Title: Microwave Photonics for Space-Ground Connectivity Show Chinese title

Title: 微波光子学用于空间-地面连接

Abstract: Future space-ground communication networks require a seamless fusion of technologies that combine the all-weather reliability of microwave links with the ultra-high data capacity of near-infrared optical systems. Achieving this vision demands compact, robust, and multifunctional hardware, yet monolithic integration of these fundamentally distinct domains has remained elusive. Here, we present the first monolithically integrated silicon photonic chip that bridges microwave and optical domains for dual-band free-space communications and dynamic beamforming. The chip integrates a microwave true time delay (TTD) beamforming network, an optical phased array (OPA) beamforming network, and an optical coherent transceiver, all on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. By uniting the strengths of microwave resilience, optical bandwidth, and coherent detection sensitivity, this photonic integrated circuit represents a critical step toward reconfigurable, interference-resistant, high-throughput links for satellites, UAVs, and ground stations. Experimental demonstrations confirm two-dimensional dynamic beam steering in both bands 24.9 deg x 18.5 deg at microwave frequencies and 10 deg x 4.7 deg in the optical domain. In a 5-meter free-space link, the chip achieves error-free transmission at 10 Gbps for microwave and 80 Gbps per wavelength in the near infrared band. These results establish integrated microwave photonics as a promising platform for bridging Earth and orbit through compact, dual-band, beamforming-enabled transceivers. Show Chinese abstract

Abstract: 未来天地通信网络需要一种无缝融合的技术，这些技术结合了微波链路的全天候可靠性与近红外光系统的超高速数据容量。 实现这一愿景需要紧凑、坚固且多功能的硬件，然而这些本质上不同的领域单片集成仍然难以实现。 在此，我们展示了第一个单片集成的硅光子芯片，该芯片将微波和光域连接起来，用于双频段自由空间通信和动态波束形成。 该芯片集成了微波真实时间延迟（TTD）波束形成网络、光学相控阵（OPA）波束形成网络和光学相干收发器，全部在绝缘体上硅（SOI）平台上。 通过结合微波的鲁棒性、光学带宽和相干检测灵敏度的优势，这种光子集成电路代表了向可重构、抗干扰、高吞吐量的卫星、无人机和地面站链路迈出的关键一步。 实验演示证实了两个频段的二维动态波束转向，在微波频段为24.9度x18.5度，在光域为10度x4.7度。 在5米的自由空间链路中，芯片在微波频段实现了10 Gbps的无误传输，在近红外频段每波长实现了80 Gbps的传输。 这些结果确立了集成微波光子学作为通过紧凑、双频段、波束形成启用的收发器连接地球和轨道的有前途的平台。