Overview
IEC TR 63099-1:2017 is a Technical Report from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that surveys current and emerging radio‑over‑fibre (RoF) technologies for antenna measurement. Part 1 focuses on practical applications for measuring antenna gain and antenna radiation patterns using photonic techniques. The document is informative only (no normative requirements) and provides basic concepts, system configurations, specifications tables, measurement examples and implementation notes useful to system developers and test laboratories.
Key topics covered
- Radio‑over‑fibre (RoF) system concepts for antenna measurement, including transceivers and link topologies.
- Practical system configurations and block diagrams (figures illustrating RoF transceivers, bi‑directional links and photonic sensors).
- Measurement approaches for antenna gain (substitution, two‑antenna, three‑antenna methods) using RoF transceivers.
- Millimetre‑wave antenna pattern measurement using nested LN‑MZM (lithium‑niobate Mach‑Zehnder modulators) and UTC‑PD (uni‑travelling‑carrier photodiodes).
- Very‑near‑field antenna pattern measurement using LN‑MZM photonic sensors (planar, cylindrical, spherical scanning configurations).
- Performance data and specifications (tables for transceiver, LN‑MZM, UTC‑PD and photonic sensor characteristics), frequency response and dynamic range examples.
- Definitions and terms (e.g., LPDA, FBG, OEWG) referenced to IEEE Std. 145‑2013 where applicable.
Note: As a Technical Report, IEC TR 63099‑1 documents state‑of‑the‑art implementations and examples rather than prescribing mandatory requirements.
Practical applications and users
This TR is directly relevant for:
- Antenna test laboratories and calibration houses implementing RoF-based measurement links.
- OEMs of radio‑over‑fibre equipment and photonic components (LN‑MZM, UTC‑PD, FBGs).
- RF and mmWave antenna designers and system integrators validating gain and radiation patterns up to millimetre‑wave frequencies.
- Research groups investigating photonic methods for very‑near‑field scanning and THz/120 GHz measurements.
Practical benefits include reduced RF cabling, simplified remote feeding of probes, high‑frequency upconversion at remote ends, and compact mmWave test setups enabled by photonic generation and detection.
Related standards and references
- IEEE Std. 145‑2013 - definitions of antenna terms (normatively referenced).
- IEC TC 103 publications and IEC Electropedia for related terminology and further guidance.
Keywords: radio‑over‑fibre, RoF, antenna measurement, antenna gain, antenna radiation pattern, LN‑MZM, UTC‑PD, photonic sensor, millimetre‑wave, very‑near‑field.