Programmable photonic signal processor chip for radiofrequency applications
20 Oct 2015-Vol. 2, Iss: 10, pp 854-859
TL;DR: This paper provides the first ever demonstration of the disruptive approach to tackle the need to provide photonic integrated circuits with equal levels of function flexibility as compared with their electronic counterparts, and shows that a programmable chip with a free spectral range of 14 GHz enables RF filters featuring continuous, over-two-octave frequency coverage.
Abstract: Integrated microwave photonics, an emerging technology combining radio frequency (RF) engineering and integrated photonics, has great potential to be adopted for wideband analog processing applications. However, it has been a challenge to provide photonic integrated circuits with equal levels of function flexibility as compared with their electronic counterparts. Here, we introduce a disruptive approach to tackle this need, which is analogous to an electronic field-programmable gate array. We use a grid of tunable Mach–Zehnder couplers interconnected in a two-dimensional mesh network, each working as a photonic processing unit. Such a device is able to be programmed into many different circuit topologies and thereby provide a diversity of functions. This paper provides, to the best of our knowledge, the first ever demonstration of this concept and shows that a programmable chip with a free spectral range of 14 GHz enables RF filters featuring continuous, over-two-octave frequency coverage, i.e., 1.6–6 GHz, and variable passband shaping ranging from a 55 dB extinction notch filter to a 1.6 GHz bandwidth flat-top filter.
Citations
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TL;DR: This tutorial overviews the distinct features of microwave photonics and some key microwave photonic technologies that are currently known to be attractive for radars and their performance that may interest the radar society.
Abstract: As the only method for all-weather, all-time and long-distance target detection and recognition, radar has been intensively studied since it was invented, and is considered as an essential sensor for future intelligent society. In the past few decades, great efforts were devoted to improving radar's functionality, precision, and response time, of which the key is to generate, control and process a wideband signal with high speed. Thanks to the broad bandwidth, flat response, low loss transmission, multidimensional multiplexing, ultrafast analog signal processing and electromagnetic interference immunity provided by modern photonics, implementation of the radar in the optical domain can achieve better performance in terms of resolution, coverage, and speed which would be difficult (if not impossible) to implement using traditional, even state-of-the-art electronics. In this tutorial, we overview the distinct features of microwave photonics and some key microwave photonic technologies that are currently known to be attractive for radars. System architectures and their performance that may interest the radar society are emphasized. Emerging technologies in this area and possible future research directions are discussed.
201 citations
Cites background from "Programmable photonic signal proces..."
...In addition, some multifunctional building blocks such as reflective-type microring resonator [404] and programmable 2D mesh network [405] have been demonstrated,...
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Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed the recent advances in this emerging field which is dubbed as integrated microwave photonics and the prospective of the field is discussed, and the key integrated MWP technologies are reviewed.
Abstract: Microwave photonics (MWP) is an emerging field in which radio frequency (RF) signals are generated, distributed, processed and analyzed using the strength of photonic techniques. It is a technology that enables various functionalities which are not feasible to achieve only in the microwave domain. A particular aspect that recently gains significant interests is the use of photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology in the MWP field for enhanced functionalities and robustness as well as the reduction of size, weight, cost and power consumption. This article reviews the recent advances in this emerging field which is dubbed as integrated microwave photonics. Key integrated MWP technologies are reviewed and the prospective of the field is discussed.
179 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a tunable microwave photonics filter that is monolithically integrated into an indium phosphide chip is presented. The filter includes all the required elements (a laser, a modulator and a photodetector) and its response can be tuned by controlling the electric currents.
Abstract: Meeting the increasing demand for capacity in wireless networks requires the harnessing of higher regions in the radiofrequency spectrum, reducing cell size, as well as more compact, agile and power-efficient base stations that are capable of smoothly interfacing the radio and fibre segments. Fully functional microwave photonic chips are promising candidates in attempts to meet these goals. In recent years, many integrated microwave photonic chips have been reported in different technologies. To the best of our knowledge, none has monolithically integrated all the main active and passive optoelectronic components. Here, we report the first demonstration of a tunable microwave photonics filter that is monolithically integrated into an indium phosphide chip. The reconfigurable radiofrequency photonic filter includes all the necessary elements (for example, lasers, modulators and photodetectors), and its response can be tuned by means of control electric currents. This is an important step in demonstrating the feasibility of integrated and programmable microwave photonic processors. A tunable photonic microwave filter is monolithically integrated in an InP chip. The filter includes all of the required elements — a laser, a modulator and a photodetector — and its response can be tuned by controlling the electric currents.
174 citations
Additional excerpts
...) integration, as shown in Table 1. A dierent approach is based on generic processors [29,30], where a common architecture implements dierent functionalities by suitable programming. A recent paper [31] reported the design of a programmable optical core inspired by the concept of electronic eld programmable gate arrays. This approach is based on an optical core composed implemented by a 2D waveguide...
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30 May 2019
TL;DR: In this article, the authors demonstrate that plasmonic modulators do not trade-off any performance parameter, featuring a short length of tens of micrometers, record-high flat frequency response beyond 500 GHz, high power handling, and high linearity, and use them to create a sub-terahertz radio-over-fiber analog optical link.
