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arXiv · 1308.5481

A Radio-Frequency-over-Fiber link for large-array radio astronomy applications

Juan Mena·Kevin Bandura·Jean-Francois Cliche·Matt Dobbs·Adam Gilbert·Qing Yang Tang
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Abstract

A prototype 425-850 MHz Radio-Frequency-over-Fiber (RFoF) link for the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) is presented. The design is based on a directly modulated Fabry-Perot (FP) laser, operating at ambient temperature, and a single-mode fiber. The dynamic performance, gain stability, and phase stability of the RFoF link are characterized. Tests on a two-element interferometer built at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory for CHIME prototyping demonstrate that RFoF can be successfully used as a cost-effective solution for analog signal transport on the CHIME telescope and other large-array radio astronomy applications

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Juan Mena, Kevin Bandura, Jean-Francois Cliche, Matt Dobbs, Adam Gilbert, Qing Yang Tang. 2013-08-26. A Radio-Frequency-over-Fiber link for large-array radio astronomy applications. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/8/10/t10003

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