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Simultaneous frequency up/down converting interface based on a single hardware incorporating two phase-correlated
Optics Express
|March 18, 2022
Summary
A novel photonic frequency up/down-converting interface (FCI) enables simultaneous signal conversion for radar systems. This technology successfully imaged targets with high resolution, demonstrating its practical application in advanced radar.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Radio Frequency (RF) Engineering
- Radar Systems
Background:
- Traditional radar systems require separate components for frequency up and down-conversion.
- Existing frequency conversion methods can introduce signal loss and complexity.
- The need for compact and efficient radar systems drives innovation in signal processing hardware.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and demonstrate a novel photonic frequency up/down-converting interface (FCI).
- To integrate both up-conversion (Intermediate Frequency to Radio Frequency) and down-conversion (RF to IF) functionalities into a single device.
- To validate the FCI's application in a deramp-on-receive linearly frequency modulated (LFM) continuous wave (CW) radar system.
Main Methods:
- Development of a five-port photonic FCI, functioning as two ultra-wideband, phase-correlated photonic RF mixers.
- Integration of the FCI into a deramp-on-receive LFM CW imaging radar system.
- Testing with a 1 GHz bandwidth LFM waveform.
Main Results:
- The photonic FCI successfully performed simultaneous IF to RF up-conversion and RF to IF down-conversion.
- The LFM signal transmission and reception were validated within the Ka-band frequency range.
- Clear imaging of two point-targets was achieved with a 3dB range resolution of 15cm, demonstrating coherent combination of deramp output signals across multiple pulses.
Conclusions:
- The proposed photonic FCI offers a novel, integrated solution for frequency conversion in radar systems.
- The successful demonstration in an LFM CW imaging radar highlights the FCI's capability for high-resolution target imaging.
- This technology has the potential to enhance the performance and reduce the complexity of future radar platforms.
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