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

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 Hz^2/3) 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.