Photonically controlled, phased array antenna

Abstract

A photonically controlled antenna element made of a material such as silicon is disclosed wherein one or more of such antenna elements are mounted in an array on a light waveguide made of glass or sapphire. Light is injected into the light waveguide and reflects therein until it is absorbed by the antenna elements due to the higher refractive index of silicon which makes the reflection break down, and thus allows the laser beam to leak out of the waveguide into the silicon antenna elements. When the photonically controlled antenna elements are illuminated they are switched to a conductive state and can transmit and receive electromagnetic signals. When no light is injected into the light waveguide the photonically controlled antenna elements are not illuminated and are in a non-conductive state wherein they cannot receive or transmit electromagnetic signals. A number of these light waveguides with their antenna arrays thereon may be stacked together to form a single antenna system. When the antenna elements on each light waveguide are designed to operate at different frequencies an extremely broadband antenna system is the result. By providing appropriate time or phase delay to the signals going to each antenna array on a light waveguide a phased array antenna is the result with the ability to electronically steer the radiated electromagnetic signal. Different portions of the broadband antenna system may be operating at the same time, with some parts transmitting and other parts receiving electromagnetic energy.