Microwave Signal Processing over Multicore Fiber

Abstract

[EN] We review the introduction of the space dimension into fiber-based technologies to implement compact and versatile signal processing solutions for microwave and millimeter wave signals. Built upon multicore fiber links and devices, this approach allows the realization of fiber-distributed signal processing in the context of fiber-wireless communications, providing both radiofrequency access distribution and signal processing in the same fiber medium. We present different space-division multiplexing architectures to implement tunable true time delay lines that can be applied to a variety of microwave photonics functionalities, such as signal filtering, radio beamsteering in phased array antennas or optoelectronic oscillation. In particular, this paper gathers our latest work on the following multicore fiber technologies: dispersion-engineered heterogeneous multicore fiber links for distributed tunable true time delay line operation; multicavity devices built upon the selective inscription of gratings in homogenous multicore fibers for compact true time delay line operation; and multicavity optoelectronic oscillation over both homogeneous and heterogeneous multicore fibers.This research was supported by the ERC Consolidator Grant 724663; the Spanish Projects TEC2015-62520-ERC, TEC2014-60378-C2-1-R and TEC2016-80150-R; the Valencian Research Excellency Award Program GVA PROMETEO 2013/012; the Spanish MECD FPU Scholarship (FPU13/04675) for J. Hervás; the Spanish scholarships MINECO BES-2015-073359 for S. García; and the Spanish MINECO Ramon y Cajal program RYC-2014-16247 for I. Gasulla.García Cortijo, S.; Barrera Vilar, D.; Hervás-Peralta, J.; Sales Maicas, S.; Gasulla Mestre, I. (2017). Microwave Signal Processing over Multicore Fiber. Photonics. 4(49):1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics404004911444