Fundamental/Subharmonic Photonic Microwave I/Q Up-Converter for Single Sideband and Vector Signal Generation

Yongsheng Gao, Aijun Wen, Wei Jiang, Yangyu Fan, You He, Deyun Zhou

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

Microwave I/Q up-converter is widely used in modern electronic systems to achieve single-sideband (SSB) up-conversion and vector modulation. However, due to the frequency-dependent mixer and quadrature coupler, conventional electronic I/Q up-converters suffer limited operating bandwidth. In this paper, a photonic microwave I/Q up-converter is proposed using a polarization-division multiplexing modulator. The I/Q up-conversion channels are built in all-optical methods without any frequency-dependent devices, so a wide operating bandwidth is obtained. Balanced detection is also realized to reduce the noise figure. In the experiment, SSB signals with wide operating bandwidth (14-40 GHz), high sideband and carrier suppression (>20 dB), and large spurious-free dynamic range (110.4 Hz2/3) are generated. 16 and 64 quadrature amplitude modulation vector signals with data rates of 400 and 600 Mb/s at 40-GHz carrier frequency are also demonstrated. Furthermore, subharmonic I/Q up-conversion with similar performance is also realized using the same structure, which can well reduce the frequency requirement of the local oscillator signal and the drive circuits.

Original languageEnglish
Article number8386820
Pages (from-to)4282-4292
Number of pages11
JournalIEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques
Volume66
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2018

Keywords

  • Balanced detection
  • I/Q up-converter
  • polarization multiplexing
  • single-sideband (SSB) up-conversion
  • vector modulation

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Fundamental/Subharmonic Photonic Microwave I/Q Up-Converter for Single Sideband and Vector Signal Generation'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this