Simultaneous, Multi-Frequency Synchronous Oscillator Antenna

As signal bandwidth increases, the inherent limitations of analog-to-digital converter technology become significant. Compounding the difficulty of direct-to-digital operation, at such high frequencies the sheer volume of data generated (on a per-element basis) could result in unattainably high throughput rates and processing power requirements. This paper reviews the design, construction and testing of coupled nonlinear oscillator arrays capable of phase-shifterless beam-steering and null generation at multiple simultaneous frequencies. This ongoing effort by Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and SPAWAR-SSC is intended to yield significant insight into this novel approach which exploits coupling and nonlinearities in antenna design in order to provide improved performance (increased null depth, simplified parameter controls, BER reduction) on SIGINT platforms. If successful, this design could represent a possible enabling technology for the realization of low-cost, phased arrays at micro- and millimeter wave frequencies, impacting a diverse range of potential commercial, military and aerospace applications.