Active integrated photonic antenna array

Abstract

Photonic beam forming networks benefit from the broad bandwidth and low attenuation of optical waveguides. Applying the true time delay (TTD) approach for antenna arrays, the feeding network is independent from the electrical carrier frequency of the signal. Consequently, the performance of this approach is maximized by placing the opto-electrical conversion (photodiode) directly at the feeding point of the antenna. In this work, such a setup that combines the optical TTD technique and photonic feeding is demonstrated with a four element array of Vivaldi antennas working in the broad frequency range from 0.5-2.5 GHz. A photonic feeding network supporting the beamforming of different antenna patterns is designed. Measurements are presented and discussed.