New 3D opto-microwave module for signal summation in active antenna applications

This paper presents the realization of a novel opto-microwave module for signal summation in the application field of active phased array antennas. The building block of the device is an integrated optical waveguide chip consisting of four stacked planar layers of single mode waveguides working at 1550 nm. A newly developed fabrication technology for the 3D waveguide chip enables to sum up 32 or 16 input channels respectively within the two versions of the functional chips, which have been realized so far.