Trw Limited

Philip Henry Wisseman

Chung-Ching Shih

Michael G Wickham

Lawrence J Lembo

John C Brock

A channelizer for signals for optically channelizing RF signals modulated onto an optical carrier by optically separating the RF signals and mapping the RF signals by way of an optically dispersive element, such as a diffraction grating. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, two stages of optical filters elements are provided in series to perform sequential channelization. Bragg reflection gratings are used for coarse filtering into predetermined bands while Fabry-Perot filters tuned to specific sub-bands of the Bragg reflection gratings are used for channelization. In alternate embodiments of the invention, a silica planar waveguide and a optical splitting device, such as a Talbot splitter, are used.

All optical RF signal channelizer

A channelizer for signals for optically channelizing RF signals modulated onto an optical carrier by optically separating the RF signals and mapping the RF signals by way of an optically dispersive element, such as a diffraction grating. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, two stages of optical filters elements are provided in series to perform sequential channelization. Bragg reflection gratings are used for coarse filtering into predetermined bands while Fabry-Perot filters tuned to specific sub-bands of the Bragg reflection gratings are used for channelization. In alternate embodiments of the invention, a silica planar waveguide and an optical splitting device, such as a Talbot splitter, are used.

An RF optical signal processing system that can provide various filter functions by way of tapped delay lines with fiber Bragg gratings, variable weight taps, positive and negative taps and a short coherent length optical source. Such an RF optical signal processing systems is advantageous over corresponding RF electronic systems and offer the increased bandwidth and lower power consumption making the RF optical signal processing system suitable for various application such as avionics and satellite communications.

Optical RF signal processing

Both recursive and non-recursive fiber-optic loop elements are cascaded to form various fiber-optic lattice configurations to form a fiber-optic signal processor for use in wideband applications capable of processing radio frequency (RF) signals. Each fiber-optic loop element includes a fiber-optic element, such as a monomode optical fiber or a monomode optical waveguide formed in a loop by way of a fiber-optic coupling device and one or more reflection mechanisms, such as a Bragg grating. In order to provide increased flexibility, the present invention allows the reflectivities of the reflection elements to be selected to provide additional flexibility in creating the frequency response characteristics of an optical signal processor.

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Hermosa Beach, CA, United States of America

Philip Henry Wisseman