Hybrid coherent-optical, RF signal channelizer
View Patent ↗An optical channelizer system that is adapted to provide instantaneous RF signal channelization at frequencies on the order of 100 GHz or more into channels having bandwidth as small as a few megahertz. In order to improve the channel resolution the optical channelizer system is formed from a plurality of parallel subchannelizers, for example, twenty-five parallel sub channelizers which can provide 1 GHz channel spacing and 40 MHz signal resolution.
1. An optical channelizer system for dividing up a relatively wide bandwidth optical signal into a plurality of subchannels, the optical channelizer system comprising:
an optical local oscillator (LO) for providing a comb of LO optical frequencies;
an optical splitter for spatially dividing said comb of LO optical frequencies into a plurality of LO signals;
a device for receiving a source of optical signals having a predetermined bandwidth and providing a plurality of replicated versions of said optical signals, each version being translated with respect to each other by a predetermined frequency;
an optical channelizer for receiving said replicated optical signals and said plurality of LO signals; and
a photo detector array disposed adjacent said optical channelizer for receiving the images of said replicated optical signals and said LO signals.
2. The optical channelizer system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said optical channelizer includes a diffraction grating.
3. The optical channelizer system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said optical channelizer includes an integrated optical array wave guide grating.
4. The optical channelizer system as recited in claim 1 , further including an optical amplifier for amplifying said LO optical signals.
5. The optical channelizer system as recited in claim 4 , wherein said optical splitter and optical amplifier is formed from a monolithic optical splitter/amplifier integrated circuit (MOSAIC).
6. The optical channelizer as recited in claim 1 , wherein said device for providing a plurality of replicated signals is a Bragg cell.
7. An optical channelizer system for dividing up a relatively wide bandwidth optical signals into a plurality of subchannels, the optical channelizer comprising:
an optical local oscillator (LO) for providing a comb of LO optical frequencies defining LO signals;
a device for providing a plurality of replicated LO signals, each replicated signal being separated from each other by a predetermined frequency;
an optical splitter for receiving said relatively wide bandwidth optical signals and spatially separating said optical signal into a plurality of replicated optical signals;
an optical channelizer for receiving said plurality of replicated signals from said device and said optical splitter; and
a photo detector disposed adjacent said optical channelizer for receiving said replicated optical and LO signals.
8. The optical channelizer system as recited in claim 7 , further including an optical amplifier for amplifying said optical signals.
9. The optical channelizer system as recited in claim 7 , further including an optical amplifier and wherein said optical splitter and optical amplifier are formed from a monolithic optical splitter/amplifier integrated circuit (MOSAIC).
10. The optical channelizer as recited in claim 7 , wherein said device for providing a plurality of replicated LO signals is a Bragg cell.
11. An optical channelizer system for separating relatively wideband optical signals into a plurality of sub-channels comprising:
a plurality of optical sub-channelizers, each subchannelizer including means for spatially splitting one or the other of said optical signals or said LO signals;
means for replicating and frequency shifting the other of said optical signal or said LO signals;
an optical channelizer for receiving signals from said splitting means and said replicating means; and
a photo detector array for receiving said signals from said optical channelizer.
12. The optical channelizer system as recited in claim 11 , wherein said optical channelizer includes a diffraction grating.
13. The optical channelizer system as recited in claim 11 , wherein said replicating means includes a Bragg cell.
14. The optical channelizer system as recited in claim 1 , further including an optical amplifier.
15. The optical channelizer system as recited in claim 14 , wherein said optical amplifier and said splitting means are formed from monolithic optical splitter/optical amplifier integrated circuit (MOSAIC).