Multi-Gigahertz radar range processing of baseband and RF carrier modulated signals in Tm:YAG

An optical device is described and demonstrated that uses a spatial-spectral holographic material to perform coherent signal processing operations on analog, high-bandwidth optical signals with large time-bandwidth-products. Signal processing is performed as the material records the coherent spectral interference (or cross-power spectrum) of modulated optical signals as a spatial-spectral population grating between electronic transition states. Multiple exposures of processing pulse sequences are integrated with increasing grating strength. The device, coined as the Spatial-Spectral Coherent Holographic Integrating Processor (or S2-CHIP), is described as currently envisioned for a broadband, mid-to-high pulse repetition frequency range-Doppler radar signal processing system. Experiments were performed in Tm:YAG (0.1 at% at 5 K) to demonstrate time delay variation, integration dynamics, and effects of coding as applied to a radar range processor. These demonstrations used baseband modulation with a 1 gigabit per second (GPBS) bit rate and code length of 512 bits (512 ns), where delays up to 1.0 μs were resolved with greater than a 40 dB peak to RMS sidelobe ratio after 800 processing shots. Multi-GHz processing was demonstrated using a bit rate of 2.5 GBPS (baseband modulation) and code length of 2048 bits (819.2 ns). Processing of double-sideband modulated signals on a radio frequency (RF) carrier was demonstrated, where 512 bit, 1.0 GBPS codes were modulated on a 1.75 GHz carrier and then modulated on the optical carrier.