Electronic Device with Monolithic Antenna Integration

An antenna module comprising:

• a silicon bulk;
• a dielectric substrate layered onto the silicon bulk;
• a phased antenna array including
• radiators formed from conductive traces on a surface of the dielectric substrate opposite the silicon bulk, and
• photodiodes electrically coupled to the radiators;
• a first optical path embedded in the dielectric substrate and configured to convey a first optical signal that illuminates the photodiodes in the phased antenna array;
• and
• a second optical path embedded in the dielectric substrate and configured to convey a second optical signal that illuminates the photodiodes in the phased antenna array.

An electronic device comprising:

• a silicon bulk;
• a dielectric substrate grown onto the silicon bulk;
• a first antenna radiator on a surface of the dielectric substrate opposite the silicon bulk;
• a second antenna radiator on the surface of the dielectric substrate;
• a first photodiode communicatively coupled to the first antenna radiator;
• a second photodiode communicatively coupled to the second antenna radiator;
• first and second optical combiners embedded in the dielectric substrate;
• first and second optical phase shifters embedded in the dielectric substrate;
• a first optical path that couples the first optical combiner to the first photodiode;
• a second optical path that couples the second optical combiner to the second photodiode;
• a first waveguide embedded in the dielectric substrate, coupled to the first and second optical combiners, and configured to convey a first optical local oscillator (LO) signal to the first and second optical combiners;
• a second waveguide embedded in the dielectric substrate, coupled to the first and second optical combiners, and configured to convey a second optical LO signal to the first and second optical combiners;
• and
• an electro-optical modulator embedded in the dielectric substrate, disposed on the first waveguide, and configured to modulate wireless data onto the first optical LO signal.