Two dimensional optical signal processing beamformer using multi-layer polymeric optical waveguide arrays

An optical heterodyne technique is a very effective procedure for a phased array antenna to generate and control a microwave signal with a particular phase shift. We developed a two-dimensional (2-D) Fourier transform optical signal processing (OSP) beam forming network (BFN). In the OSP-BFN, we use multi-layer polymeric optical waveguide arrays to make a 2-D specific phase-front and sample 2-D distributed light beams. These multi-layer optical waveguide arrays consist of three layers and 13 waveguides (4+5+4). We experimentally demonstrated 2-D beam steering in the X-band. Experimental results confirm the feasibility of the 2-D OSP-BFN.