Light-operated microwave beam forming network chip based on photoelectric cooperation

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of phased array, microwave photon and optoelectronic devices, and particularly discloses a light-operated microwave beam forming network chip based on photoelectric synergy. The network chip comprises an electric signal input and modulation module, an optical signal transmission and phase shift module and an optical signal receiving and demodulation module, the electric signal input and modulation module is used for loading a to-be-modulated electric signal to an optical domain, regulating and controlling the phase of an optical signal and transmitting the optical signal to the optical signal transmission and phase shift module; the optical signal transmission and phase shift module is used for expanding the phase regulation and control range of the optical signal and outputting the optical signal to the optical signal receiving and demodulation module; and the optical signal receiving and demodulation module is used for converting the received optical signal back to an electric signal and carrying out amplification processing and phase regulation and control on the electric signal. According to the invention, high-precision phase shift is realized in an electric domain, wide-range phase regulation and control coverage is completed in an optical domain, and high-precision wide-range phase regulation and control based on photoelectric cooperation is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of phased arrays, microwave photonics and optoelectronic devices, and in particular to an optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration. Background Art

[0002] High-precision, wide-range phase control plays a vital role in modern radar, communications, microwave photonics, and other fields. For example, phased array radar and communication systems require precise and wide-range adjustment of the signal phase.

[0003] However, existing phase control technologies often suffer from insufficient precision and a limited control range. For example, traditional phase modulation methods based on the electro-optic effect struggle to maintain accuracy over a wide range of phase adjustments. Meanwhile, some high-precision phase adjustment schemes are often limited to a narrow adjustment range, making them unable to meet the diverse signal processing requirements of complex optical network environments.

[0004] Therefore, developing a technology that can achieve high-precision and large-range phase control has important practical significance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One of the technical problems to be solved by the present invention is to provide a high-precision and large-range phase control system based on optoelectronic collaboration, mainly to solve the pain point that it is difficult to achieve both phase control accuracy and control range in the existing technology, and can be used to improve the performance of radar or communication systems, optimize signal processing and other scenarios.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, a technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration, which includes: an optical signal transmission and phase shifting module, and an optical signal receiving and demodulation module; the optical signal transmission and phase shifting module is used to expand the phase control range of the optical signal and output the optical signal to the optical signal receiving and demodulation module; the optical signal receiving and demodulation module is used to convert the received optical signal back into an electrical signal, and perform amplification processing and phase control of the electrical signal.

[0007] Preferably, the optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration also includes: an electrical signal input and modulation module, which is used to load the electrical signal to be modulated into the optical domain, and at the same time regulate the phase of the optical signal, and transmit the optical signal to the optical signal transmission and phase shift module.

[0008] Preferably, the electrical signal input and modulation module includes: an electro-optical modulator and a driver, the electro-optical modulator is connected to the driver, the driver is connected to the electrical signal to be modulated, the electro-optical modulator is connected to the optical signal, the driver performs preliminary phase adjustment on the electrical signal and then drives the electro-optical modulator to modulate the optical signal, thereby loading the information of the electrical signal onto the optical signal, and preliminarily realizing the control of the signal phase, that is, by completing the conversion and modulation of the signal from electrical to optical, the original (or preliminarily processed) electrical information is loaded onto the light.

[0009] Preferably, an access optical signal is configured before the electro-optical modulator.

[0010] Preferably, the optical signal transmission and phase shifting module includes a microring array, and the control of the optical signal phase is achieved by adjusting the parameters of the microrings; the microring array is provided with multiple channels, and each channel has a different number of microring resonators cascaded. By configuring the working parameters of the microring resonators and controlling the path of the output optical signal, multi-channel independent regulation of the optical signal phase is achieved, thereby achieving wide coverage of signal phase regulation in the optical domain.

[0011] Preferably, the optical signal receiving and demodulation module includes: a light detector and a transimpedance amplifier, the light detector is connected to the transimpedance amplifier; the light detector is used to convert the optical signal into a small current signal, and the transimpedance amplifier amplifies and converts the small current signal to complete high-precision phase control of the electrical signal.

[0012] Preferably, a high-precision signal phase control module circuit is integrated inside the transimpedance amplifier chip, so that high-precision phase control of the electrical signal can be achieved inside the transimpedance amplifier chip.

[0013] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present invention realizes high-precision phase shifting in the electric domain and completes a wide range of phase control coverage in the optical domain, taking into account "high precision + wide range" and realizing high-precision and wide-range phase control based on optoelectronic synergy.

