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The sophisticated requirements of modern-day communications, radar, and electronic warfare (EW) systems have strained the capabilities of currently available signal-processing hardware. Specifically, the require-ment for real-time, large-bandwidth analysis tends to favor analog processors and eliminate digital processors from consideration except in the low-frequency regime. An added, often complicating factor, is the necessity for operation in a very dense signal environment. This requirement can tend to favor one analog approach over another. In this paper, the newly emerging technology of acousto-optic signal processing is discussed with respect to its potential for solving the difficult signal-processing problems which will be facing both the military and civilian system designer. Specifically, by combining desirable features of acoustics and optics and in some cases charge-coupled devices (CCD's), acousto-optic technology offers great promise of fulfilling diverse requirements. This paper overviews some of the uses of acousto-optic technology, especially those using surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) devices in the areas of radar and communication signal processing. Two areas are covered: (1) Fourier transformation, including spectrum analysis, and (2) convolution and correlation.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only. |