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Silicon nitride microwave photonic circuits.

We present an overview of several microwave photonic processing functionalities based on combinations of Mach-Zehnder and ring resonator filters using the high index contrast silicon nitride (TriPleX™) waveguide technology. All functionalities are built using the same basic building blocks, namely straight waveguides, phase tuning elements and directional couplers. We recall previously shown measurements on high spurious free dynamic range microwave photonic (MWP) link, ultra-wideband pulse generation, instantaneous frequency measurements, Hilbert transformers, microwave polarization networks and demonstrate new measurements and functionalities on a 16 channel optical beamforming network and modulation format transformer as well as an outlook on future microwave photonic platform integration, which will lead to a significantly reduced footprint and thereby enables the path to commercially viable MWP systems.

Optical phase synchronization in coherent optical beamformers for phased array receive antennas

An optical phase synchronization system using a power feedback loop technique is experimentally demonstrated. The system allows coherent combining of signals modulated on the same optical carrier in a hybrid optical beam forming system setup.

Integrated microwave photonic signal processors in TriPleX TM waveguide

Microwave photonics (MWP) merges optical components and subsystems with RF engineering. As an emerging technology, it enables realization of complex RF functionalities beyond the capability of the current all-electronics systems. In the investigations of the recent decades, the advantages of MWP systems such as large instantaneous bandwidth, RF frequency transparency, flexible tunability and reconfigurability, and less susceptibility to electromagnetic interference, have been harnessed to realize various RF functionalities. Among them, the well-known include signal generation, signal transmission and distribution, signal processing, control, signal measurement and analysis. This technology opens new perspectives for information and communication systems and networks, and it also creates possibilities for new RF applications in both niche and consumer markets. From the industrial perspective, however, the success of MWP solutions, with respect to the conventional all-electronics solutions, is believed to be determined by the progress of photonic integration, where the optical components and subsystems are incorporated in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) [1]. Compared to the MWP systems constructed using discrete optical components, the PIC-based MWP systems, or termed as integrated microwave photonics (IMWP), feature higher robustness and compactness, smaller SWaP, and most importantly, the potential of large reduction on system cost.