Time delay assembly based on 2*2 magneto-optical switch and time delay array thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a time delay assembly based on a 2 * 2 magneto-optical switch. The time delay assembly comprises a magneto-optical switch unit, the magneto-optical switch unit comprises a first polarization splitting prism, a first wave plate, a magneto-optical crystal and a second polarization splitting prism which are arranged along the direction of an optical path; the first polarization splitting prism is used for combining two beams of polarized light with vertical polarization directions into a light beam; the second polarization splitting prism is used for decomposing the input light into two beams of polarized light with vertical polarization directions; a first compensating plate and a second compensating plate are respectively arranged on light paths of two output polarized lights of the second polarization splitting prism; the first compensation plate and the second compensation plate have different thicknesses so as to form a time delay unit. According to the invention, a multi-stage series structure and synchronous driving can be realized; the time delay amount can be accurately adjusted, and accurate adjustment of the time delay can be completed by using the number of series connection; the magneto-optical switch unit and the time delay unit are compact in structure and low in loss; and a 2 * 2 magneto-optical switch is combined, so that double-input and double-output effects can be conveniently realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optical technologies, and particularly to a time delay component based on a 2×2 magneto-optic switch and a time delay array thereof. Background Art

[0002] As human society gradually enters the 5G era, especially in the face of a huge number of mobile terminals, the Internet of Things, and real-time remote operations, the available frequency bands of existing wireless communications are already very crowded. Therefore, millimeter-wave communications combining millimeter waves with a larger bandwidth and beam control steering technology with higher energy efficiency have been proposed and applied. As a key technology for 5G communications, beamforming and beam-steering millimeter-wave communications will greatly improve the wireless communication capacity to meet the increasing capacity requirements. The most core technology among them is the millimeter-wave phased array antenna system for beamforming and beam steering.

[0003] In this system, to achieve phase control usually requires precise and broadband time delay or phase shift. The phase shift scheme will bring beam deviation of broadband millimeter-wave signals. Therefore, the time delay scheme has higher technical advantages. Traditionally, millimeter-wave broadband time delay is achieved in the electrical domain by means of electronic integration technology. As the frequency rises to the millimeter-wave band, traditional microelectronic integration technology faces technical challenges such as large loss and small bandwidth.

[0004] Currently, traditional optical time delay arrays are usually single-ended input-single-ended output, so their functions are relatively single and it is difficult to meet various application requirements.

[0005] Existing time delay control technologies mainly include:

[0006] Mechanical adjustment method: Using driving devices such as micro motors and piezoelectric ceramics to change the physical position and attitude of optical fibers or optical elements, thereby changing the optical propagation path length. For example, in an optical fiber delay line, the optical signal transmission time is changed by moving the optical fiber length.

[0007] Electro-optic modulation method: Based on the electro-optic effect, by applying an electric field to change the refractive index of some crystal materials, and then changing the light propagation speed and time delay in them. For example, for lithium niobate crystals, the refractive index change can be precisely controlled by applying a voltage.

[0008] Thermo-optic modulation method: Utilizing the characteristic that the refractive index of a material changes due to temperature change to achieve optical time delay control. Locally heating a thermo-optic material causes the refractive index of this region to change, thereby changing the optical propagation path and time delay.

[0009] Acousto-optic modulation method: Based on the acousto-optic effect, ultrasonic waves propagate in a medium to form a periodic structure of density and sparsity, causing the refractive index of the medium to change periodically. When light passes through, diffraction occurs, and the optical propagation direction and time delay can be changed by controlling the ultrasonic wave frequency and intensity.

[0010] The main challenges are as follows:

[0011] Response speed: The response speed of some technologies is slow, making it difficult to meet the requirements of high-speed dynamic scenarios.

[0012] Control range: For various variable optical delay technologies, the variation range is very small. Especially for electro-optic, thermo-optic, and acousto-optic effects, the achievable delay variation is very limited.

[0013] Control accuracy: Affected by environmental factors and device performance, it is difficult to achieve higher-precision optical delay control.

[0014] Integration level: With the development of system miniaturization and integration, it is necessary to improve the integration level of optical delay control technology to reduce the size and power consumption of devices. Summary of the Invention

[0015] To solve the above problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optic switch.

[0016] To achieve the above object, the main technical solutions adopted by the present invention include:

[0017] The delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optic switch includes a magneto-optic switch unit; the magneto-optic switch unit includes a first polarization beam splitter prism, a first wave plate, a rotation optical component, and a second polarization beam splitter prism arranged along the optical path direction; the first polarization beam splitter prism is used to combine two polarized lights with perpendicular polarization directions into one beam; the second polarization beam splitter prism is used to decompose the input light into two polarized lights with perpendicular polarization directions; first compensation sheets and second compensation sheets are respectively arranged on the optical paths of the two output polarized lights of the second polarization beam splitter prism; the first compensation sheets and the second compensation sheets have different thicknesses to form a delay unit.

