N-channel M-bit integrated optical waveguide tunable delay line

Abstract

The invention discloses an N-channel M-bit integrated optical waveguide tunable delay line which is mainly applied to the field of a phase array radar. For aiming at problems of low delay precision, relatively large size, relatively large weight, low space utilization rate, low reconfigurability of a delay line and nontunable delay in the delay line, through cascading an MZI optical switch unit and a delay line unit for forming an M-bit tunable optical waveguide delay line, and changing a power which is applied to an optical switch electrode based on a thermo-optic effect, a phase relation between optical waves on two interference arms is changed, thereby realizing selection for different paths, selecting different delay line units, further selecting different delay time, making time delayprecision deltat reach a picosecond magnitude, and satisfying a requirement for higher and higher working frequency of the radar. Through adjusting length difference between an external arc waveguideand an inner arc waveguide of the delay line unit, the delaying amount is adjusted for realizing tunable delaying amount. The N-channel M-bit integrated optical waveguide tunable delay line satisfiesa requirement for higher and higher working frequency of the radar and furthermore has a wide application prospect.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention belongs to the field of phased array radar, in particular to an N-channel M-bit integrated optical waveguide tunable delay line technology of a planar optical waveguide. Background technique [0002] Tunable optical delay lines are mainly used for signal synchronization and buffering, signal processing and microwave photonic systems, optical coherence tomography technology and beamforming technology in phased array radar. Tunable optical delay line is a key component in phased array radar. Due to the limitation of aperture effect and aperture transit time in traditional phased array radar, it is difficult to achieve large instantaneous bandwidth at large scanning angles. By using tunable optical delay Line, can achieve large instantaneous bandwidth under large scanning angle, and at the same time have advantages in improving radar resolution, recognition ability, and solving multi-target imaging. With the increase of radar operating freq...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0003] In order to solve the above technical problems, this application proposes an N-channel M-bit integrated optical waveguide tunable delay line, which uses an optical real-time delay unit instead of a purely electric real-time delay unit, and solves the two major technical problems of traditional phased array radar. The bottleneck, that is, the limitation of instantaneous large bandwidth and the problem of beam skew, make the optically controlled phased array antenna system lighter in weight, smaller in size, higher in integration, reconfigurable, higher in space utilization, and lower in power consumption. Low cost, strong anti-electromagnetic interference ability, etc.

Images