Millimeter-wave Photonics for High Data Rate Wireless Communication Systems
Presentation to
IEEE 802.15 THz Interest Group
July 16, 2008
Richard W. Ridgway, Ph.D.
Senior Research Leader
Battelle
505 King Ave
Columbus, OH 43201
614-424-5140
Abstract: For over 20 years Battelle has been involved in the development of integrated optical components and subsystems that use the electrooptic effect to provide the interaction between microwave signals and optical signals for communications and signal processing applications. Recently that effort has focused on the generation and modulation of millimeter waves for wireless communications. In these systems, Battelle uses photonic components, including laser diodes, electrooptic modulators, arrayed-waveguide grating optical filters, and optical amplifiers, to generate and modulate the millimeter-waves. Modulating the signal in the optical domain allows the system to take advantage of the high data rate capability of optical modulators used for telecommunications. This allows the modulation of a 94 GHz signal at data rates in excess of 10 Gb/s. Such data rates would be difficult to achieve using millimeter-wave components. A high speed photodiode is used to convert the doubly modulated optical signal to a modulated millimeter-wave signal.
The talk will describe Battelle’s efforts to develop this system and will provide operational characteristics of the system,including carrier frequencies at and above 100 GHz and data rates at and above 10 Gb/s. Field test results will also be described. The talk will conclude with a discussion of a road map to higher carrier frequencies and higher data rates.
Biographical Statement: Dr. Ridgway serves as Senior Research Leader of Integrated Photonics in Battelle’s Electronics and Avionics Systems Product Line. He joined Battelle in September 1979 and has been involved in the development of integrated optical components for over 25 years. This includes the use of electrooptic-based optical components for the generation, modulation, detection and processing of microwave and millimeter-wave signals. From September 2001 to January 2007, he served as Chief Technology Officer of Optimer Photonics, Inc., a spin-out company of Battelle focused on commercializing electrooptic waveguide technology developed at Battelle. Dr. Ridgway has over 20 U.S.patents associated with electrooptic waveguide technology and 10 additional patents pending. He received his BS and MS degrees in electrical engineering from The University of Michigan and his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University.
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