Publicação
Photonic techniques for high-capacity phased array antennas
| Resumo: | Satellite telecommunications are used for a wide range of applications, particularly for providing connectivity to remote areas, maritime and aeronautical mobile communications, and disaster relief. The demand for satellite communications is increasing, which puts pressure on the market players to provide higher data rates. However, doing so is challenging, given both the limited available RF spectrum, and the strict limitations on the size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP) when dimensioning satellite payloads. A possible solution to this problem is to use multiple, highly directive RF beams that can track users on the ground, increasing both power and spectral efficiency. This communications scheme is known as beamforming, and is usually implemented using phased-array antennas (PAAs), backed by powerful, dynamic beamformers. The challenge then becomes to implement beamforming in a way that is compatible with the SWaP limitations of satellite payloads. To that effect, photonics has been positioning itself as a technology capable of providing a beamforming solution that complies with such limits, whilst being capable of providing the required performance. This thesis presents a photonics-based beamforming (PBF) solution tailored for SWaP-constrained environments, such as satellite payloads. Its core architecture is categorized as a Microwave Photonics Signal Processor (MPSP). The MPSP is a photonic signal processor that is capable of performing amplitude and phase manipulations on RF signals, as well as frequency conversion. The MPSP leverages successful optical technologies like wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM), programmable photonic processing, and coherent detection. The MPSP works by converting input RF signals to the optical domain across a series of WDM channels, performing the required manipulations in the optical domain, and then converting the signals back to the RF domain. This thesis presents and demonstrates both receiving-side and transmitting-side PBFs based on the MPSP. Results from the work presented herein include the first experimental demonstration of a receiving-side, WDM-based, multi-beam photonic beamforming system. For transmitting-side beamforming, the first results demonstrate the first frequencyconverting, multi-beam, WDM-based photonic beamformer. Further results include the first demonstration of a multi-beam, WDM beamformer that uses the same optical spectrum to generate multiple RF beams. |
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| Autores principais: | Oliveira, Rui Luís Vieira |
| Assunto: | Satellite communications Phased array antennas Beamforming Microwave photonics |
| Ano: | 2024 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | tese de doutoramento |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Aveiro |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | RIA - Repositório Institucional da Universidade de Aveiro |
| Resumo: | Satellite telecommunications are used for a wide range of applications, particularly for providing connectivity to remote areas, maritime and aeronautical mobile communications, and disaster relief. The demand for satellite communications is increasing, which puts pressure on the market players to provide higher data rates. However, doing so is challenging, given both the limited available RF spectrum, and the strict limitations on the size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP) when dimensioning satellite payloads. A possible solution to this problem is to use multiple, highly directive RF beams that can track users on the ground, increasing both power and spectral efficiency. This communications scheme is known as beamforming, and is usually implemented using phased-array antennas (PAAs), backed by powerful, dynamic beamformers. The challenge then becomes to implement beamforming in a way that is compatible with the SWaP limitations of satellite payloads. To that effect, photonics has been positioning itself as a technology capable of providing a beamforming solution that complies with such limits, whilst being capable of providing the required performance. This thesis presents a photonics-based beamforming (PBF) solution tailored for SWaP-constrained environments, such as satellite payloads. Its core architecture is categorized as a Microwave Photonics Signal Processor (MPSP). The MPSP is a photonic signal processor that is capable of performing amplitude and phase manipulations on RF signals, as well as frequency conversion. The MPSP leverages successful optical technologies like wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM), programmable photonic processing, and coherent detection. The MPSP works by converting input RF signals to the optical domain across a series of WDM channels, performing the required manipulations in the optical domain, and then converting the signals back to the RF domain. This thesis presents and demonstrates both receiving-side and transmitting-side PBFs based on the MPSP. Results from the work presented herein include the first experimental demonstration of a receiving-side, WDM-based, multi-beam photonic beamforming system. For transmitting-side beamforming, the first results demonstrate the first frequencyconverting, multi-beam, WDM-based photonic beamformer. Further results include the first demonstration of a multi-beam, WDM beamformer that uses the same optical spectrum to generate multiple RF beams. |
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