Photonics-based multi-function analog signal processor based on a polarization division multiplexing Mach-Zehnder modulator

摘要

A photonics-based multi-function analog signal processor based on an optical polarization division multiplexing dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator is proposed and demonstrated, which can implement simultaneously photonic microwave phase shifting, upconversion/downconversion and filtering with excellent tunability. An experiment is carried out. Downconverted and upconverted phase shifters with phases continuously tuned from -180 to 180 deg over 0-11 and 11-33 GHz are implemented. Based on the frequency-mixed phase shifter, a four-tap microwave photonic filter that has the capability to select a frequency-mixed component is built. The proposed approach features multi-function, scalable independent channels, a wide bandwidth, and high tunability, which can find applications in beamforming networks, radio frequency frontends, and radio over fiber systems. (C) 2017 Optical Society of America