Microwave Photonic Integrated Circuits for Millimeter-Wave Wireless Communications

TLDR

Photonic integration technologies can enhance millimeter‑wave wireless communication systems by enabling photonic‑enabled architectures operating in the millimeter‑wave band. The study proposes two dual‑wavelength source designs for heterodyne millimeter‑wave generation using active/passive photonic integration. One design monolithically integrates two distributed‑feedback lasers, SOAs, wavelength combiners, electro‑optic modulators, and broadband photodiodes, while the other employs a generic photonic platform to produce narrow‑linewidth dual‑wavelength lasers via arrayed waveguide gratings. Data transmission at carrier frequencies above 100 GHz is demonstrated using free‑running lasers and direct modulation on a single photonic chip without extra components.

Abstract

This paper describes the advantages that the introduction of photonic integration technologies can bring to the development of photonic-enabled wireless communications systems operating in the millimeter wave frequency range. We present two approaches for the development of dual wavelength sources for heterodyne-based millimeter wave generation realized using active/passive photonic integration technology. One approach integrates monolithically two distributed feedback semiconductor lasers along with semiconductor optical amplifiers, wavelength combiners, electro-optic modulators and broad bandwidth photodiodes. The other uses a generic photonic integration platform, developing narrow linewidth dual wavelength lasers based on arrayed waveguide gratings. Moreover, data transmission over a wireless link at a carrier wave frequency above 100 GHz is presented, in which the two lasers are free-running, and the modulation is directly applied to the single photonic chip without the requirement of any additional component.