[0018] The delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optic switch includes a magneto-optic switch unit; the magneto-optic switch unit includes a first polarization beam splitter prism, a first wave plate, a rotation optical component, and a second polarization beam splitter prism arranged along the optical path direction; the two output optical paths of the second polarization beam splitter prism are connected to the delay unit so that the two output optical paths have different delays.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present invention, it includes a plurality of alternately arranged magneto-optic switch units and delay units.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present invention, the number of magneto-optic switch units is one more than the number of delay units.

[0021] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first polarization beam splitter prism includes a first polarization splitting surface and a first reflection surface parallel to the first polarization splitting surface; the second polarization beam splitter prism includes a second polarization splitting surface and a second reflection surface parallel to the second polarization splitting surface.

[0022] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first polarization beam splitter prism includes a first polarization splitting surface, and a first reflecting surface and a third reflecting surface that are located on both sides of the first polarization splitting surface and parallel to the first polarization splitting surface; the second polarization beam splitter prism includes a second polarization splitting surface, and a second reflecting surface and a fourth reflecting surface that are located on both sides of the second polarization splitting surface and parallel to the second polarization splitting surface.

[0023] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first wave plate is a 22.5° wave plate.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present invention, the optical rotation component includes a magneto-optic crystal disposed within a magnetic element; the magnetic element generates a square magnetic field according to the energization direction to control the optical rotation direction of the magneto-optic crystal to be forward or reverse.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, the magnetic element is a single coil or a state-latching electromagnet.

[0026] Based on the time-delay array of 2x2 magneto-optic switches, it is composed of an array arrangement of the time-delay component based on the 2x2 magneto-optic switch.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: A multi-stage series structure can be realized for synchronous driving; the time-delay amount can be accurately adjusted, and the accurate adjustment of the time-delay can be completed by using the number of series connections; the structures of the magneto-optic switch unit and the time-delay unit are compact with small losses; combined with the 2x2 magneto-optic switch, the effects of dual input and dual output can be conveniently achieved. By sharing the PBS, multi-stage cascading can be realized with the simplest structure. By adopting the method of using the high-speed magneto-optic switch unit to quickly switch different optical paths into the optical path, the response speed of time-delay control can be greatly improved. The magneto-optic unit is small enough in size. The size of a piece of magneto-optic crystal can be made to be 1.0x1.0x0.5mm, and with necessary optical parts such as PBS, the overall size is also very small, which is beneficial to multi-channel integration. The greatest advantage of the magneto-optic switch unit is that in principle, there are no moving parts and theoretically it has an infinite lifespan. In addition, the drive of the magneto-optic switch unit only requires such a simple drive adjustment as about 3V / 100mA / 1mS (specific parameters will vary according to the design), and the forward and reverse control is realized by an electronic switch. Description of the Drawings

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention, and thus should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0029] Figure 1It is a schematic structural diagram of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the structure of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the time delay array of the 2x2 magneto - optical switch of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 It is an oscilloscope diagram of the measured response speed of the magneto - optical switch;

[0034] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of the dual - stage magneto - optical switch unit.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0036] 100, magneto - optical switch unit; 110, first polarization beam splitter prism; 111, first polarization splitting surface; 112, first reflection surface; 112’, third reflection surface; 120, first wave plate; 130, magneto - optical crystal; 131, magnetic element; 140, second polarization beam splitter prism; 141, second polarization splitting surface; 142, second reflection surface; 142’, fourth reflection surface; 150, first birefringent crystal displacement sheet; 160, second birefringent crystal displacement sheet; 171, second wave plate; 172, third wave plate; 173, fourth wave plate; 174, fifth wave plate; 200, time delay unit; 210, first compensating sheet; 220, second compensating sheet. Detailed implementation manners

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without making creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed present invention, but merely represents selected embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without making creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "front end", "back end", "both ends", "one end", "the other end", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0039] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "provided with", "connected", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connected" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0040] See Figure 1 , the present invention provides a time-delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optic switch, including a magneto-optic switch unit 100; the magneto-optic switch unit 100 is a 2x2 magneto-optic switch; specifically, the magneto-optic switch unit 100 includes a first polarization beam splitter prism 110, a first wave plate 120, a rotation optical component, and a second polarization beam splitter prism 140 arranged along the optical path direction; the first polarization beam splitter prism 110 can combine two polarized lights with perpendicular polarization directions into one light beam, which is beneficial to integrating optical signals with different polarization directions, realizing signal multiplexing, improving the transmission efficiency and capacity of optical signals, and enabling more information to be transmitted simultaneously in a limited optical path. In a multi-stage series structure, this combining function helps to simplify the optical path design, reduce the complexity of the optical path, and reduce the loss and interference of optical signals during transmission.

