Ultra-Compact Optical True-Time Delay Phased-Array Antenna Transmit/Receive System

"This Phase I SBIR proposal offers an innovative approach for lightweight phased-array antenna transmit/receive architecture and all needed building blocks. A new ultra-wideband low- loss optical transmit/receive architecture will be developed to providemultiple simultaneous beams for a phased-array antenna operating in C, S, and X bands. The transmit/receive architecture employing 3-D polymer waveguide has great advantages in providing lightweight, low-loss, agile, accurate performance for missiledefense applications to disable inbound ballistic missiles. The scalable architecture due to the integration of wavelength-division-multiplexing devices makes the approach suitable for very large arrays and able to provide tens of multiple simultaneousbeams. Optical switch technique enables the transmit/receive system to operate in the C, S and X radar bands. To prove the feasibility of the proposed transmit/receive architecture, the simulation and experimental demonstration of low-loss polymer waveguides, polymer-based optical switches and RF signal generation will be performed. Furthermore,true-time delay lines in one layer will be fabricated during the phase I program. Success of these tasks will lay a solid foundation for the phase II and phase III continuation. The market for the high performance phased-array antenna transmit/receive architectures is a rapidly growing area for military communications, as well as for commercial ap