A 32-element 8-bit photonic true-time-delay system based on a 288 x 288 3-D MEMS optical switch

Author

Kaman, Volkan ; Zheng, Xuezhe ; Helkey, Roger J. ; Pusarla, Chandrasekhar ; Bowers, John E.

Author_Institution

Calient Networks, Goleta, CA, USA

Volume

15

Issue

6

fYear

2003

fDate

6/1/2003 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

849

Lastpage

851

Abstract

A large-scale three-dimensional microelectromechanical-system optical switch is used for the first time to realize a true-time-delay (TTD) beamformer for phased-array radar applications, with a capacity of 32 antenna elements and eight bits of delay. The 288 /spl times/ 288 optical switch has a median loss of 1.4 dB and all measured 82 944 paths exhibit less than 2.3 dB loss at 1310 nm. The TTD beamformer exhibits a loss variation of 1.5 dB, which is equalized using a mirror-offset technique.

Keywords

antenna phased arrays; beam steering; micro-optics; micromirrors; microswitches; optical deflectors; optical delay lines; optical losses; optical switches; phased array radar; 1.4 dB; 1.5 dB; 1310 nm; 2.3 dB; 288 by 288 3-D MEMS optical switch; 32-element 8-bit photonic true-time-delay system; TTD beamformer; antenna elements; capacity; large-scale three-dimensional microelectromechanical-system optical switch; median loss; mirror-offset technique; phased-array radar; true-time-delay beamformer; Delay lines; Loss measurement; Micromechanical devices; Optical fiber losses; Optical fiber polarization; Optical losses; Optical network units; Optical signal processing; Optical switches; Optical waveguides;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2003.811348

Filename

1200220