Optically Driven and Optically-Controlled Integrated Millimeter-Wave Receiving Phase 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 them experimentally verify their performance. From our theoretical and experimental work, it has been shown that it is feasible to build a single side band modulator for millimeter/microwave signals. Currently our efforts are in improving the design of single side band modulators, investigating alternative substrates and fabrication techniques for electro-optic devices and designing active elements to be used in conjunction with the antenna elements. (Author)