[0041] In an embodiment, the first wave plate 120 is a 22.5° wave plate; the first wave plate 120 can precisely adjust the polarization state of light, providing suitable polarization conditions for the subsequent processing of optical signals by the magneto-optical crystal. By adjusting the polarization state, the magneto-optical effect can be better utilized, improving the performance and efficiency of the magneto-optic switch. The precise adjustment of the polarization state enables the magneto-optic switch to control optical signals more precisely, realizing more stable and reliable optical path switching and signal processing.

[0042] In one embodiment, the optical rotation assembly includes a magneto-optic crystal 130 disposed within a magnetic element 131; the magnetic element 131 generates forward and reverse magnetic fields according to the energization direction to control the optical rotation direction of the magneto-optic crystal 130 to be forward or reverse. The magnetic element 131 is a single coil or a state-latching electromagnet, which can generate an external forward saturation magnetic field on the magneto-optic crystal 130 or maintain an external forward saturation magnetic field or generate an external reverse saturation magnetic field or maintain an external reverse saturation magnetic field. Under the action of the external forward saturation magnetic field, the optical rotation angle of the magneto-optic crystal 130 is 45° in the forward direction, and under the action of the external reverse saturation magnetic field, the optical rotation angle of the magneto-optic crystal 130 is 45° in the reverse direction;

[0043] The magneto-optic crystal 130 utilizes the magneto-optic effect to change the propagation direction or polarization state of light by controlling the magnetic field, thereby realizing the switching of the optical path. This switching function is the key to realizing multi-stage series connection and synchronous drive, and can flexibly adjust the optical path according to actual needs, improving the flexibility and adaptability of the system. The magneto-optic crystal 130 has a fast response speed and can realize fast optical path switching and signal processing, and is suitable for high-speed communication systems. At the same time, it can be dynamically regulated by changing parameters such as the magnetic field strength to adapt to different communication environments and service requirements.

[0044] The second polarization beam splitter prism 140 decomposes the input light into two polarized lights with perpendicular polarization directions, facilitating subsequent independent processing of optical signals with different polarization directions. In the time delay unit, this decomposition function provides a basis for setting different optical paths, enabling time delay control of optical signals with different polarization directions through different compensating films. It helps to separate the synthesized optical signal, facilitating signal detection and analysis, and improving the accuracy and reliability of signal processing.

[0045] In one embodiment, a first compensating film 210 and a second compensating film 220 are respectively provided on the optical paths of the two output polarized lights of the second polarization beam splitter prism 140; the first compensating film 210 and the second compensating film 220 have different thicknesses to form a time delay unit 200; through the cooperation of the magneto-optic switch unit 100 and the time delay unit 200, a multi-stage series connection structure can be conveniently formed and synchronous drive can be realized; and the time delay amount can be accurately adjusted due to the series structure, and can be achieved by increasing or decreasing the number of time delay units 200; the magneto-optic switch unit 100 has a small volume, and the structure is compact when cooperating with the time delay unit 200, and the optical loss is also very small;

[0046] The first compensation film 210 and the second compensation film 220 have different thicknesses, and the time delay function is realized through the optical path difference between them. This time delay control method based on the thickness difference is very precise and can meet application scenarios with high requirements for time delay accuracy such as millimeter-wave communication. By increasing or decreasing the number of time delay units 200, the precise adjustment of the time delay amount can be conveniently achieved. This flexibility enables the system to quickly adjust the time delay parameters according to different communication requirements and environmental conditions, improving the adaptability and performance of the system.

[0047] The magneto-optic switch unit 100 and the time delay unit 200 can be conveniently combined to form a multi-stage series connection structure, which greatly enhances the scalability of the system. The number of series stages can be increased or decreased according to actual needs to meet the requirements of communication systems with different scales and complexities. It can also achieve synchronous driving to ensure that signal processing and time delay control between levels are synchronized, avoiding signal chaos and delay, and improving the stability and reliability of the entire system.

[0048] The magneto-optic switch unit 100 is small in size and has a compact structure when combined with the time delay unit 200, reducing the occupied space of the system and facilitating integration and installation. At the same time, the optical loss is also very small, which can effectively improve the transmission efficiency of optical signals and reduce the energy consumption and cost of the communication system. Through the cooperation of multiple time delay units 200, various time delay combinations can be realized to meet the diverse time delay requirements of different application scenarios. For example, in beamforming and beam steering of millimeter-wave communication, the time delay parameters can be flexibly adjusted according to different beam directions and communication distances to improve communication quality and coverage.

