Characterization and diagnostics of active phased array modules using non-invasive electro-optic field probes with a CW laser source

Electro-optic (EO) field probes can be used very effectively for simultaneous near-field and far-field characterization of radiating apertures. Due to their very small footprint and absence of any metallic parts at the signal pickup area, EO probes provide a non-invasive method for ultra-wideband measurement of aperture-level fields in RF circuits and antennas with very high spatial resolution. In this paper, we describe the use of EO field probes with a CW laser source to characterize a vertically integrated X-band active phased array tile and verify the measured results with simulation data and anechoic chamber measurements.