Optical beam forming and steering for phased-array antenna

Application of photonics in beam forming and steering for phased-array antennas is addressed in this paper. The feasibility of photonics in space communications systems centers around the basic issues such as the need for photonics and derived benefits, overall performance, and complexity and cost of implementation. Several optical beam forming and steering payloads are assessed for their capability and technology feasibility. Also included are the results of demonstrated proof-of-concept (POC) schemes.<
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