Optical fiber and microwave wireless up-links using EO modulator with planar stripline feed to gap-embedded patch-antennas

Abstract

Microwave wireless and optical fiber technologies are widely used for several applications in communication, sensing, imaging, and so on. We propose an electro-optic (EO) modulator with a planar stripline feed to a gap-embedded patch-antenna for hybrid uplinks to an optical fiber and microwave wireless networks. The proposed device is designed on an EO crystal with simple and compact structure. The gap-embedded patch-antenna on the EO modulator can be operated for optical modulation to the optical fiber network. The proposed device can be also operated for microwave transmission to the air or wireless networks. Characteristic and analysis of the designed device for optical modulation and wireless microwave transmission are reported and discussed.