Smaller RF-Photonic Circuits and Interconnections for Radar Applications

In Phase I of this program, Photonic Systems, Inc. began development of a novel broad-bandwidth modulator that has the potential to reduce analog photonic link hardware size by a factor of 75 and the required dc power by a factor of 50. The novel modulator will also permit more environmentally robust packaging than has been possible with conventional electro-optic modulators to date. Finally, the novel modulator is projected to enable links to have even lower noise figure -- 3 dB -- without any electronic LNA pre-amplifier. In Phase II of this program we propose to demonstrate this novel modulator concept by fabricating and packaging the novel modulator, testing its RF performance, and quantifying its size, weight and power requirement (SWaP).