SBIR-STTR Award

EMI resilient RF Photonic Links are critical for connecting remote antennas in the next generation Navy electronics warfare (EW) architecture. Current commercially available RF/photonic link technologies have deficiencies in dynamic range, noise figure, and SWaP performance. For a solution, this STTR project aims to develop a novel wide dynamic range, low noise RF photonic link, where the key component is a compact, EMI resilient transmitter (TX) module employing photonic integrated low-Vpi, high-speed optical modulators. The proposed link development leverages our extensive hand-on experience in high-performance RF photonics links and related optical modulator, photodetector, material growth, and photonic integrated circuit technologies. The Phase I efforts will validate the feasibility of the proposed link though design, simulations and preliminary proof-of-concept measurements. In Phase II, a prototype of the compact, wide dynamic range, low noise RF Photonic link system be fully developed for highly EMI-immune applications. Experimental validations for its gain, noise figure, dynamic range, and SWaP will also be performed.

Benefit:
The proposed innovation provides an enabling high-performance RF photonic link technology for critical defense-related applications in optically fed radar frontends for phased-array, acquisition, direction-finding (DF) radar. The proposed link technology is also applicable to RF-over-fiber (RoF) telecom systems, including cable television (CATV), 5G as well as future 6G wireless network signal distributions. The market for the RF photonic link systems was valued at about $291.1 million in 2017 and is projected to be more than $566.1 million by 2023. The STTR R&D efforts are expected to accelerate the commercialization of the high-performance RF Photonics technology to meet the potential needs of the large defense and commercial market.

Keywords:
Spurious Free Dynamic Range, Spurious Free Dynamic Range, HPM, photonic integrated circuit, noise figure, RF photonics, EMI

EMI resilient RF Photonic Links are critical for connecting remote antennas in the next generation Navy electronics warfare (EW) architecture. Current commercially available RF/photonic link technologies have deficiencies in dynamic range, noise figure, and SWaP performance. This STTR project aims to develop of a novel wide dynamic range, low noise RF photonic link, where the key component is a compact, EMI resilient transmitter (TX) module employing photonic integrated low-Vpi, high speed optical modulators. Phase I project has validated the feasibility of the proposed link through design, simulation and preliminary proof-of-concept measurements. The Phase II project aims to prototype the complementary EMI immune, low NF, and wide SFDR RF/photonic link solutions for the US Navys next-generation EW systems.

Benefit:
The proposed innovation provides an enabling high-performance RF photonic link technology for critical defense-related applications in optically fed radar frontends for phased-array, acquisition, direction-finding (DF) radar. The proposed link technology is also applicable to RF-over-fiber (RoF) telecom systems, including cable television (CATV), 5G as well as future 6G wireless network signal distributions. The market for the RF photonic link systems was valued at about $291.1 million in 2017 and is projected to be more than $566.1 million by 2023. The STTR R&D efforts are expected to accelerate the commercialization of the high-performance RF Photonics technology to meet the potential needs of the large defense and commercial market.

Keywords:
Spurious Free Dynamic Range, RF photonics, photonic integrated circuit, noise figure, EMI