Optical Phased Array Radar Technology, Fiber-optic Delay

Compared with traditional copper cables,optical fiber as a transmission medium have a series of obvious advantages. Since the 1970s, optical fiber technology has made rapid development not only in civil telecommunication areas, but because of its anti-electromanetic interference, a high quality of confidentiality, anti-nuclear radiation capabilities as well as light weight and small size, it has also gained attention and favor of many governments of developed countries and the military.To improve the flexibility of the phased array radar antenna beam scanning, reduce the initial power, and precisely control of phase and amplitude required for the unit in order to achieve a low sidelobe space, it required for each antenna element to provide beam (phase) control signal, polarization control signal and amplitude control signals. Using optical fiber high-speed transmission to control signals, it can produce a stable phase, substantially reduced the amount of electronic components of each active unit , and simplify system configuration, decrease the radar costs, and reduce the size and quality. The application of optical fiber technology in phased array radar also includes the use of optical fiber delay line in optical phased array radar beam to form the necessary phase shift. Broad and optical fiber real-time delay produced by the optical phased array transmitter can form beam for the flexibly remote control of the antenna.According to the requirements of optically phased array radar system, the delay in information technology used in optically Controlled Phased Array Radar is mainly for the optical phased array radar system to establish self-scanning radar antenna beamformer which plays a central role in the entire system. The successful invention of this technology can resolve such problems as high-precision, high dynamic range and ultra-wide frequency band of optically phased array radar and other technical issues.This paper studies the use of the real-time delay components in optical phased array radar for the high-precision detection of multiple maneuvering targets .With regard to address the device integration and high-precision delay and other key technologies for optical phased array radar antenna beamformer provides a number of high - precision optical delay components to meet the needs of engineering applications. This paper works for:1. Introduction of the basic principles and basic components of Optically Controlled Phased array radar, brief analysis of the advantages and its application of light control phased array radar, and discussion of the working principle of optical fiber delay line and its application in optical phased array radar.2.Analysis of RF signals in optical transmission link performance, design of the L-band optical phased array radar, the realization of optical fiber delay network, including optical transmission module, optical fiber delay module, optical receiver modules, as well as the entire network design and implementation of the program.3. Focuses on the key technologies and innovative technologies of optical fiber delay network, including the external modulation driven-control technology, ultra-high-speed optical switches cascaded array technology, Amplitude compensation technology and design.4. Test of engineering samples and system parameters, and all indicators required to meet the system targets.This paper discusses optically fiber delay line technology through the self- research and development of the phased array radar to break the foreign monopoly in this field , provide support to optically phased array radar equipment and have a wide range of application prospects.