Abstract
We propose and experimentally validate an optical true time delay beamforming scheme with straightforward integration into hybrid optical/millimeter (mm)-wave access networks. In the proposed approach, the most complex functions, including the beamforming network, are implemented in a central office, reducing the complexity and cost of remote antenna units. Different cores in a multi-core fiber are used to distribute the modulated signals to high-speed photodetectors acting as heterodyne mixers. The mm-wave carrier frequency is fixed to 50 GHz (VBand), thereby imposing a progressive delay between antenna elements of a few picoseconds. That true time delay is achieved with an accuracy lower than 1 ps and low phase noise.
| Original language | English |
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| Article number | 040603 |
| Journal | Chinese Optics Letters |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 10 Apr 2018 |
Funding
This work was partly founded by H2020 ITN CELTA under Grant No. 675683 of Call: H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015. The authors also thank the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) for providing the facilities and the equipment to conduct the experiment.