Phased Array Antenna Steering Using a Ring Resonator-Based Optical Beam Forming Network

A novel beam steering mechanism for a phased array antenna receiver system is introduced. The core of the system is a ring resonator-based integrated optical beam forming network chip. Its principles are explained and demonstrated by presenting some measurement results. The system architecture around the chip is based on a combination of frequency down conversion, filter-based optical single sideband modulation and balanced coherent detection. It is proven that such an architecture has significant advantages with respect to a straightforward architecture using double sideband modulation and direct detection, namely relaxed bandwidth requirements on the optical modulators and detectors, reduced complexity and optical losses of the beam forming chip, and enhanced dynamic range