Frequency-Comb-Enabled Photonic RF Memory for Multi-False-Target Range-Velocity Compound Deception Jamming

Abstract

In this paper, we report the first all-optical solution for multi-false-target range-velocity compound deception jamming based on frequency-comb-enabled photonic RF memory (PRFM). The operation frequency of current digital RF memory (DRFM) in electronic countermeasures is severely limited by low-speed digital devices. Since optical processing has a larger bandwidth and higher speed, it is valuable to develop advanced functions of PRFM. Our method skillfully applies a carrier-signal separation strategy to enhance the performance and extend the functions of PRFM. By bandwidth-optimized storage of the RF signal, the ASE noise accumulation and high-power optical self-oscillations can be effectively suppressed, contributing to a significant improvement of the signal SNR. On the other hand, by comb modulation of the optical carrier, the beaten signal contains multiple coherent false targets with different range-velocity deception information. In our experiment, the maximum storage time has exceeded $840~\mu $ s with less than 10 dB SNR degradation, and the storage signal frequency has reached 16 GHz. Furthermore, more than 10 false targets have been obtained in the 10 dB bandwidth simultaneously, with the SNR consistently close to 40 dB. The outstanding storage and jamming performance allows our scheme to promote the deployment and upgrade of PRFM in electronic countermeasures.