[0014] The present invention realizes an optoelectronically coordinated optically controlled beamforming network, which has the advantages of high integration, optoelectronic integration, and scalable array and beam scales. It is mainly used in the field of communications, and is particularly suitable for high-frequency scenarios such as future 6G communications, radar systems, and satellite communications. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the application of the present invention in the field of optical communications. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The detailed description and technical contents of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are only provided for reference and explanation and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0018] Traditional electronic beamforming relies on phase shifters, which suffer from narrow instantaneous bandwidth and frequency-dependent pointing deviations, leading to waveform distortion in broadband signals. Optical beamforming networks, however, utilize optical phase control technology to eliminate bandwidth limitations and ensure distortion-free synthesis of wide-bandwidth signals. Combining the two, based on optoelectronic synergy, can address bandwidth limitations, significantly improving the overall phase control effectiveness of the system, particularly in high-frequency applications such as millimeter-wave and terahertz. This combination also opens up new possibilities for cutting-edge fields such as terahertz communications and quantum-classical hybrid networks.

[0019] The present invention applies the phase adjustment technology in microelectronic chips to the design of optically controlled beamforming network chips, achieving high-precision phase shifting in the electrical domain and completing a wide range of phase control coverage in the optical domain, achieving a balance of "high precision + wide range".

[0020] like Figure 1 As shown, an optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an electrical signal input and modulation module, an optical signal transmission and phase shift module, and an optical signal receiving and demodulation module.

[0021] The electrical signal input and modulation module converts electrical signals into optical signals through an electro-optical modulator under the control of a driver, and performs preliminary control of the phase of the optical signal. Optical signal transmission and phase shifting module, which expands the optical signal phase control range through micro-ring array; The optical signal receiving and demodulation module converts the optical signal carrying phase information into an electrical signal. The transimpedance amplifier chip (TIA) converts and amplifies the electrical signal and performs fine control of the electrical signal phase.

[0022] In this embodiment, the electrical signal input and modulation module is used to load the modulated electrical signal onto the optical domain and simultaneously perform preliminary phase control on the optical signal. Its specific structure includes an electro-optical modulator and a driver. An electro-optical modulator utilizes the electro-optic effect to modulate an electrical signal onto an optical signal. The refractive index of the material changes with the applied electric field, producing optical path differences and phase differences, thereby changing the phase. A laser is placed before the electro-optical modulator. The electro-optical modulator is connected to the driver. The driver receives the electrical signal to be modulated, and the electro-optical modulator receives the optical signal. Driven by the driver, the electro-optical modulator modulates the optical signal, thereby transferring information from the electrical signal to the optical signal. First, the electrical signal to be converted is input into the driver, which performs preliminary processing such as amplification and filtering to improve the signal quality and strength and ensure that it meets the drive requirements of the modulator. The driver then distributes the processed electrical signal to the electro-optical modulator. Both the electro-optical modulator and the driver can utilize existing technologies. The electrical signal input and modulation module transmits the optical signal to the optical signal transmission and phase shifting module.

[0023] In this embodiment, the optical signal transmission and phase shift module mainly includes a micro-ring array. The micro-ring array is a key component for realizing phase shift control. By adjusting the parameters of the micro-ring (such as radius, refractive index, etc.), the phase of the optical signal can be controlled. Figure 1 As shown, the microring array features multiple channels. Each channel houses a different number of cascaded microring resonators, arranged sequentially along the same waveguide to achieve multi-channel independent phase control. Because each channel contains a different number of microring resonators, the optical signal passing through the waveguide experiences varying amplitudes due to the varying number of microring resonators. The output port (OutPort) of each channel connects to an optical signal receiving and demodulation module, where it outputs the optical signal.

[0024] Microring array achieves phase control in the following ways: like Figure 1 , the optical signal passes through the first micro-ring of the first channel, and the phase offset generated is ,Similarly, different degrees of phase offset will be generated after passing through the ,rest of micro-rings.

[0025] If there are n microring resonators in cascade, each microring can provide The total maximum phase adjustment range can reach , the phase control range has been greatly expanded.

