Transmit-receive fiber-optic manifold for phase array antennas

Abstract

A signal manifold having a source signal converter coupled to an RF source for converting a source electronic signal from the RF source into an optical signal. The manifold has an optical coupler, having multiple optical fibers, coupled to the first signal converter; and a sink signal converter coupled to the optical coupler. The sink signal converter converts the optical signal from the coupler into a sink electronic signal and conveys that electronic signal to an RF sink. The manifold can be a transmit manifold, or a receive manifold. In addition, a transmit manifold and a receive manifold can be combined to provide a bi-directional signal manifold. The invention herein also provides low-loss asymmetric fiber-optic combiner which includes multiple optical fibers, each fiber having cladding removed from the respective fiber end, exposing the fiber core. The cores are joined together in a predefined configuration and each are optically coupled to a plenum optical fiber. A method for fabricating the low-loss asymmetric fiber-optic combiner also is provided and includes the steps of etching a portion of multiple optical fibers, and removing the cladding from the optical core, producing multiple exposed optical core segments. An optical core bundle with a bundle end is formed by collaterally joining each of the multiple exposed optical core segments with the others. A planar bundle end is formed from the optical core bundle end by polishing, and rendering coplanar, the bundle end. The bundle end is coupled to a plenum optical fiber.