Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Resilient, Low Noise Figure, Wide Dynamic Range of Radio Frequency to Photonic (RF Photonic) Link

EMI resilient RF Photonic Links are critical for connecting remote antennas in the next generation Navy electronics warfare (EW) architecture. Current commercially available RF/photonic link technologies have deficiencies in dynamic range, noise figure, and SWaP performance. For a solution, this STTR project aims to develop a novel wide dynamic range, low noise RF photonic link, where the key component is a compact, EMI resilient transmitter (TX) module employing photonic integrated low-Vpi, high-speed optical modulators. The proposed link development leverages our extensive hand-on experience in high-performance RF photonics links and related optical modulator, photodetector, material growth, and photonic integrated circuit technologies. The Phase I efforts will validate the feasibility of the proposed link though design, simulations and preliminary proof-of-concept measurements. In Phase II, a prototype of the compact, wide dynamic range, low noise RF Photonic link system be fully developed for highly EMI-immune applications. Experimental validations for its gain, noise figure, dynamic range, and SWaP will also be performed.