Work

Phased array antenna system based on few-mode fiber mode interferometer delay lines

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This paper proposes a delay line (DL) based on a few-mode fiber (FMF) mode interferometer utilizing few-mode long-period fiber grating (FM-LPFG), and constructs a 1 × 4 phased array antenna (PAA) system. Current phased array systems based on FMFs primarily rely on few-mode fiber gratings (FMFGs) for delay tuning, offering advantages including low power consumption, compact structure, and the requirement of only a single-wavelength light source. However, their performance is constrained by discrete tuning mechanisms. To address this limitation, this work introduces dynamic adjustment of the coupling ratio between the LP 01 mode and a degenerate state of the LP 11 mode via a few-mode polarization controller (FM-PC), achieving the first demonstration of continuously tunable delay in a DL based on FMFG. Simulations and experiments validate this capability, while the impact of fusion splice lateral core offset distance on delay characteristics and errors induced by carrier frequency offset are also analyzed. Finally, the 1 × 4 PAA system is constructed using four experimentally fabricated DLs, and the results of far-field radiation pattern testing demonstrate that the system can achieve non-skewed beam steering.

Source: Optics Express

DOI: 10.1364/oe.576998

Authors: Shiming Wang, Wenqi Ma, Guijun Hu

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Photonic Communication Systems

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,270

Funders: Department of Science and Technology of Jilin Province, National Key Scientific Instrument and Equipment Development Projects of China, National Key Research and Development Program of China

Awards: G4396181327, G6201630035, G714224676