Optimizing antenna designs when using integrated optical modulators

Summary form only given. The use of integrated-optical Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZI) as the pick-up or modulation devices in optical antenna and sensor links allows a new set of options for the antenna designer to consider. Techniques for designing gain and bandwidth of a complete optical antenna link by optimizing antenna and matching network designs as a function of the sensitivity of the MZI are discussed. The new SCINW thin-wire antenna optimization code is used as the design tool to optimize the antenna and the matching network parameters. The FOLSIM (fiber optical link simulator) code was used to predict the overall optical link gain, noise figure, and dynamic range resulting from the optimized antenna and matching network designs when nominal optical device parameters are used. It is shown that the use of optical modulator as a pick-up device will allow higher gain for a smaller effective aperture in cases where narrowband performance is desired.<
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