Electrooptic approach to an integrated optics spectrum analyzer.

An integrated optics spectrum analyzer based on using the linear electrooptic effect is investigated. This spectrum analyzer performs Fourier analysis of sampled electronic signals, where each signal is fed to an electrode of an electrode array. The electrode array acts as a spatial light modulator, and the diffracted light field, representing a weighted discrete Fourier transform (DFT), is focused on a detector array by an integrated transform lens. The theory of operation of the spectrum analyzer is outlined, numerical results relating to this theory are presented, and questions concerning efficiency, dynamic range, design, and implementation are discussed.