Optical-fiber system for forming the directional diagram of a broad-band phased-array receiving antenna, using wave-multiplexing technology and the chromatic dispersion of the fiber

摘要

This paper discusses a diagram-forming system for a broad-band (instantaneous frequency band greater than 10 GHz) receiver antenna array. It is based on commercially available elements. The operation of the system is based on independently modulating the radiation of lasers (the number of lasers equals the number of antennas in the array) by received super-high-frequency signals, by wave multiplexing and subsequently directing the radiation of all the lasers into a single one-mode switchable-length fiber. The technique is presented, along with the results of a calculation of the main working characteristics of the system: the transfer response, the dynamic range, and the SNR. The results are discussed of experimental studies of a component of the system, consisting of an analog fiber-optic line to transmit super-high-frequency signals. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America.