Study of optoelectronic switch for satellite-switched time-division multiple access

The use of optoelectronic switching for satellite switched time division multiple access will improve the isolation and reduce the crosstalk of an IF switch matrix. The results are presented of a study on optoelectronic switching. Tasks include literature search, system requirements study, candidate switching architecture analysis, and switch model optimization. The results show that the power divided and crossbar switching architectures are good candidates for an IF switch matrix

Recent developments in monolithic integration of InGaAsP/InP optoelectronic devices

Monolithically integrated optoelectronic circuits combine optical devices such as light sources (injection lasers and light emitting diodes) and optical detectors with solid-state semiconductor devices such as field effect transistors, bipolar transistors, and others on a single semiconductor crystal. Here we review some of the integrated circuits that have been realized and discuss the laser structures suited for integration with emphasis on the InGaAsP/InP material system. Some results of high frequency modulation and performance of integrated devices are discussed

A liénard oscillator resonant tunnelling diode-laser diode hybrid integrated circuit: model and experiment

We report on a hybrid optoelectronic integrated circuit based on a resonant tunnelling diode driving an optical communications laser diode. This circuit can act as a voltage controlled oscillator with optical and electrical outputs. We show that the oscillator operation can be described by Liénard's equation, a second order nonlinear differential equation, which is a generalization of the Van der Pol equation. This treatment gives considerable insight into the potential of a monolithic version of the circuit for optical communication functions including clock recovery and chaotic source applications

Monolithic optical integrated control circuitry for GaAs MMIC-based phased arrays

Gallium arsenide (GaAs) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC's) show promise in phased-array antenna applications for future space communications systems. Their efficient usage will depend on the control of amplitude and phase signals for each MMIC element in the phased array and in the low-loss radiofrequency feed. For a phased array contining several MMIC elements a complex system is required to control and feed each element. The characteristics of GaAs MMIC's for 20/30-GHz phased-array systems are discussed. The optical/MMIC interface and the desired characteristics of optical integrated circuits (OIC's) for such an interface are described. Anticipated fabrication considerations for eventual full monolithic integration of optical integrated circuits with MMIC's on a GaAs substrate are presented

Space Flight LiDARs, Navigation & Science Instrument Implementations: Lasers, Optoelectronics, Integrated Photonics, Fiber Optic Subsystems and Components

For the past 25 years, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center's Photonics Group in the Engineering Directorate has been substantially contributing to the flight design, development, production, testing and integration of many science and navigational instruments. The Moon to Mars initiative will rely heavily upon utilizing commercial technologies for instrumentation with aggressive schedule deadlines. The group has an extensive background in screening, qualifying, development and integration of commercial components for spaceflight applications. By remaining adaptable and employing a rigorous approach to component and instrument development, they have forged and fostered relationships with industry partners. They have been willing to communicate lessons learned in packaging, part construction, materials selection, testing, and other facets of the design and production process critical to implementation for high-reliability systems. As a result, this successful collaboration with industry vendors and component suppliers has enabled a history of mission success from the Moon to Mars (and beyond) while balancing cost, schedule, and risk postures. In cases where no commercial components exist, the group works closely with other teams at Goddard Space Flight Center and other NASA field centers to fabricate and produce flight hardware for science, remote sensing, and navigation applications. Summarized here is the last ten years of instrumentation development lessons learned and data collected from the subsystems down to the optoelectronic component level

Investigation into the integration of a resonant tunnelling diode and an optical communications laser: model and experiment

A resonant tunnelling diode has been monolithically integrated with an optical communications laser [the resonant tunnelling diode (RTD-LD)] to form a simple optoelectronic integrated circuit (OEIC) that is a novel bistable device suitable for an optical communications system. The RTD-LD was based on a ridge-waveguide laser structure and was fabricated from an InAlGaAs-InP epi-wafer grown by molecular beam epitaxy; it emitted at around 1500 nm. Voltage controlled optical-electrical switching and bistability were observed during the characterisation of the RTD-LD - useful features for a fibre-optic communications laser. Optical and electrical simulations of the RTD-LD were carried out using the circuit simulation tool PSPICE. In addition, a discrete component version of the RTD-LD was constructed which exhibited optical power oscillations, and along with the results of the simulations, gave insight into the operating principles of the monolithically integrated RTD-LD

Integrated optics technology study

The status and near term potential of materials and processes available for the fabrication of single mode integrated electro-optical components are discussed. Issues discussed are host material and orientation, waveguide formation, optical loss mechanisms, wavelength selection, polarization effects and control, laser to integrated optics coupling fiber optic waveguides to integrated optics coupling, sources, and detectors. Recommendations of the best materials, technology, and processes for fabrication of integrated optical components for communications and fiber gyro applications are given

Resonant Tunnelling Optoelectronic Circuits

Nowadays, most communication networks such as local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), and wide area networks (WANs) have replaced or are about to replace coaxial cable or twisted copper wire with fiber optical cables. Light-wave communication systems comprise a transmitter based on a visible or near-infrared light source, whose carrier is modulated by the information signal to be transmitted, a transmission media such as an optical fiber, eventually utilizing in-line optical amplification, and a receiver based on a photo-detector that recovers the information signal (Liu, 1996)(Einarsson, 1996). The transmitter consists of a driver circuit along a semiconductor laser or a light emitting diode (LED). The receiver is a signal processing circuit coupled to a photo-detector such as a photodiode, an avalanche photodiode (APD), a phototransistor or a high speed photoconductor that processes the photo-detected signal and recovers the primitive information signa

Optical techniques to feed and control GaAs MMIC modules for phased array antenna applications

A complex signal distribution system is required to feed and control GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) for phased array antenna applications above 20 GHz. Each MMIC module will require one or more RF lines, one or more bias voltage lines, and digital lines to provide a minimum of 10 bits of combined phase and gain control information. In a closely spaced array, the routing of these multiple lines presents difficult topology problems as well as a high probability of signal interference. To overcome GaAs MMIC phased array signal distribution problems optical fibers interconnected to monolithically integrated optical components with GaAs MMIC array elements are proposed as a solution. System architecture considerations using optical fibers are described. The analog and digital optical links to respectively feed and control MMIC elements are analyzed. It is concluded that a fiber optic network will reduce weight and complexity, and increase reliability and performance, but higher power will be required

Heterostructures for High Performance Devices

Contains table of contents for Part I, table of contents for Section 1, an introduction, reports on sixteen research projects and a list of publications.DARPA/NCIPTJoint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-92-C-0001National Science FoundationToshiba Corporation Ltd.Charles S. Draper LaboratoriesHertz Foundation FellowshipVitesse SemiconductorGTE LaboratoriesNational Science Foundation FellowshipDARPA/MOSISTexas Instruments, Inc.U.S. Army Research Office Grant DAAL03-92-G-025