Two-dimensional conformal optically-fed phased array and methods of manufacturing the same

An antenna array system, comprising:

• a wafer substrate;
• a plurality of layers formed on the wafer substrate, the plurality of layers including a first cladding layer, a core layer, and a second cladding layer;
• a plurality of dipole antennas mounted on the plurality of layers and configured to operate as an antenna array, each dipole antenna having first and second radiating arms extending in a first direction and having a length L in the first direction;
• a plurality of photodiodes mounted on the plurality of layers, each photodiode configured to generate an RF current to drive a corresponding dipole antenna to which the photodiode is connected;
• and
• a plurality of micro-bends formed in the plurality of layers and aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of photodiodes, each micro-bend configured to receive an optical signal from an associated optical waveguide among a plurality of optical waveguides and redirect the optical signal to the corresponding one of the plurality of photodiodes above the plurality of layers.

A method of manufacturing a radio frequency (RF) antenna module, comprising:

• providing a first antenna substrate, a second antenna substrate, and a ground plane including a plurality of apertures;
• patterning a patch antenna array on the first antenna substrate, the patch antenna array including a plurality of aperture-coupled patch antennas regularly arranged in a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• patterning a plurality of microstrip lines on the second antenna substrate;
• interposing the ground plane between the first antenna substrate and the second antenna substrate;
• and
• providing an input array module including an optical connector to connect to a optical fiber array to receive input optical signals from an optical fiber array, the input array module configured to convert the received input optical signals to RF signals, and output the RF signals,
• wherein ground plane includes a plurality of slots regularly arranged in the first direction and the second direction, each slot aligned with a corresponding aperture-coupled patch antenna of the plurality of aperture-coupled patch antennas, and
• wherein each of the plurality of microstrip lines extends from the input array module to a corresponding one of the plurality of slots, each microstrip line configured to receive the RF signals output by the input array module and transmit the RF signals to a corresponding patch antenna through a corresponding slot in the ground plane.

An antenna array system, comprising:

• a first antenna substrate including a plurality of patch antennas regularly arranged in a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• a second antenna substrate including a plurality of microstrip transmission lines;
• a ground plane interposed between the first antenna substrate and the second antenna substrate and including a plurality of slots regularly arranged in the first direction and the second direction, each slot of the plurality of slots aligned with a corresponding patch antenna of the plurality of patch antennas;
• and
• an input array module including an optical connector to connect to a optical fiber array to receive optical signals from the optical fiber array, the input array module configured to convert the optical signals to RF signals, and output the RF signals,
• wherein each of the plurality of microstrip transmission lines extends from the input array module to a corresponding one of the plurality of slots, each microstrip transmission line configured to receive the RF signal output by the input array module and transmit the RF signal to a corresponding patch antenna through a corresponding slot in the ground plane.