[0049] The working principle of the time delay unit is as follows:

[0050] The optical path difference between the first compensation film 210 and the second compensation film 220 is ΔL;

[0051] ΔL = |L2 - L1|

[0052] Where the thickness of the first compensation film 210 is L1 and the thickness of the second compensation film 220 is L2;

[0053] C is the speed of light;

[0054] The above is the time delay amount of one time delay unit, and various time delay combinations can be realized through the cooperation of multiple time delay units;

[0055] In one embodiment, it includes several alternately arranged magneto-optic switch units 100 and time delay units 200, such as Figure 1As shown, the magneto - optical switch unit 100 and the delay unit 200 are alternately arranged at intervals to meet different delay amounts; each delay unit 200 can provide a specific delay amount. By alternately arranging multiple such units, different numbers of delay units can be flexibly combined according to actual needs to achieve fine adjustment of the delay amount. In complex communication scenarios, different services and signal transmission requirements may need different delays. For example, real - time voice communication requires extremely low delay, while some data storage and bulk transmission services have relatively high tolerance for delay. This alternately arranged structure can easily meet these diverse delay requirements, enabling the system to flexibly adjust the delay according to specific situations and optimize communication performance. Taking beamforming in millimeter - wave communication as an example, different beam directions and angles may require precise control of the signal delay to achieve accurate phase adjustment. By alternately arranging the magneto - optical switch unit 100 and the delay unit 200, the required delay units can be precisely selected and combined according to specific beam requirements, thereby achieving fine control of the beam and improving the directivity and communication quality of the signal.

[0056] The alternate arrangement of multiple delay units 200 enables the system to cover a wider delay range. This structure can easily achieve a large - range adjustment from extremely small delay to relatively large delay by increasing or decreasing the number of delay units, adapting to different communication environments and application requirements.

[0057] The alternate arrangement can also achieve multiple processing and optimization of signals. After a signal passes through a magneto - optical switch unit 100 and a delay unit 200, it can pass through subsequent units again for further delay adjustment and signal processing, thereby improving the quality and stability of the signal.

[0058] The alternately arranged structure has good scalability. When the system needs to add new functions or improve performance, more magneto - optical switch units 100 and delay units 200 can be easily added. This modular design enables the system to be flexibly expanded according to actual needs without large - scale transformation of the entire system. For example, as communication services grow and technology upgrades, if more delay adjustment ranges or signal processing capabilities are needed, the system can be expanded by adding corresponding units to the existing alternate structure.

[0059] Due to its flexible delay adjustment and signal processing capabilities, the alternately arranged structure can be compatible with a variety of different communication protocols and standards. Different communication protocols and standards have different requirements for signal delay, bandwidth, modulation method, etc. This structure can meet these diverse requirements by adjusting the parameters and combination methods of the magneto - optical switch unit and the delay unit.

[0060] In one embodiment, the number of the magneto-optical switch units 100 is one more than the number of the time-delay units 200, that is, the two ends of the time-delay component composed of multiple magneto-optical switch units 100 and time-delay units 200 are magneto-optical switch units 100, which facilitates the input and output of two polarized lights with perpendicular polarization directions; the magneto-optical switch units 100 are located at both ends of the time-delay component, which can more conveniently process the input of two polarized lights with perpendicular polarization directions. The magneto-optical switch unit at the first end can flexibly perform operations such as integrating and modulating the two input polarized lights according to specific requirements. For example, in some complex optical communication systems, the polarized lights generated by different data sources may have different characteristics, and the magneto-optical switch unit at the head end can preprocess them so that they enter the subsequent time-delay units in a more appropriate state, improving the transmission quality and processing efficiency of the signal.

[0061] The magneto-optical switch unit at the end is responsible for the output operation of the signal after time-delay processing. It can perform final adjustment and optimization on the signal according to the output requirements of the system, such as adjusting the polarization state, intensity, etc. of the signal, to ensure that the output signal meets the receiving standards of subsequent devices or systems. This is crucial for maintaining the stability and reliability of the entire communication link and can effectively reduce the distortion and loss of the signal during the output process.

[0062] The structural design with magneto-optical switch units at both ends makes it more convenient for the time-delay component to be cascaded and expanded. Multiple such time-delay components can be connected through the magneto-optical switch units to achieve more complex signal processing and a larger range of time-delay adjustment. In large optical communication networks or high-performance signal processing systems, this cascading and expanding ability can meet the growing business needs and technological development requirements.

[0063] The magneto-optical switch units at both ends can effectively isolate and protect the input and output signals, reducing the influence of external interference on the internal signal processing of the time-delay component. When there are interference sources such as electromagnetic interference and optical noise in the external environment, the magneto-optical switch units can block the interference signals from entering or leaking out of the time-delay component by adjusting their own states, thereby improving the anti-interference ability and stability of the system.

