Practical photonic beamforming

The impetus for future array antenna systems has revolved around the demands for increased capabilities in array antennas including larger arrays higher power and better angular resolution, wide bandwidths, reconfigurability and higher operating frequencies. In order to move microwave photonics technology for array antennas beyond the proof-of-concept phase and to compete with alternate approaches, the community must be quicker to grasp the systems issues involved. This paper surveys some of the photonics techniques for optical control of array antennas, addresses the system-level issues for technology insertion and discusses some of the competing technologies.