Arbitrary Microwave Waveform Generation Based on a Tunable Optoelectronic Oscillator

• Published in: Journal of lightwave technology Vol. 31; no. 23; pp. 3780 - 3786
• Main Authors: Li, Wangzhe, Kong, Fanqi, Yao, Jianping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-12-2013; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Amplitude modulation; Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Coding, codes; Detection, estimation, filtering, equalization, prediction; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Frequency modulation; Information, signal and communications theory; Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides; Microwave amplifiers; Microwave filters; Microwave oscillators; Microwave photonics; microwave signal generation; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; Optical polarization; Optoelectronic devices; optoelectronic oscillator (OEO); phase coding; polarization modulator (PolM); radar pulse compression; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Signal and communications theory; Signal, noise; Telecommunications and information theory; Integrated optics; optoelectronic oscillator (OEO); Tunable circuit; Source separation; Signal estimation; Microwave generation; Pulse compression; Oscillator; Radar; Phase coding; Optoelectronic device; Nominal value; Reconfigurable architectures; Wave generation; radar pulse compression; Electrical signal; Modulator; Chirp; polarization modulator (PoIM); Photodetector; Tuning; Carrier frequency; Signal processing; microwave signal generation; Sideband; Microwave photonics
• ISSN: 0733-8724; 1558-2213
• DOI: 10.1109/JLT.2013.2287122

Photonic generation of a phase-coded or frequency-chirped microwave waveform with a tunable microwave carrier frequency using a frequency-tunable optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated, for the first time to the best of our knowledge. In the proposed system, the tunable OEO has functions to generate a frequency-tunable microwave signal and to output an optical sideband. The optical sideband and a portion of the light wave from the OEO laser source are sent to a polarization modulator (PolM), with their polarization directions aligned with the two principal axes of the PolM. An electrical signal is applied to the PolM, and two complementary phase-coded or frequency-chirped light waves are generated which are converted to an electrical signal by beating the light waves at a high-speed photodetector. The key significance of the technique is that a phase-coded or frequency-chirped microwave waveform with a tunable microwave carrier frequency and a reconfigurable phase-coding or frequency-chirping pattern can be generated without using a separate microwave source. The technique is experimentally verified. The generation of a binary- and a polyphase-coded microwave waveform with a microwave carrier frequency at 10 and 15 GHz is demonstrated. The generation of a linearly frequency-chirped microwave waveform with a chip rate of 20.98 GHz/ns at a 10-GHz carrier frequency and 22.5 GHz/ns at a 15-GHz carrier frequency is also achieved.