[0064] In one embodiment, the first polarization beam splitting prism 110 includes a first polarization beam splitting surface 111 and a first reflection surface 112 parallel to the first polarization beam splitting surface 111; the input end of the first polarization beam splitting prism 110 is used to input two P-polarized light and S-polarized light with perpendicular polarization directions, wherein the P-polarized light passes through the first polarization beam splitting surface 111, and the S-polarized light is first reflected by the first reflection surface 112 and then reflected by the first polarization beam splitting surface 111 and then combined with the P-polarized light for further transmission; through the synergistic effect of the first polarization beam splitting surface 111 and the first reflection surface 112, two P-polarized light and S-polarized light with perpendicular polarization directions can be efficiently combined into one beam of light. This light combining method utilizes the polarization characteristics of light, avoiding the problems of energy loss and signal interference that may occur in traditional light combining methods. In an optical communication system, efficient light combining means that more information can be transmitted simultaneously in a limited optical fiber or optical path, improving the capacity and efficiency of the communication system. The P-polarized light directly passes through the first polarization beam splitting surface 111, and the S-polarized light is combined with the P-polarized light after being reflected by the first reflection surface 112 and the first polarization beam splitting surface 111. This optical path design reduces the number of reflections and refractions of light during transmission, thereby reducing the energy loss of the optical signal. Compared with some complex light combining structures, this design is more concise, can effectively maintain the intensity and quality of the optical signal, and improves the overall performance of the system. This structure can ensure the stability of the polarization states of the P-polarized light and the S-polarized light during the light combining process. Since the design of the first polarization beam splitting surface 111 and the first reflection surface 112 is based on the polarization characteristics of light, they precisely process light with different polarization states, enabling the polarization state of the combined optical signal to remain relatively stable.

[0065] In one embodiment, the second polarization beam splitting prism 140 includes a second polarization beam splitting surface 141 and a second reflection surface 142 parallel to the second polarization beam splitting surface 141; the second polarization beam splitting prism 140 is used to decompose the input light into two polarized lights with perpendicular polarization directions; after the combined light in the previous embodiment further transmits into the second polarization beam splitting surface 141 of the second polarization beam splitting prism 140, the P-polarized light passes through the second polarization beam splitting surface 141 for further transmission, and the S-polarized light is reflected by the second polarization beam splitting surface 141 and then reflected by the second reflection surface 142 and output in parallel with the P-polarized light, and respectively enter the first compensator 210 and the second compensator 220 to generate a time delay. The synergistic effect of the second polarization beam splitting surface 141 and the second reflection surface 142 can efficiently decompose the input light into P-polarized light and S-polarized light. This beam splitting method is based on the polarization characteristics of light. Compared with other beam splitting methods, it can more accurately separate light with different polarization states, reducing energy loss and signal interference during the beam splitting process. In an optical communication system, efficient beam splitting helps to accurately extract the information carried by different polarization states, improving the data transmission and processing capabilities of the system.

[0066] The decomposed P-polarized light and S-polarized light are output in parallel and enter the first compensator 210 and the second compensator 220 respectively, which enables the two beams of light to independently generate time delays. In applications such as beamforming and beam steering of millimeter-wave phased array antenna systems, signals with different polarization states may require different time delays to achieve precise phase control. Through this independent time delay control method, the time delays of P- and S-polarized light can be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs, thereby achieving more precise beam control and improving the directivity of signals and communication quality.

[0067] Since the P- and S-polarized light enter the compensator through a fixed optical path (the P-polarized light passes through the second polarization beam splitter surface 141, and the S-polarized light is output after reflection), the stability and accuracy of time delay generation are guaranteed. This stable optical path design reduces the influence of external factors on the light propagation path, enabling the time delay amount to be accurately predicted and controlled. In application scenarios with extremely high requirements for time delay accuracy, such as high-precision optical measurement and synchronous control in high-speed optical communication, it can ensure the performance and reliability of the system.

[0068] The structural design of the second polarization beam splitter prism 140 enables it to have a strong resistance to external interference. It can effectively shield the influence of external unpolarized light or other interfering light, and only allows light with a specific polarization state to enter the subsequent time delay unit. The structure of the second polarization beam splitter prism 140 is relatively simple, facilitating integration with other optical elements such as the first compensator 210 and the second compensator 220.

[0069] In one embodiment, the time-delay component array arranged as described above forms a time-delay array. Each time-delay component in the time-delay array can independently process the input signal to achieve parallel signal processing. Different time-delay components can be set with different time-delay parameters according to specific requirements, so as to perform targeted processing on different types of signals. In a complex communication environment, there may be various modulation methods, signals with different bandwidths and frequencies. The time-delay array can allocate appropriate time-delay components for each signal according to the characteristics of the signal to implement diverse signal processing strategies, improve the adaptability and processing effect of the system to different signals. In a millimeter-wave phased array antenna system, the time-delay array plays a key role in beamforming and beam steering. Through the array arrangement, the signal time delay of each antenna unit can be accurately controlled, so as to achieve more flexible and accurate beam control. Compared with a single time-delay component, the time-delay array can generate a more complex beam shape, improve the directivity and coverage of the beam, enhance the signal strength and quality, reduce signal interference and fading, and improve the performance of the entire communication system. The time-delay array composed of multiple time-delay components has a certain degree of redundancy. If a certain time-delay component fails, the other components can still work normally, ensuring that some functions of the system are not affected. At the same time, the array arrangement can also improve the anti-interference ability of the system through reasonable design and optimization, reduce the influence of external factors on signal processing, and thus improve the stability and reliability of the system.

[0070] As Figure 2 shown, in one embodiment, a first birefringent crystal displacement sheet 150 is provided at the input end of the magneto-optical switch unit 100; a double-fiber collimator (not shown in the figure) is provided at the input end of the first birefringent crystal displacement sheet 150, and the two beams of light output by the double-fiber collimator are divided into four beams by the first birefringent crystal displacement sheet 150, and its polarization schematic diagram is as Figure 2As shown in S1 in []. The output end of the first birefringent crystal displacement sheet 150 is successively provided with a second wave plate 171 and a third wave plate 172. The second wave plate 171 is arranged on the optical path corresponding to the upper half of the light beam. The polarization schematic diagram of the four beams of light after passing through the second wave plate 171 is as shown in S2. The third wave plate 172 is arranged on the optical path corresponding to the right half of the light beam. The polarization schematic diagram of the four beams of light after passing through the third wave plate 172 is as shown in S3. Further, the four beams of light are coupled into the magneto-optical switch unit 100 in the time delay component. The output end of the time delay component is successively provided with a fourth wave plate 173, a fifth wave plate 174, and a second birefringent crystal displacement sheet 160 along the optical path direction. The fourth wave plate 173 is arranged on the optical path corresponding to the left half of the light beam. The polarization schematic diagram of the four beams of light after passing through the fourth wave plate 173 is as shown in S4. The fifth wave plate 174 is arranged on the optical path corresponding to the upper half of the light beam. The polarization schematic diagram of the four beams of light after passing through the fifth wave plate 174 is as shown in S5. Further, the four beams of light enter the second birefringent crystal displacement sheet 160 for light combination and are then coupled into the double-fiber collimator at the output end. It should be noted that when the second wave plate 171, the third wave plate 172, the fourth wave plate 173, and the fifth wave plate 174 are used, they all act on two beams of light at the same time; Figure 2 In the second wave plate 171, the third wave plate 172, the fourth wave plate 173, and the fifth wave plate 174, both the solid line part and the dotted line part are included. The dotted line part does not include the actual wave plate structure, but is only for conveniently indicating the relative position where the wave plate is located. The solid line part represents the wave plate structure.

[0071] As Figure 3 shown, in an embodiment, a time delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optical switch includes a magneto-optical switch unit 100; the magneto-optical switch unit 100 includes a first polarization beam splitter prism 110, a first wave plate 120, a rotation optical component, and a second polarization beam splitter prism 140 arranged along the optical path direction; two output optical paths of the second polarization beam splitter prism 140 are connected to a time delay unit 200 so that the two output optical paths have different time delays.

[0072] The first polarization beam splitter prism 110 includes a first eccentric beam splitting surface 111, and a first reflection surface 112 and a third reflection surface 112' located on both sides of the first polarization beam splitting surface 111 and parallel to the first polarization beam splitting surface 111; the second polarization beam splitter prism 140 includes a second polarization beam splitting surface 141, and a second reflection surface 142 and a fourth reflection surface 142' located on both sides of the second polarization beam splitting surface 141 and parallel to the second polarization beam splitting surface 141;

[0073] The time delay unit 200 may be a first compensator 210 disposed only on one output optical path of the second polarization beam splitter prism 140, and no related structure is disposed on the other output optical path; compared with the time delay unit 200 composed of the first compensator 210 and the second compensator 220 with different thicknesses described in the foregoing embodiments, it can be understood in this embodiment that the thickness of the second compensator 220 is 0, and the working principle of the time delay unit 200 is the same as that described above;

[0074] It can be understood that Figure 1 The structure shown is a single polarization state structure, Figure 3 The structure shown is a full polarization state structure;

[0075] The thickness accuracy of the time delay sheet (compensator) can reach within 0.003 mm in optical polishing cold processing (considering the refractive index and the mutual cancellation of the optical path in the optical structure at the same time), and the preliminary time delay accuracy can reach 0.01 pS. By controlling the incident angle to change the small optical path difference and correcting and compensating the temperature characteristics within the working range, the minimum resolution that can be monitored by existing instruments can be achieved.

