical and RF characterization of the Bragg-grating element. Both time and frequency-domain RF data are shown that demonstrate the wavelength-selectable time delay concept.
We describe the characterization and development of semiconductor quantum well electroabsorption modulators (EAMs) for insertion into high-performance photonic links intended for analog applications. Limitations of existing approaches are described, motivating the potential of EAMs for exploiting the flexibility of semiconductor bandgap engineering. Relationships are established between basic modulator device characteristics and the RF system performance measures of link gain (insertion loss), bandwidth, noise figure, and dynamic range; results are then presented that have established the viability of EAMs for wideband, low-loss, linear analog photonic links.
An integrated semiconductor interconnect chip is being developed for the distribution of microwave signals to the subarrays and/or radiating elements of a phased array antenna (PAA). The baseline chip design calls for a 1 X 4 distribution fanout, and consists of both waveguide splitters and integrated optical amplifiers to compensate for inherent splitting as well as excess waveguide and coupling losses. Analysis is being performed to evaluate the RF performance of photonic links containing semiconductor optical amplifiers, and to determine the most judicious use of such an interconnect in the photonic feed network of a PAA.
We present a novel concept, the fiber optic Bragg grating true- time-delay (TTD) element, for implementing true time delay in the distribution network of an optically fed phased array antenna. the device utilizes narrowband optical Bragg reflection gratings written holographically into the core of a single-mode fiber at various positions along its length. An optical carrier is modulated by the RF signal of interest and launched into this delay-line fiber. The desired RF time delay may be realized by wavelength-selectable nature of the TTD device offers the possibility for simplified beamsteering control and channel multiplexing.
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