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Project:
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Indirect Optical
Control of Microwave Circuits and Antennas
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Investigators:
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Amit
Nagra, Bob York |
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Collaborators:
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- Mike VanBlaricum
Toyon Research Corporation, Goleta, CA
- Umesh Mishra, Prashant
Chavarkar
ECE dept. UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA
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Funded
by:
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ONR Young Investigator Award |
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Description: 
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This work is aimed at developing optically reconfigurable
antennas and microwave circuits. Our approach is simple: we integrate miniature
photovoltaic arrays with electronic tuning elements such as varactor diodes, and embed
them in strategic places in the microwave circuit or antenna. The photovoltaic
array
produces a light-dependent voltage which is used to control the tuning element. The
photovoltaic arrays are designed to be butt-coupled to a multi-mode fiber. In
contrast to direct illumination of the control device, our approach allows for independent
optimization of the optical and RF circuits. We have demonstrated the technology in
a variety of circuits structures using GaAs-based photovoltaic arrays and
varactor diodes.
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| Publications: |
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Presentations:
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Pictured at
right: (top)
Optically-Variable Varactor circuit (OVC); (middle) close-up of photovoltaic array;
(bottom) OVC in a cpw-fed folded-slot antenna on GaAs
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