Optically controlled photoconductive N-bit switched microwave signal attenuator

Author

Riza, Nabeel A. ; Saddow, Stephen E.

Author_Institution

Center for Res. & Educ. in Opt. & Lasers, Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

Volume

5

Issue

12

fYear

1995

fDate

12/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

448

Lastpage

450

Abstract

An optical architecture for N-bit digital control of microwave signals is introduced that uses the photoconductive effect in microwave waveguides for variable rf attenuation control. A 2-bit optically controlled microwave attenuator based on a transmission line fabricated on a silicon photoconductive substrate is experimentally demonstrated at 990 MHz. This attenuator provided 0, 5.8, 11.2, and 15.6 dB of independent optically switched attenuation levels

Keywords

antenna phased arrays; coplanar waveguides; photoconducting switches; waveguide attenuators; 2-bit optically controlled microwave attenuator; 990 MHz; N-bit digital control; Si; Si photoconductive substrate; independent optically switched attenuation levels; microwave waveguides; optical architecture; optical control; phased array antenna; photoconductive N-bit switched microwave signal attenuator; photoconductive effect; transmission line; variable rf attenuation control; Electric variables control; Optical attenuators; Optical control; Optical signal processing; Optical transmitters; Optical variables control; Optical waveguides; Phased arrays; Photoconductivity; Substrates;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave and Guided Wave Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8207

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/75.481857

Filename

481857