A review of photonic generation of arbitrary microwave waveforms

This paper presents a tutorial on photonic techniques for arbitrary RF waveform generation, highlights some key results and reviews the recent developments in this area. It is predicted that photonic integration of the entire system as compact photonic chip will be a major research focus and holds the key role for the future development

A review of photonic generation of arbitrary microwave waveforms

In this paper, a tutorial and a review of techniques for photonic generation of arbitrary RF waveforms, particularly the generations of those waveforms that are difficult and/or challenging to generate using electronic techniques are presented. Four major photonic approaches to generate RF waveforms are reviewed namely Fourier Transform Pulse Shaping and Frequency to Time Mapping [1, 2], Direct Time Synthesis [3], Discrete Space to Time Mapping [4] and Microwave Photonic Filtering [5, 6]. For each technique, we will study the operation principle, consider the technology used for implementation and examine the demonstrated results and reported performances. We will analyses the advantages and disadvantages of each implementation and investigate their ability to integrate as compact photonic chips. Finally, we suggest possible directions for further improvements and the future research directions

Recent advances in microwave photonics instantaneous frequency measurements

This paper reviews the field of microwave photonics instantaneous frequency measurements (IFM). It aims to consolidate the literature, explains the key implementations and reviews the recent developments. Current photonic IFMs are capable of operating over a wide bandwidth with a good resolution. However, their implementations are often based on discrete components and exhibit limited dynamic range and moderate efficiency. Photonic integration and improvements of dynamic range and efficiency are thus necessary, and they are anticipated as the future research directions and developments

Parallel instantaneous frequency measurement in a highly nonlinear fiber using wavelength labeling

A novel technique for instantaneous frequency measurement using all optical mixing with multiple simultaneous and parallel measurements is demonstrated. This technique requires no special selection of optical wavelengths and provides a systematic method to extend the systems to multiple measurements with only modest increment in component count. © 2011 IEEE

All optical instantaneous frequency measurement incorporating optical Hilbert transformer

A novel method to incorporate an optical Hilbert transformer with an all-optical photonic instantaneous frequency measurement system is proposed and demonstrated. Two orthogonal measurements of an RF signal are obtained which enables determination of both signal frequency and power. This system produces DC outputs that simplify the receiver and reduce cost. The system is demonstrated between DC and 20 GHz but can be scaled to 40 GHz and beyond. © 2012 IEEE

Amplitude independent instantaneous frequency measurement using all optical technique

A novel all-optical system which independently measures both the amplitude and frequency of an RF signal is proposed and demonstrated. A photonic Hilbert transformer provides two orthogonal measurements of an RF signal. These are compared using four wave mixing in a highly nonlinear fiber, producing two independent outputs enabling determination of both signal frequency and amplitude. This all optical approach requires only simple, low cost DC electronics at the receiver. The system is demonstrated up to 20 GHz but can be scaled to 40 GHz and beyond. © 2013 Optical Society of America

Parallel all-optical instantaneous frequency measurement system using channel labeling

A novel system, offering simultaneous and parallel instantaneous frequency measurements, is demonstrated. The choice of optical wavelengths is unconstrained and thus a practical approach for multiple instantaneous frequency measurements is achieved with only modest system complexity. © 2012 IEEE

Remoted all optical instantaneous frequency measurement system using nonlinear mixing in highly nonlinear optical fiber

A novel remoted instantaneous frequency measurement system using all optical mixing is demonstrated. This system copies an input intensity modulated optical carrier using four wave mixing, delays this copy and then mixes it with the original signal, to produce an output idler tone. The intensity of this output can be used to determine the RF frequency of the input signal. This system is inherently broadband and can be easily scaled beyond 40 GHz while maintaining a DC output which greatly simplifies receiving electronics. The remoted configuration isolates the sensitive and expensive receiver hardware from the signal sources and importantly allows the system to be added to existing microwave photonic implementations without modification of the transmission module. © 2013 Optical Society of America

Nonlinear mixing based photonic correlator

We propose a novel correlation technique based on matched filtering using four wave mixing (FWM) in a length of highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF). A pump wavelength which is modulated by an input bit stream is mixed with wavelength channels to generate idler wavelengths which also carry the bit stream. The idler wavelengths are differentially delayed and summed at a photodetector to produce the required correlation function. This scheme has been experimentally demonstrated and the measured results verify the proposed concept. The technique allows remoting of the transmitter. © 2012 IEEE

RF phase sensitive amplifier with 70 dB phase sensitive dynamic range

© 2018 In this paper, a novel microwave photonic phase sensitive amplifier is proposed and demonstrated. A theoretical model is developed and compared to the results obtained from a simulation. Using efficient mixing in second order nonlinear materials such as periodically poled lithium niobate, the resultant amplifier exhibits over 70dB of phase dependent gain variation. This RF phase sensitivity can be used to reduce phase noise and therefore finds applications in PSK phase regeneration and phase noise reduction