KRET creates a laboratory for research in PhotonicsThe group has been developing radar and EW systems based on new technologies
In recent years, electronic systems all often replaced on the photon. Linked it in the first turn with a different physical nature of the photon. That same is a photon and what unique capabilities of military technology will provide a new direction – believe that radio Photonics?Faster electronPhotonics is essentially analogue electronics, are used instead of electrons are quanta of the electromagnetic field – photons. These are the most common number of particles in the Universe, unlike electrons, do not have mass and charge. Therefore, photonic systems are not affected by external electromagnetic fields, have much better transmission range and bandwidth of the signal.
As a field of science Photonics began in 1960 with the invention of the first important technical devices using photons, laser. The very term "Photonics" began to be widely used in the 1980-ies in connection with the beginning of widespread use of optical fiber transmission. By the way, in our country the first development of such fiber optic cables engaged in the design Bureau of the cable industry, now part of KRET.
We can say that these developments have made a revolution in telecommunications in the last century and became the basis for the development of the Internet. Actually, until about 2001 Photonics was largely focused on the telecommunications.
Today "telecommunication" Photonics helps in the creation of a new direction – radio Photonics, which arose from the fusion of electronics, wave optics, microwave optoelectronics and other fields of science and industrial production.
In other words, believe that radio Photonics deals with the problems of transmission, reception and transformation of information by using electromagnetic waves of microwave range and photonic devices and systems. Believe that radio Photonics allows you to create radio frequency devices with the options that are unattainable for traditional electronics.
Modern radio apparatus moves in the optical range, and ignoring this fact often leads to very serious consequences. For example, initially in the design of information and telecommunication, service and technical networks of the super-Jumbo A380 were not included photonic network. Used aluminum cable, and its length was more than 500 km away. This has led to serious problems on Board the aircraft. For their decision required a full replacement of all cable networks on each side of which was built for the A380. The result – two years of delays and almost 5 billion euros in financial losses, and the largest Corporation narrowly escaped financial collapse.
Radiophony breakthroughIn microelectronics Russia, as you know, behind the Western countries. It is through technologies in the field of radio Photonics invited to compete. Today Russian scientists in the sphere of defense technologies consider it impossible to give up electrons and to pay attention to the photons which have no mass and fly faster.
According to experts, servers, operating on the principles of Photonics, decreased a hundred times compared to the current, and the data transfer rate would be increased tenfold.
Or, for example, a ground radar station. Today, this radar is a multi-storey building, but if you start to believe that radio Photonics work, then the station can be installed on a conventional truck. The efficiency and range will be exactly the same – thousands of kilometers. Several mobile and small complexes can be combined into a network, which will increase characteristics of these radars.Believe that radio Photonics instead of electronicsPhotonic technologies will significantly expand the capabilities and airborne radars. New developments in this area more than twice reduce the weight of existing antennas and radars, tenfold increase their resolution. Also radiophonic antennas will be a unique resistance to electromagnetic pulses, which occur, for example, during close lightning strikes or when solar magnetic storms.All this will create a broadband radars that level of resolution and speed can be called radar vision. Such system is also planned in the civil sphere, for example, on high-speed trains for instant detection of obstacles on the tracks.
Photonics can also be effectively applied in housing, for example, in urban and rural heating systems. Instead of hot water energy will act photons. They will be distributed in photonic crystal fibers with a thickness of human hair, the energy of which is converted into heat with almost 100% efficiency.Laboratory of the futureIn Russia radiophonie technology develops KRET. Today, the group and the Foundation for advanced studies working on a promising project "Development of active phased array-based radio Photonics" (ROPAR). The project includes the creation of a special laboratory on the basis of the Concern and the development of universal technology, which will be the basis for radar and electronic warfare systems for the new generation.
According to KRET CEO Nikolai Kolesov, the latest technology will allow in 2020 to create an effective and advanced transmitting / receiving apparatus, radar, electronic intelligence and electronic countermeasures of the new generation.
One of the main areas of work will be the creation of an active phased array (AESA) of the new generation, in which the main elements were created using the principles of radio Photonics. They will reduce the weight of the system is 1.5-3 times increase in 2-3 times the reliability and efficiency, as well as dozens of times to increase the scanning speed and resolution.If successful, the technology will open up new opportunities for improving the "smart skin" that will be on the Russian aircraft of the latest generation, including the PAK FA. Such a system of built-in elements throughout the area of the fuselage will allow the crew to get in any time solid radar picture within a radius of 360 degrees, will provide for the operation of antenna systems in active and passive radar, raising all kinds of noise, secretive and noise-immune data transmission, communication with the ground and other aircraft, hoopsnake and more.
In addition, on the basis of new materials and elements, created on the basis of the principles of Photonics, KRET will learn the advanced technologies of high-power photodetectors and semiconductor laser modules.
KRET creates a laboratory for research in the field of photonics