Phased array radar control using ferroelectric liquid crystal devices

In this paper, we show how ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) devices, when combined with certain optical noise reduction schemes can give us the desired high performance photonic time delay lines (PTDLs), both in speed and optical on/off isolation at both output ports of the switching fabric, as required for advanced wideband radar. This is unlike all previous FLC switching fabric designs where no such active noise reduction scheme was used.