Waveguides take to the sky [Polymeric waveguide circuits for airborne photonic phased-array antennas]

Phased-array antennas based on optical true-time-delay (TTD) lines can quickly track several satellites using the slightly different signals received by the array of antennas without physically moving. This article provides an overview of recent developments in wireless and airborne communications technology and presents the authors' research activities in invoking advanced polymeric waveguide circuits for building key blocks of wide-bandwidth phased-array antenna systems. The advantages of polymeric waveguides for microwave signal distribution are also explored.