R.F. signal summing using non-linear optical phase conjugation
First Claim
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1. A system for summing RF signals modulated onto an optical carrier, the system comprising:
- an optical carrier source;
a plurality of RF signal sources;
a plurality of modulators for applying said plurality of RF signal sources onto a conjugate of said optical carrier source defining a plurality of modulated RF optical signals; and
a summing junction for summing said plurality of RF optical signals.
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Abstract
A system for summing RF modulated optical signals. In order to compensate for performance degradation at the summing junction, the system utilizes four-wave mixing elements to provide the phase conjugates of each of the modulated RF signals. The phase conjugates of the RF modulated optical signals are summed at the summing junction. The use of the phase conjugates of the RF modulated optical signals compensates for optical phase errors known to degrade performance when summing RF modulated optical signals.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for summing RF signals modulated onto an optical carrier, the system comprising:
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an optical carrier source; a plurality of RF signal sources; a plurality of modulators for applying said plurality of RF signal sources onto a conjugate of said optical carrier source defining a plurality of modulated RF optical signals; and a summing junction for summing said plurality of RF optical signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for summing optical signals, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating the phase conjugates of each of said optical signals defining phase conjugate signals; and (b) summing said phase conjugate signals. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A system for summing optical signals, the system comprising:
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(a) means for generating the phase conjugates of said optical signals to be summed, defining phase conjugate signals; and (b) means for summing said phase conjugate signals. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A system for summing RF signals from a phase array antenna system having a plurality of antenna elements, the system comprising:
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a plurality of RF signal port for receiving RF signals from said plurality of antenna elements; an optical carrier source for generating an optical carrier signal; a partially reflecting mirror for transmitting said optical carrier signal and reflecting an output signal; an optical node for splitting said optical carrier signal into a plurality of optical carrier signals and summing signals from said plurality of antenna elements; means for applying said RF signals onto a conjugate of said optical carrier signals defining RF modulated optical signals; means for directing said RF modulated optical signals to said optical node, where said RF optical signals are summed defining said output signal; and means for directing said output signal to said mirror. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification