DARPA extends OEwaves' contract for optoelectronic oscillators

Oct. 9, 2009

OEwaves (Pasadena, CA), manufacturer of photonic-based microwave solutions, will develop a high-performance tunable optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) based on whispering gallery mode (WGM) technology. Drawing from knowledge gained in previous DARPA-sponsored programs (aPROPOS and ChaSER), OEwaves will demonstrate the technology to support small platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Gail Overton

The approach combines the use of a fiber-based OEO for achieving high spectral purity with a unique modulator based on the optical WGM resonator. The anticipated ultra-low phase noise performance is expected to rival current single-frequency compact OEO technology while providing the added advantage of wideband agility over 40 GHz.

A major feature of such architecture is the inherently low acceleration sensitivity, a parameter of significance for all mobile platforms. The outcome of this task can directly lead to a future development of high performance, miniature oscillators with exceptionally low acceleration sensitivity to enable availability of advanced radar and C4ISR capabilities for UAVs and other small platforms.

OEwaves' microwave photonic technology simplifies the architecture of conventional microwave techniques by addressing the critical need to substantially reduce size and power requirements. This is accomplished through the patented technology of ultra-high quality factor crystalline whispering gallery mode optical resonators.

For more information, go to www.oewaves.com.

About the Author

Gail Overton | Senior Editor (2004-2020)

Gail has more than 30 years of engineering, marketing, product management, and editorial experience in the photonics and optical communications industry. Before joining the staff at Laser Focus World in 2004, she held many product management and product marketing roles in the fiber-optics industry, most notably at Hughes (El Segundo, CA), GTE Labs (Waltham, MA), Corning (Corning, NY), Photon Kinetics (Beaverton, OR), and Newport Corporation (Irvine, CA). During her marketing career, Gail published articles in WDM Solutions and Sensors magazine and traveled internationally to conduct product and sales training. Gail received her BS degree in physics, with an emphasis in optics, from San Diego State University in San Diego, CA in May 1986.