A.A. Emelyanov¹, I.V. Unchenko²

¹JSC "KNIRTI" (Zhukov, Kaluga Region, Russia)

²MIREA – Russian Technological University (Moscow, Russia)

¹eaa15@knirti.ru

When implementing modern active phase antenna array, both onboard and ground-based, there is a need to expand the operating frequency band, which causes certain difficulties in building any modern system using electronic scanning. One of the main parts of such equipment is a beamforming device (BFD). There are various methods of beam control: digital beamforming, mechanical beam deflection, Rothman lens, BFD on delay lines, BFD on phase shifters. All of them have limitations in terms of bandwidth, mutual interference, unevenness of frequency characteristics, and dimensions. A possible option for overcoming these limitations is to combine the approaches of photonics, optoelectronics, and microwave electronics. The result of such an integrated approach is a BFD built on switchable optical delay lines. This device is capable of operating in a wide frequency band with a minimum level of mutual interference in small dimensions, and provides the input of the required delay for beam deflection in active phase antenna array. The paper presents the simulation of directional couplers on coupled silicon waveguides. Cascade connection of three directional couplers and delay lines of different lengths allows to implement an integrated switchable delay line with eight discrete states, switching between which is implemented as a result of applying a control action to the directional couplers.

Modern research has shown that the SOI technology is a promising direction for further development of the construction of a DO, which allows implementing compact beam control devices in APAA with integration in a single MMC crystal of an array of photodetectors and delay lines.

Emelyanov A.A., Unchenko I.V. Construction of a beam-forming device using integrated optical delay lines based on silicon-on-insulator technology. Radioengineering. 2025. V. 89. № 11. P. 170−177. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/j00338486-202511-21 (in Russian)

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