Highly integrated analog fiber optic transmitter for high dynamic range RF applications

The Navy is interested in developing a high performance analog fiber optics transmitter for high dynamic range RF applications. The interest in fiber optics is to eliminate the current heavy, difficult to install, hard to maintain, Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) susceptible copper based RF links such as rigid coax or specifically tuned cables with light, flexible, high bandwidth, EMI immune optical fiber cables. Princeton Optronics has developed high performance analog transmitters in the past meeting most of the desired specifications of this SBIR and has developed a mechanical platform which provide the ability for the free space optically coupled components to maintain their optical coupling integrity over Navy temperature range and can withstand the desired shock and vibration. We would use that platform and use the newly available components like high performance lasers and smaller modulators to achieve the desired performance and size for the transmitter. In phase I, we would do the simulations as well as coupling experiments with the laser and the modulator and make a design which would meet all the requirements of this SBIR. In phase II, we would build the transmitter and test it extensively.