Photonic Processing of Microwave Signals: for Applications in Radar Systems

Photonic processing of microwave signals aims to utilize the many advantages of optical waveguides and devices such as their >THz bandwidth, high EMI tolerance and low weight and volume over traditional microwave devices. These advantages can be best used in the demanding environment of radar systems and even more so in airborne systems. Many radar systems use electronically steered antenna in order to search for targets. raditional phase scanning arrays are limited in there fractional bandwidth and so time scanning arrays are required for large arrays used by radars emitting large bandwidth signals (either very short or phase coded pulses). Due to the advantages described above, it is only natural that photonic True Time Delays (TTDs) will find their way into future radar systems. Such Photonic TTDs have superior microwave characteristics over traditional microwave devices as will be extensively demonstrated throughout this research work. In this research work both continuous and discrete photonic TTDs were explored showing their potential use for application in radar systems an in particular for wide band width systems