Aperture amplitude and phase distributions in a planar array antenna with a beam forming network using Fourier optics and photomixing have been successfully measured. In this measurement, we used two laser diode pumped Nd:YAG lasers with oscillating wavelength of 1.3 micron region and obtained an L-band microwave signal by optical heterodyne detection. We estimated beam scanning characteristics by shifting transversally the position of the pinhole image mask. Furthermore, the diameters of the pinhole image mask were changed and the far field patterns were evaluated on the basis of the measured microwave aperture amplitude and phase distributions. As a result, the beamwidth of the far field pattern was proportional to the aperture diameter of the image mask.

Date Published: 2 December 1992
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 1703, Optical Technology for Microwave Applications VI and Optoelectronic Signal Processing for Phased-Array Antennas III, (2 December 1992); doi: 10.1117/12.138413

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1703:
Optical Technology for Microwave Applications VI and Optoelectronic Signal Processing for Phased-Array Antennas III
Shi-Kay Yao; Brian M. Hendrickson, Editor(s)