Optically Activated In-Waveguide Semiconductor Attenuators for the Controllable Isolation of Ka-Band Microwaves

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dc.creatorHewitt, A.T. (TTU)
dc.creatorEsser, B. (TTU)
dc.creatorJoshi, R.P. (TTU)
dc.creatorMankowski, J. (TTU)
dc.creatorDickens, J. (TTU)
dc.creatorNeuber, A. (TTU)
dc.creatorLee, R.
dc.creatorStephens, J. (TTU)
dc.date.accessioned2022-04-08T18:08:57Z
dc.date.available2022-04-08T18:08:57Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.descriptionThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.en_US
dc.description.abstractThree different isolator topologies utilizing photoconductive (PC) elements are explored for their application as a controllable attenuator for a Ka -band radar system. Network analyzer measurements are reported for each geometry in the unilluminated case, while a high-speed, high dynamic range heterodyne detection apparatus is used to measure the transient attenuation behavior of the isolators when illuminated. The electromagnetic characteristics of the illuminated isolators are demonstrated to be in good agreement with COMSOL Multiphysics simulations. Two of the isolator topologies rely on the PC element becoming highly reflective to achieve high isolation, which in turn requires high optical power and charge carrier density (~10 17 cm −3 ). For the optical power available here (100 W), the first device demonstrated a peak attenuation of 53 dB, while the second device achieved only 33 dB. In the third topology, RF propagation is parallel to the major dimensions of the PC element. As a result, superior isolation is achieved with the PC element in the primarily absorbing state, associated with significantly lower carrier concentration (~10 15 cm −3 ). This device achieved 63 dB of attenuation for only 3 W of optical power, demonstrating that PC technologies may be competitive with other isolator technologies with some notable advantages.en_US
dc.identifier.citationHewitt, A. T., Esser, B., Joshi, R. P., Mankowski, J., Dickens, J., Neuber, A., Lee, R., & Stephens, J. (2022). Optically Activated In-Waveguide Semiconductor Attenuators for the Controllable Isolation of Ka-Band Microwaves. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 70(4), 2217-2223. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMTT.2022.3144214en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1109/TMTT.2022.3144214
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2346/89097
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.subjectOptical Attenuatorsen_US
dc.subjectSiliconen_US
dc.subjectGeometryen_US
dc.subjectOptical Switchesen_US
dc.subjectIsolatorsen_US
dc.subjectOptical Waveguidesen_US
dc.subjectOptical Variables Measurementen_US
dc.subjectMillimeter-Wave Radar (mm-Wave Radar)en_US
dc.subjectPhotoconductive (PC) Deviceen_US
dc.subjectRadio Frequency Isolator (RF Isolator)en_US
dc.subjectRadio Frequency Switch (RF Switch)en_US
dc.titleOptically Activated In-Waveguide Semiconductor Attenuators for the Controllable Isolation of Ka-Band Microwavesen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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