"A colossal synergistic effect": the developer of the radar - on the results and tasks of the development of radio photonics

— What do you see as the main tasks for the development of radio photonics?

How promising is this direction of scientific and technological thought?

- Our conversation should begin with the concept of what radio photonics or Microwave photonics is, as they say in English-speaking countries.

This is a broad interdisciplinary field that mainly combines microwave physics and optics.

Their symbiosis can give a colossal synergistic effect.

The key property for us, radar developers, of microwaves lies in the ability to propagate in the atmosphere with minimal energy losses (attenuation).

In radar, microwave frequencies make it possible to detect and track various aircraft with high efficiency.

However, the microwave range does not allow visualization of the observed objects, which is also very important.

To solve such a problem, it is just necessary to involve optics.

Modern science proceeds from the fact that the further development of optics will help not only to create aircraft images (literally, to see a picture of the observed object on the monitor), but also to quickly process a huge amount of data that we receive through radar receivers.

• Deputy General Director for Scientific and Technical Development of JSC "RTI" them.

  Academician A.L.

  Mintsa Volodymyr Savchenko

• © Press service of RTI JSC

Optics has large losses in the atmosphere (precipitation, relief, various artificial obstacles) and, accordingly, limitations in visibility, however, mankind has been able to solve many practical problems and put light processes at its service.

For example, in industry, an industry has emerged for the production of optoelectronic systems, that is, devices that include both optical and electronic components.

Now they are widely used in a variety of ground systems, are part of the equipment of aircraft and spacecraft.

Another important property of optics is the almost limitless bandwidth.

As I said above, the optical range allows not only to visualize the observed objects, but also to process information incomparably faster than now.

— How dynamically is radio photonics developing and what practical results can be obtained in the near future?

— In addition to Russia, all the leading countries of the world are very closely involved in what is called radio photonics, and recently India and China have begun to dominate.

At the same time, the advantages of radiophotonic technologies are especially widely used in communication systems, scientific publications have appeared on a sharp improvement in performance characteristics in radar.

This indicates that research in radio photonics has moved from the conceptual to the practical plane.

I can say that our country has also reached the engineering stage in this area, which involves the development of specific products and systems.

The large resources that are allocated in the world for the development of radio photonics are explained by the fantastic results that it can give.

After all, in fact, within the framework of one technological process, tasks are solved that are now at the forefront of the next industrial revolution - digitalization.

Naturally, the harmonization of the most complex physical processes and the development of fundamentally new products is not a quick matter at all.

However, the end result will certainly justify the effort.

With regard to radar, this is the accuracy of determining the coordinates of observed objects, the speed of data processing, obtaining an image of aircraft, and detecting equipment created on the basis of stealth technologies.

We will be able to see on the monitors a detailed, three-dimensional image of what is happening at a distance of hundreds of kilometers.

In fact, at such a distance, you will see everything with your own eyes.

At the same time, such radars will be more reliable and less expensive than modern models.

However, the solution of such problems is not the prospect of tomorrow. 

It is not difficult to find many publications in the media devoted to the imminent prospects for the creation of a radio-photon radar.

It is reported that just about, a little more and the industry will create miracle radars.

I don't see the point in seriously discussing such articles.

These are just speculations on new words, as it used to be with nanotechnologies - a long-known field of scientific research, which some unscrupulous officials began to present as something newfangled.

• Radar complex monitor

• RIA News

• © Sergey Pyatakov

Returning to radio photonics: today in reality we can only talk about a long hard work to expand the frequency band of radars and increase the speed of information processing.

Too much still needs to be done, too many resources will still be needed to develop what is called radio photonics.

And yet, in the near future, it is realistic to get significant practical results thanks to the already carried out R&D (research work) and R&D (experimental design work).

For example, radio photonics makes it possible to create effective and harmless screening systems for the human body, as well as new medical products.

What I mean?

Progress in radio photonics will lead to a radical improvement in the quality of identification of observed objects.

If in radar this is a guaranteed determination of the type of aircraft, then in the field of inspection it is the detection of objects and substances prohibited for transportation, including drugs and explosives.

I personally see a positive effect in medicine in the appearance of devices that will help detect cancer cells.

It is no secret that in the optical range, even qualified doctors cannot clearly determine which tissues around the tumor are affected and which are not.

And if we illuminate the operating field in the terahertz range, then this problem is solved.

I am not a specialist in medicine, but I am sure that oncology will not be the only field of application in the healthcare system for products that combine microwave and optical range.

There is no need to go far for an example: this is the use of endoscopic capsules, which, after being swallowed, photograph the state of the internal tissues of the entire gastrointestinal tract.

- In one of the publications, written by you in collaboration with other Russian scientists, it is stated that the development of radio photonics requires the use of an element base based on silicon, gallium arsenide and wide-gap semiconductors.

Can you please explain why these components are so important?

And can Russia develop such microelectronics?

- Indeed, to create more advanced radars, inspection systems, medical and other products, equipment is needed in which photonic integrated circuits are implemented.

In its creation, I believe, Russia has no right to lag behind.

To prevent such a scenario, today our industry needs to establish a conveyor production of a unified microelectronic and optoelectronic ECB (electronic component base) based on silicon, gallium arsenide and wide-gap semiconductors in combination with serial fiber optic products.

To the list of materials I have listed, one can also add gallium nitride and indium phosphide.

These are almost all semiconductor compounds of the A3B5 type.

Actually, basically they allow using the potential inherent in microwave and optics.

• Optical fiber

• © Rostec

For example, Russia has the capacity to produce chips based on silicon.

The guys from Skoltech recently showed me a wonderful optical converter (modulator) based on silicon.

Silicon technology can become a platform for a large number of development of the necessary photonic microcircuits, as I was convinced by visiting the Zelenograd Nanotechnology Center.

I would also like to draw attention to the importance of wide-gap semiconductors.

This is both a transition to the high-frequency region and the ability to efficiently generate and amplify microwave signals.

In this respect, wide-gap semiconductors are preferable to devices based on silicon.

Combining these two technologies is a necessity that cannot be shelved. 

— You call yourself a supporter of the so-called functional microelectronics.

What it is?

— In this context, I cannot but say that we are overly carried away by digitalization.

As a result, we get any result in digital form, as a rule, with a reflection on the display.

But at the same time, we need to perform several operations to convert signals, and functional microelectronics suggests a different approach.

I'll give you an example.

The Fourier transform is widely used in communication and radar systems.

And usually it is obtained by processing an analog signal on an analog-to-digital converter with subsequent transmission to a digital processor.

The same result can be obtained by passing a laser beam through a piezocrystal.

And this was brilliantly proved by our respected academician Yuri Vasilyevich Gulyaev.

In simple words, the operation we need is performed immediately.

This is functional microelectronics.

It is important for Russia to develop this area, including (and this must be frankly admitted) because of the rather high dependence of our country on foreign solutions in the field of digital technologies.

However, I do not deny the need to use numbers.

It is used and will be used in radio photonics in the form of optoelectronic elements.

- It follows from your words that Russia has certain problems that hinder the development of radio photonics.

How competitive is our country in this area?

- Many factors influence the state of affairs in radio photonics.

The main thing is an understanding of the practical importance of this direction.

It should permeate fundamental science, industry and certain power structures responsible for making decisions in the field of security.  

As far as I can tell, understanding of the importance comes, albeit not as quickly as we would like.

In October, the formation of the second block of the Interdepartmental Comprehensive Target Program on applied aspects of the development of radio photonics was completed.

It outlines specific work that, with the availability of funding and support from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, will solve a number of key issues of improving weapons systems.