An Investigation of Optically Controlled, Integrated Millimeter Wave Receiving Phased Arrays

Abstract : The principal objective of this project is to determine the most efficient means of encoding a microwave/millimeter wave signal from a patch antenna onto an optical carrier in an electro-optical substrate for subsequent optical processing of the microwave/millimeter wave signal. Our approach was to develop design models that would relate the performance of integrated electro- optic devices to the fabrication parameters used in making them and then experimentally verify their performance. Where lack of agreement was observed, the models were rethought and modified to improve their predictive behavior. Such performance characteristics included modal field distributions, propagation constants, coupling coefficients of channel waveguides and coupling lengths of proton exchanged directional couplers. This information was then used to design patch antennas and integrated optical modulators using various fabrication techniques and substrates. Similar design methods were used to determine the depth of modulation of electro-optic modulators.