EAM-SOA millimeter-wave frequency up-converter for radio-over-fiber applications

[EN] We present an optical scheme for photonic frequency up-conversion at the millimeter-wave bands based on Semiconductor Optical Amplifier. The proposed scheme modulates the bias current with the Intermediate Frequency in order to achieve frequency mixing of an incoming optical signal modulated with the Local Oscillator. Theory indicates that the proposed scheme supports data bandwidths in the tens of GHz for LO values above 10 GHz. This scheme allows for photonic integration of the considered optical devices. A laboratory demonstration of the scheme for up-conversion to the 40 GHz band, using narrow-band IF signals, showed relatively low thresholds for the optical input power and bias current level to achieve error free operation: -14.5 dBm 100 mA for a 64-QAM signal. Spurious-Free Dynamic Range showed an acceptable performance, with a linearity about 52.5 dB.Hz(2/3) for an optical input power of 6 dBm. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.This work has been supported by the European Commission FP7 under Network of Excellence project EUROFOS (22402). Jesus Palaci and Guillermo Villanueva are supported by the Formacion de Personal Investigador grant program of the Universidad Politecnica de Valencia and the Formacion de Profesorado Universitario grant program of the Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia, respectively.Palací López, J.; Villanueva Ibáñez, GE.; Herrera, J. (2011). EAM-SOA millimeter-wave frequency up-converter for radio-over-fiber applications. Optics Communications. 284(1):98-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optcom.2010.08.060S98102284