Free-space power combining and beam steering of ultra-wideband radiation using an array of laser-triggered antennas

A mode-locked laser is used to synchronize jitter-free ultrawideband (UWB) pulse generation at an array of UWB antenna elements. The jitter-free pulses radiated by each element add together in free space to produce a radiated field pattern that is steerable via optical true-time-delay techniques. The results from a three element array experiment are presented and used to develop a model for an N-element phased array. A transmission-line model is presented for a single array element, which includes the functions of energy storage, as well as UWB pulse generation and radiation.