TY - JOUR
T1 - Dual-band electro-optically steerable antenna
AU - Vovchuk, Dmytro
AU - Mikhailovskaya, Anna
AU - Dobrykh, Dmitry
AU - Salgals, Toms
AU - Ginzburg, Pavel
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.
PY - 2023/10/1
Y1 - 2023/10/1
N2 - The ability to obtain dynamic control over an antenna radiation pattern is one of the main functions, desired in a vast range of applications, including wireless communications, radars, and many others. Widely used approaches include mechanical scanning with antenna apertures and phase switching in arrays. Both of those realizations have severe limitations, related to scanning speeds and implementation costs. Here we demonstrate a solution, where the antenna pattern is switched with optical signals. The system encompasses an active element, surrounded by a set of cylindrically arranged passive dipolar directors, functionalized with tunable impedances. The control circuit is realized as a bipolar transistor, driven by a photodiode. Light illumination in this case serves as a trigger, capable of either closing or opening the transistor, switching the impedance between two values. Following this approach, a compact half-a-wavelength footprint antenna, capable of switching between 6 dBi directional patterns within a few milliseconds’ latency was demonstrated. The developed light activation approach allows constructing devices with multiple almost non-interacting degrees of freedom, as a branched feeding network is not required. The capability of flexible switching between multiple electromagnetic degrees of freedom opens pathways to new wireless applications, where fast beam steering and beamforming performances are required.
AB - The ability to obtain dynamic control over an antenna radiation pattern is one of the main functions, desired in a vast range of applications, including wireless communications, radars, and many others. Widely used approaches include mechanical scanning with antenna apertures and phase switching in arrays. Both of those realizations have severe limitations, related to scanning speeds and implementation costs. Here we demonstrate a solution, where the antenna pattern is switched with optical signals. The system encompasses an active element, surrounded by a set of cylindrically arranged passive dipolar directors, functionalized with tunable impedances. The control circuit is realized as a bipolar transistor, driven by a photodiode. Light illumination in this case serves as a trigger, capable of either closing or opening the transistor, switching the impedance between two values. Following this approach, a compact half-a-wavelength footprint antenna, capable of switching between 6 dBi directional patterns within a few milliseconds’ latency was demonstrated. The developed light activation approach allows constructing devices with multiple almost non-interacting degrees of freedom, as a branched feeding network is not required. The capability of flexible switching between multiple electromagnetic degrees of freedom opens pathways to new wireless applications, where fast beam steering and beamforming performances are required.
KW - antenna radiation patterns
KW - bipolar transistor switches
KW - bundle conductors
KW - optoelectronic devices
KW - steerable antenna
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85170226172&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/2040-8986/acf1ae
DO - 10.1088/2040-8986/acf1ae
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AN - SCOPUS:85170226172
SN - 2040-8978
VL - 25
JO - Journal of Optics (United Kingdom)
JF - Journal of Optics (United Kingdom)
IS - 10
M1 - 105601
ER -