Phased-array antennas employing slow and fast light in alternating amplifying and absorbing sections

We have presented a new approach to control the phase of optically fed phased-array antennas using alternating amplifying and absorbing sections. The potential benefits from the proposed SOA-EA structures are the high tuning speed, the continuous scan, the small size, the capability of integration, the low insertion losses and the low bias voltage. We have obtained a phase change of 70 degrees around 10 GHz using commercially available components that were not optimized for this purpose