An optically controlled microwave phase shifter based on self-heterodyning technique using chirped fiber gratings and an optical frequency shifter

A novel optically controlled microwave phase shifter based on self-heterodyne technique using chirped fiber gratings (CFG's) and optical frequency shifter (OFS) is demonstrated experimentally. The phase shifter is able to provide a wide bandwidth and beam scanning capability over a wide angle. Calculated results of an investigation into the beam scanning properties of a nine-element phased array antenna at 5 and 40 GHz are presented. Performance at 5 GHz of the optically controlled phase shifter based on the CFG's and an OFS was measured. Agreement between the measured phases and those evaluated from the group delay properties of the CFG's was very good.