[0026] In this embodiment, the optical signal receiving and demodulation module is used to convert the received optical signal back into an electrical signal, and perform amplification processing and fine phase control, mainly including: a light detector, a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) and other components. The light detector is connected to the transimpedance amplifier. The light detector, such as a photodiode, can convert the optical signal into a small current signal, and the current intensity is proportional to the light irradiation intensity. In this embodiment, the photovoltaic mode of the photodiode is applied, and the anode and cathode of the photodiode maintain the same potential, that is, the zero bias state. In this mode, the current flow of the photodiode is restricted, forming a voltage, and working by utilizing the photovoltaic effect. Since there is no reverse bias, the linearity and sensitivity of the photodiode reach the highest level, the noise level is relatively low, and high-precision phase control can be achieved. The transimpedance amplifier TIA amplifies and converts the small current signal to meet the requirements of subsequent signal processing and complete the high-precision phase control of the electrical signal. Among them, the high-precision signal phase control module circuit is integrated inside the transimpedance amplifier chip, and the final high-precision phase control can be completed inside the transimpedance amplifier chip, ultimately achieving high-precision and large-range control of the signal phase. As Figure 1 As shown, the output end (OutPort) of each channel is connected to a photodetector and a transimpedance amplifier.

[0027] Through the above-mentioned innovative system architecture and methods, the chip of the present invention effectively solves the limitations of existing phase control technology in terms of accuracy and range, bringing significant technological progress and performance improvements to the fields of optical communications and optical signal processing, and has broad application prospects and market value.

[0028] like Figure 2 As shown, the chip of the present invention can be applied in the field of optical communications. The working process of the chip of the present invention is as follows: the signal sent by the user equipment is received by the remote antenna unit and transmitted to the central facility in the form of an optical signal. The chip of the present invention is provided in the central facility, and the optical signal is converted into an electrical signal with higher precision and transmitted by the transmitter to the driver of the electrical signal input and modulation module. The driver transmits the electrical signal to the electro-optical modulator. Under the action of the driver, the electro-optical modulator performs preliminary phase control on the optical signal and transmits the optical signal of the corresponding phase to the optical signal transmission and phase shifting module. In the optical signal transmission and phase shifting module, the optical signal is expanded by different numbers of micro-rings on different routes to achieve the expansion of the phase control range. In this way, the optical signal with an expanded phase range but insufficient precision enters the optical signal receiving and demodulation module, is output in the form of an electrical signal through the optical detector, and is amplified by the transimpedance amplifier TIA, while completing the fine control of the phase.

[0029] This chip ensures low optical signal phase error, improving detection sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio, making it suitable for long-distance fiber-optic communications. By leveraging the wide bandwidth of the optical domain and processing the phase and amplitude of optical signals through a microring array, it can also implement a tunable microwave photonic filter for RF signal filtering and distribution in 5G / 6G fronthaul networks.

[0030] The above embodiments are only preferred embodiments for fully illustrating the present invention, and the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitution or modification made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention is within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration, characterized in that: It includes: Optical signal transmission and phase shift module, optical signal reception and demodulation module; The optical signal transmission and phase shifting module is used to expand the optical signal phase control range and output the optical signal to the optical signal receiving and demodulation module; The optical signal receiving and demodulating module is used to convert the received optical signal back into an electrical signal, and perform amplification processing and phase control on the electrical signal.

2. The optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes: an electrical signal input and modulation module, which is used to load the electrical signal to be modulated into the optical domain, and at the same time regulate the phase of the optical signal, and transmit the optical signal to the optical signal transmission and phase shift module.

3. The optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration according to claim 2, characterized in that: The electrical signal input and modulation module includes: an electro-optical modulator and a driver. The electro-optical modulator is connected to the driver. The driver receives the electrical signal to be modulated, and the electro-optical modulator receives the optical signal. The driver performs preliminary phase adjustment on the electrical signal and then drives the electro-optical modulator to modulate the optical signal, thereby loading the information of the electrical signal onto the optical signal and preliminarily realizing the control of the signal phase.

4. The optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration according to claim 3, characterized in that: An access optical signal is configured before the electro-optical modulator.

5. The optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that: The optical signal transmission and phase shifting module includes a micro-ring array, and the optical signal phase is controlled by adjusting the parameters of the micro-rings; The microring array is provided with multiple channels, each of which is cascaded with a different number of microring resonators. By configuring the working parameters of the microring resonators and controlling the path of the output optical signal, multi-channel independent regulation of the optical signal phase is achieved.

6. The optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration according to claim 5, characterized in that: The optical signal receiving and demodulation module includes: a light detector and a transimpedance amplifier, the light detector is connected to the transimpedance amplifier; the light detector is used to convert the optical signal into a small current signal, and the transimpedance amplifier amplifies and converts the small current signal to complete high-precision phase control of the electrical signal.

7. The optically controlled microwave beamforming network chip based on optoelectronic collaboration according to claim 6, characterized in that: A high-precision signal phase control module circuit is integrated inside the transimpedance amplifier chip, so that high-precision phase control of the electrical signal can be achieved inside the transimpedance amplifier chip.

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