Abstract: Broadband electro-optic intensity modulators are essential to convert electrical signals to the optical domain. The growing interest in terahertz wireless applications demands modulators with frequency responses to the sub-terahertz range, high power handling, and very low nonlinear distortions, simultaneously. However, a modulator with all those characteristics has not been demonstrated to date. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that plasmonic modulators do not trade-off any performance parameter, featuring—at the same time—a short length of tens of micrometers, record-high flat frequency response beyond 500 GHz, high power handling, and high linearity, and we use them to create a sub-terahertz radio-over-fiber analog optical link. These devices have the potential to become a new tool in the general field of microwave photonics, making the sub-terahertz range accessible to, e.g., 5G wireless communications, antenna remoting, Internet of Things, sensing, and more.
172 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an optical equivalent of the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is proposed for large-scale photonic integrated circuits (PPGI) devices.
Abstract: An optical equivalent of the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is of great interest to large-scale photonic integrated circuits. Previous programmable photonic devices relying on the weak, volat...
156 citations
References
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TL;DR: Microwave photonics has attracted great interest from both the research community and the commercial sector over the past 30 years and is set to have a bright future as mentioned in this paper, which makes it possible to have functions in microwave systems that are complex or even not directly possible in the radiofrequency domain and also creates new opportunities for telecommunication networks.
Abstract: Microwave photonics, which brings together the worlds of radiofrequency engineering and optoelectronics, has attracted great interest from both the research community and the commercial sector over the past 30 years and is set to have a bright future. The technology makes it possible to have functions in microwave systems that are complex or even not directly possible in the radiofrequency domain and also creates new opportunities for telecommunication networks. Here we introduce the technology to the photonics community and summarize recent research and important applications.
2,354 citations
TL;DR: Electro-optic modulators are one of the most critical components in optoelectronic integration, and decreasing their size may enable novel chip architectures, and here a high-speed electro-optical modulator in compact silicon structures is experimentally demonstrated.
Abstract: Metal interconnections are expected to become the limiting factor for the performance of electronic systems as transistors continue to shrink in size. Replacing them by optical interconnections, at different levels ranging from rack-to-rack down to chip-to-chip and intra-chip interconnections, could provide the low power dissipation, low latencies and high bandwidths that are needed. The implementation of optical interconnections relies on the development of micro-optical devices that are integrated with the microelectronics on chips. Recent demonstrations of silicon low-loss waveguides, light emitters, amplifiers and lasers approach this goal, but a small silicon electro-optic modulator with a size small enough for chip-scale integration has not yet been demonstrated. Here we experimentally demonstrate a high-speed electro-optical modulator in compact silicon structures. The modulator is based on a resonant light-confining structure that enhances the sensitivity of light to small changes in refractive index of the silicon and also enables high-speed operation. The modulator is 12 micrometres in diameter, three orders of magnitude smaller than previously demonstrated. Electro-optic modulators are one of the most critical components in optoelectronic integration, and decreasing their size may enable novel chip architectures.
2,336 citations
"Programmable photonic signal proces..." refers background in this paper
...However, this could be improved significantly by the advancing of modulator technologies, where state-of-the-art devices have demonstrated modulation speeds of the order of hundreds of picoseconds [51]....
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TL;DR: An overview of the current state-of-the-art in silicon nanophotonic ring resonators is presented in this paper, where the basic theory of ring resonance is discussed and applied to the peculiarities of submicron silicon photonic wire waveguides: the small dimensions and tight bend radii, sensitivity to perturbations and the boundary conditions of the fabrication processes.
Abstract: An overview is presented of the current state-of-the-art in silicon nanophotonic ring resonators. Basic theory of ring resonators is discussed, and applied to the peculiarities of submicron silicon photonic wire waveguides: the small dimensions and tight bend radii, sensitivity to perturbations and the boundary conditions of the fabrication processes. Theory is compared to quantitative measurements. Finally, several of the more promising applications of silicon ring resonators are discussed: filters and optical delay lines, label-free biosensors, and active rings for efficient modulators and even light sources.
1,989 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the state-of-the-art CMOS silicon-on-insulator (SOI) foundries are now being utilized in a crucial test of 1.55mum monolithic optoelectronic (OE) integration, a test sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Abstract: The pace of the development of silicon photonics has quickened since 2004 due to investment by industry and government. Commercial state-of-the-art CMOS silicon-on-insulator (SOI) foundries are now being utilized in a crucial test of 1.55-mum monolithic optoelectronic (OE) integration, a test sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The preliminary results indicate that the silicon photonics are truly CMOS compatible. RD however, lasing has not yet been attained. The new paradigm for the Si-based photonic and optoelectric integrated circuits is that these chip-scale networks, when suitably designed, will operate at a wavelength anywhere within the broad spectral range of 1.2-100 mum, with cryocooling needed in some cases
1,789 citations
Proceedings Article•
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TL;DR: In this article, the performance requirements for externally-modulated analog microwave photonic links are reviewed with specific emphasis placed on modulator efficiency, laser noise, detected photocurrent, and link linearity.
Abstract: An overview of analog microwave photonics will be presented. The performance requirements for externally-modulated analog microwave photonic links will be reviewed with specific emphasis placed on modulator efficiency, laser noise, detected photocurrent, and link linearity.
1,434 citations