[0076] In the present invention, by sharing the PBS, multi-stage cascading can be realized with the simplest structure.

[0077] Time delay sheets with corresponding thicknesses are set. The time delay of the first stage is △t, the second stage is 2△t... the i-th stage is 2 i-1 △t.

[0078] Then, by selecting the i-th stage 2x2 magneto-optical unit (the first stage and the last stage are 1x2 magneto-optical units) Switching is performed between the two time delay amounts of 0 time delay and 2 i-1 △t, and the expression of the final total time delay is:

[0079]

[0080] As can be seen from the above description, the minimum time delay step amount is △t, the minimum time delay amount is 0, and the maximum total time delay amount is (2 n -1)△t. The minimum time delay step amount △t and the multi-stage number can be determined according to actual application requirements.

[0081] See Figure 5 , the first row: driving trigger signal; the second row: optical response signal on one port of the magneto-optical switch; the third row: electrical signal at one end of the coil; the fourth row: electrical signal at the other end of the coil. From this oscilloscope diagram, it can be seen that the time from the leading edge of the trigger signal to the completion of the optical signal switching is less than 10 uS.

[0082] By studying the optical path structure, in one embodiment, the single-stage magneto-optical switch unit 100 is upgraded to a two-stage magneto-optical switch unit, which can increase the isolation (off ratio) from about 23 dB to more than 40 dB. The corresponding compromise is that the loss will deteriorate by about 0.5 dB. It is expected that the loss of the combination of each stage of magneto-optical unit and time-delay unit can ultimately reach about 0.8 dB. For the two-stage magneto-optical switch unit, refer to Figure 6 , specifically, two single-stage magneto-optical switch units 100 are connected in series; at the same time, the two-stage structure is a two-coil structure; in one embodiment, a single-coil structure can also be used;

[0083] Realization of small time-delay multi-stage free space: Refer to Figure 4 . For the first few stages with small time-delay (a 10-mm optical path difference is a judgment magnitude), the magneto-optical unit and the time-delay unit are directly fixed in free space, and the collimator is designed with a long distance and a small spot. In a working range of 200 mm, a loss of 0.5 dB can be obtained. After adding the magneto-optical unit and the time-delay unit, the loss of each stage is about 1 dB. For example: in a binary time-delay module with a maximum optical path difference of 24 mm, in the large time-delay unit, the optical path difference will be very large. It is necessary to divide 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 into one device, and place 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 in another device. This can achieve the effect of balancing the optical path and minimizing the loss. It is expected that the total loss of an 11-bit binary time-delay array is about 10 dB.

[0084] Realization of large time-delay multi-stage fiber: For time-delays greater than 10 mm and even larger, since the optical path difference will cause a significant change in the coupling loss of the collimators corresponding to the two optical paths, it is selected to use collimator-coupled output and then connect through optical fibers to obtain the optical path difference. Using optical fibers to extend the optical path difference, even for an optical path difference corresponding to 1 km of optical fiber, the corresponding loss is only 0.13 dB; in terms of volume, 1 km of optical fiber wound into an optical fiber loop also has a very small volume and very small mass. Using optical fibers to achieve a long optical path difference makes the variation range of the time-delay completely unrestricted.

[0085] In a system with a large time-delay, the hour-delay part and the large-time-delay part are connected in series, and the driving method of the magneto-optical switch unit remains the same.

[0086] For the length error caused by ultra-long optical fibers, after the system is assembled, the optical path difference of each stage can be measured and calibrated in actual measurement, and then through the most accurate control of the first few stages of time-delay, the total time-delay accuracy can still be controlled within △t.

[0087] In terms of structural strength and reliability, all optical components are firmly fixed on a high-strength ceramic body sintered by 3D printing. The ceramic body has corresponding special-shaped structures to ensure the reliability of the fixation of the corresponding optical components; the coils for corresponding channel switching control are directly wound on the corresponding hole positions of the ceramic body; the electrical pins led out from the coils also have hole positions on the ceramic body to ensure strong fixation. The 3D printed ceramic body is very light in overall weight while ensuring stable and reliable structure.

[0088] For multi-channel modules, the consistency control technology is the key to the normal operation of the system. In the time delay module, the fluctuation of loss and the precise synchronization of switching time are the key technologies.

[0089] (1) Control of loss difference in the process of time delay amount switching:

[0090] In the small time delay scheme in the free space structure, the method of directly inserting an attenuation sheet at the small optical path end is adopted, and the loss is balanced directly at each level.

[0091] In the large time delay scheme in the fiber length mode, because the loss difference of the optical fiber is very small, the loss difference of the 2x2 magneto-optical switch device is balanced in the way of the loss difference at the fiber fusion point.

[0092] During the entire time delay amount switching process, the overall loss fluctuation is within + / -0.3dB.

