RF photonic delay lines using space-division multiplexing

TL;DR

This paper reviews the development of dispersion-engineered multicore fibers used as tunable true time delay lines for RF signals, enabling integrated fiber-wireless signal processing with low crosstalk and high tolerance.

Contribution

It introduces a design methodology for trench-assisted heterogeneous multicore fibers that meet the requirements for true time delay operation with minimal crosstalk and fabrication sensitivity.

Findings

Effective design of multicore fibers for RF delay lines

Successful application in microwave filtering and beamforming

Low crosstalk and high fabrication tolerance achieved

Abstract

We review our last work on dispersion-engineered heterogeneous multicore fiber links designed to act as tunable true time delay lines for radiofrequency signals. This approach allows the realization of fiber distributed signal processing in the context of fiber-wireless communications, providing both radiofrequency access distribution and signal processing in the same fiber medium. We show how to design trench-assisted heterogeneous multicore fibers to fulfil the requirements for sampled true time delay line operation while assuring a low level of crosstalk, bend sensitivity and tolerance to possible fabrication errors. The performance of the designed radiofrequency photonic delay lines is evaluated in the context of tunable microwave signal filtering and optical beamforming for phased array antennas.