PHASED ANTENNA ARRAY INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF ELECTRO-OPTICAL CIRCUITS HAVING AN OPTICAL SOURCE WITH AN OPTO-ELECTRONIC OSCILLATOR AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

摘要

A phased antenna array includes a plurality of electro-optic (EO) circuits. Each EO circuit has a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to receive a baseband signal, and an optical source comprising an opto-electronic oscillator configured to generate an optical signal. Each EO circuit also has an EO modulator coupled downstream of the DAC and to the optical source and configured to modulate an optical carrier signal based upon the baseband signal and the optical signal, and an optical combiner coupled downstream of the EO modulator and coupled to the optical source. In addition, there are a plurality of antenna circuits spaced apart from the plurality of EO circuits, each antenna circuit comprising at least one photodiode and an antenna element coupled thereto. Moreover, a plurality of optical fibers couple the plurality of EO circuits to the plurality of antenna circuits.