Preface

Experimental demonstration of a multi-target detection technique using an X-band optically steered phased array radar

An X-band optically-steered phased array radar is developed to demonstrate high resolution multi-target detection. The beam forming is implemented based on wavelength-swept true time delay (TTD) technique. The beam forming system has a wide direction tuning range of ± 54 degree, low magnitude ripple of ± 0.5 dB and small delay error of 0.13 ps/nm. To further verify performance of the proposed optically-steered phased array radar, three experiments are then carried out to implement the single and multiple target detection. A linearly chirped X-band microwave signal is used as radar signal which is finally compressed at the receiver to improve the detection accuracy. The ranging resolution for multi-target detection is up to 2 cm within the measuring distance over 4 m and the azimuth angle error is less than 4 degree.

Reconfigurable Optical Signal Processing Based on a Distributed Feedback Semiconductor Optical Amplifier

All-optical signal processing has been considered a solution to overcome the bandwidth and speed limitations imposed by conventional electronic-based systems. Over the last few years, an impressive range of all-optical signal processors have been proposed, but few of them come with reconfigurability, a feature highly needed for practical signal processing applications. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate an analog optical signal processor based on a phase-shifted distributed feedback semiconductor optical amplifier (DFB-SOA) and an optical filter. The proposed analog optical signal processor can be reconfigured to perform signal processing functions including ordinary differential equation solving and temporal intensity differentiation. The reconfigurability is achieved by controlling the injection currents. Our demonstration provitdes a simple and effective solution for all-optical signal processing and computing.