Radio Signal Arrival Angle and Doppler Frequency Shift Radio Photonic Measurement System Based on the Mach --- Zehnder Amplitude Modulators

Abstract

The paper proposes a photonic system for simultaneous measurement of the arrival angle and Doppler frequency shift in the narrowband radio signal. It is based on introducing the widely used Mach --- Zehnder amplitude modulators and is characterized by high carrier suppression and absence of the information signal second harmonic. The measurement device is constructed on a discrete optoelectronic element base and includes laser, two parallel-connected double parallel and single Mach --- Zehnder amplitude modulators, optical signal splitters, and photodetector. To compensate for the optical signals non-ideal phase difference in the modulators parallel channels, a two-channel Y-shaped integrated-optical splitter with the electro-optical modulator is introduced into the measurement device. The radio signal coming from a moving located object and the true frequency reference microwave signal are fed to the modulators inputs, and the electric signal of beats of the optical carriers' first side harmonics from the modulators are extracted on the photodetector. The Doppler frequency shift is determined by the electric signal frequency, and the arrival angle --- by the power. The paper presents a new analytical model of the photonic measurement device, which takes into account the finite value of the modulators extinction. It proposes a technique for calibrating the measurement device by the optical signals phase difference from the parallel-connected modulators and by the low-frequency electric signal power level. A condition is analytically obtained, under which a measurement device with non-ideal contrast of the double parallel Mach --- Zehnder amplitude modulator could provide a measurement characteristic similar to the case of the ideal parameters. Results of the studied circuit CAD simulation are presented, as well as the experimentally obtained results on a simplified model of the measurement device layout

Please cite this article in English as:

Mihalitsyn E.A., Kuznetsov A.A. Radio signal arrival angle and Doppler frequency shift radio photonic measurement system based on the Mach --- Zehnder amplitude modulators. Herald of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Series Instrument Engineering, 2024, no. 3 (148), pp. 42--58 (in Russ.). EDN: KMGKED

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