Abstract

A new class of microwave/optical antenna makes use of fiber-optic transmission lines in the antenna feed.¹ Rapid electronic beam-steering is an important goal for these antennas, especially for phased arrays. To reach that goal, active fibercoupled optical devices are needed to adjust the microwave electrical phase of neighboring radiant elements in the array. This paper describes an optical heterodyne device that can produce several cycles of rf/microwave phase shift in response to voltage commands. The device can be constructed on a small (1×2-cm) integrated-optical chip, enabling planar integration of several low-voltage phase shifters.

© 1985 Optical Society of America