[0093] (2) In the n-bit binary time delay array, corresponding to 2 1x2 magneto-optical switch units and n - 1 2x2 magneto-optical switch units, the first n magneto-optical units are of double-stage structure, and the last 1x2 magneto-optical switch unit is combined into a single-stage structure. There are a total of n + 1 driving coils, and these n + 1 driving coils are driven in parallel. Each time delay amount will have a corresponding electronic switch driving array, and synchronous driving can be achieved by triggering with the same single pulse, that is, even for multiple stages, the overall switching time is the same, which is the response speed of one-stage magneto-optical switch unit. The positive and negative directions of the coil driving current are controlled by the electronic switch. The positive and negative directions of the coil current determine whether a magneto-optical unit takes the 0 time delay path or the time delay path, so as to realize the fast switching of different time delay amounts.

[0094] Summarizing the above discussion, the main technical indicators and advantages are obtained:

[0095] High response speed: Arbitrary time delay switching time ~10uS

[0096] Large range of time delay amount: Any required time delay amount

[0097] Acceptable loss: ~0.8dB per stage

[0098] High isolation / turn-off ratio: >40dB

[0099] High reliability: The switching principle is not based on physical deformation, and the theoretical lifespan is infinite.

[0100] Compact structure: The magneto-optical unit is approximately 2x2x4 mm, the small-delay unit is 1x1xL mm, and the long-delay unit is Ф15 mm.

[0101] Simple drive: A small voltage and small current pulse of approximately 3V 100mA ~ 1mS, and a simple electronic switch array.

[0102] The above are only embodiments of the present invention, and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent transformation made using the content of the specification and drawings of the present invention, or directly or indirectly applied in related technical fields, shall similarly be included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A time-delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optical switch, characterized in that: It includes a magneto-optical switch unit (100); the magneto-optical switch unit (100) includes a first polarization beam splitter prism (110), a first wave plate (120), a rotation optical component, and a second polarization beam splitter prism (140) arranged along the optical path direction; the first polarization beam splitter prism (110) is used to combine two polarized lights with perpendicular polarization directions into one light beam; the second polarization beam splitter prism (140) is used to decompose the input light into two polarized lights with perpendicular polarization directions; a first compensator (210) and a second compensator (220) are respectively arranged on the optical paths of the two output polarized lights of the second polarization beam splitter prism (140); the first compensator (210) and the second compensator (220) have different thicknesses to form a time delay unit (200).

2. The time-delay component based on a 2×2 magneto-optical switch, characterized in that: It includes a magneto-optical switch unit (100); the magneto-optical switch unit (100) includes a first polarization beam splitter prism (110), a first wave plate (120), a rotation optical component, and a second polarization beam splitter prism (140) arranged along the optical path direction; the two output optical paths of the second polarization beam splitter prism (140) are connected to the time delay unit (200) so that the two output optical paths have different time delays.

3. The time delay component based on a 2x2 magneto - optical switch according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: It includes a plurality of alternately arranged magneto-optical switch units (100) and time delay units (200).

4. The time delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optical switch according to claim 3, characterized in that: The number of the magneto-optical switch units (100) is one more than the number of the time delay units (200).

5. The time-delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optical switch according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first polarization beam splitter prism (110) includes a first polarization beam splitting surface (111) and a first reflection surface (112) parallel to the first polarization beam splitting surface (111); the second polarization beam splitter prism (140) includes a second polarization beam splitting surface (141) and a second reflection surface (142) parallel to the second polarization beam splitting surface (141).

6. The time delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optical switch according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first polarization beam splitter prism (110) includes a first polarization beam splitting surface (111), and a first reflection surface (112) and a third reflection surface (112’) located on both sides of the first polarization beam splitting surface (111) and parallel to the first polarization beam splitting surface (111); the second polarization beam splitter prism (140) includes a second polarization beam splitting surface (141), and a second reflection surface (142) and a fourth reflection surface (142’) located on both sides of the second polarization beam splitting surface (141) and parallel to the second polarization beam splitting surface (141).

7. The time delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optical switch according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first wave plate (120) is a 22.5° wave plate.

8. The time delay component based on a 2x2 magneto - optical switch according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The rotation optical component includes a magneto-optical crystal (130) arranged in a magnetic element (131); the magnetic element (131) generates a forward and reverse magnetic field according to the energization direction to control the rotation direction of the magneto-optical crystal (130) to be forward or reverse.

9. The time delay component based on a 2x2 magneto-optical switch according to claim 8, characterized in that: The magnetic element (131) is a single coil or a state-latching electromagnet.

10. A time-delay array based on a 2x2 magneto-optic switch, characterized in that: It is formed by the array arrangement of the time delay component based on the 2x2 magneto-optical switch as described in any one of claims 1-2.

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