Optical methods for formation of radiation patterns of phased array antennas

Abstract

It is shown that architectural design principles based on application of photonics methods have prospects for the development of ultra-wideband and ultrashort-pulse radars. Transmitting and receiving systems with optical controllers based on dispersing fiber-optic prisms are considered. Design versions of a photoconductive antenna excited by picosecond optical pulses and a wideband photoelectronic pattern shaper on the basis of analog vector modulation are presented. A method for compensation of antenna distortion effects arising during transmission of an ultrashort pulse with the use of an optical shaping technique is described.