Down conversion system and method

1. A method of down converting input signals of a wide bandwidth microwave (RF) signal spectrum into lower frequencies using photonics such that processing electronics can more precisely analyse the signals, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of optical wavelength channels in parallel;

combining the optical wavelength channels and, passing the combined optical wavelength channels through a modulator;

passing a received antenna signal through said modulator, the modulator outputting an optical signal having characteristics relating to the input antenna signal;

generating an output signal by deconvoluting the signal output from the modulator;

splitting the combined optical wavelength channels back to the plurality of parallel optical wavelength channels, and

imposing a LO RF signal on each of the plurality of parallel optical wavelength channels, the frequency of the imposed LO RF signals being different for each of the parallel optical wavelength channels.

2. A method according to claim 1 the deconvoluting comprising:

inputting the output signal into a digital signal processor (DSP) and;

analysing the signal by downconverting known input signals, on each optical wavelength input such that information for the total RF Antenna signal bandwidth of interest can be built up.

3. A device for down converting input signals of a wide bandwidth RF antenna signal in to lower frequencies, the device comprising:

a plurality of radiation emitters each of the plurality of radiation emitters emitting wavelength channels comprising radiation of a different wavelength, arranged such that radiation emitted will be input to a WDM transmitter, an output of the WDM transmitter being output to a modulator, the modulator receiving the RF antenna signal, an output of the modulator being shifted by an amount in relation to the RF antenna signal; and

a WDM receiver, the WDM receiver receiving the signal output by the modulator and outputting a plurality of parallel signals directly relating to an RF signal received by the RF antenna to a plurality of ADCs, the ADCs outputting signals to digital signal processor for onward processing,

wherein the device comprises RF oscillators that each generate LO RF signals of different frequencies, and a plurality of further modulators arranged to impose a different LO RF signal of the LO RF signals of different frequencies on a different wavelength channel.

4. A device according to claim 3 in which the WDM transmitter comprises:

a further modulator and an array waveguide grating.

5. A device according to claim 4 in which the modulator and the further modulator comprise:

a Mach-Zehnder modulator.

6. A device according to claim 5 , in which the WDM receiver comprises:

an array waveguide grating and a photodiode array.

7. A device according to claim 6 , in which the antenna comprises:

a radar antenna.

8. A device according to claim 7 , in which the radiation emitters comprise:

laser emitters.

9. A device according to claim 8 , in which the number of radiation emitters is a number from 2 to 40.

10. A device according to claim 9 , in which the digital signal processor is configured to perform signal processing by photonics.

11. A device according to claim 3 , in which the WDM receiver comprises:

an array waveguide grating and a photodiode array.

12. A device according to claim 3 , in which the antenna comprises:

a radar antenna.

13. A device according to claim 3 , in which the radiation emitters comprise:

laser emitters.

14. A device according to claim 3 , in which the number of radiation emitters is a number from 2 to 40.

15. A device according to claim 3 , in which the digital signal processor is configured to perform signal processing by photonics.

16. A method of down converting input signals of a wide bandwidth microwave (RF) signal spectrum into lower frequencies using photonics such that processing electronics can more precisely analyse the signals, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of optical wavelength channels in parallel;

combining the optical wavelength channels and passing the combined optical wavelengths channels through a modulator;

passing a received antenna signal through said modulator, the modulator outputting an optical signal having characteristics relating to the received antenna signal; and

generating an output signal by:

splitting the combined optical wavelength channels back into the plurality parallel of optical wavelength channels, and

imposing a LO RF signal on each of the plurality of parallel optical wavelength channels, wherein a frequency of the imposed LO RF signals being different for each of the parallel optical wavelength channels.