Patent ID: 8737838
Filing Date: 2014-05-27
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
1. A feed structure for a radio frequency antenna, comprising: a plurality of radio frequency antenna elements; a plurality of detectors, each one of the detectors being coupled to a corresponding one of the radio frequency antenna elements; and wherein each one of the detectors is responsive to optical frequency energy to produce input radio frequency power for the corresponding one of the antenna elements coupled to said one of the detectors; and wherein the feed structure includes: a plurality optical coupler/detector sections, each one of the coupler/detector sections section having an optical coupler and a detector; wherein the optical couplers are serially interconnected by an optical waveguide; wherein the optical waveguide is fed by the pair of optical frequency signals having different frequencies; and wherein the optical coupler passes a portion of optical energy fed to said one of the optical coupler/detector sections to a next serially coupled one of the optical coupler/detector sections and another portion to a photodetector in said one of the optical coupler/detector sections.