A high resolution optical vector network analyzer based on a wideband and wavelength-tunable optical single-sideband modulator

Abstract

A high resolution optical vector network analyzer (OVNA) implemented based on a wideband and wavelength-tunable optical single-sideband (OSSB) modulator is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The OSSB modulation is achieved using a phase modulator and a tunable optical filter with a passband having two steep edges and a flat top. Wideband and wavelength-tunable OSSB modulation is achieved. The incorporation of the OSSB modulator into the OVNA is experimentally evaluated. The measurement of the magnitude and phase response of an ultra-narrow-band fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and that of the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in a single-mode fiber is performed. A measurement resolution as high as 78 kHz is achieved.

Optical Single-Sideband Modulation Based on a Dual-Drive MZM and a 120° Hybrid Coupler

“…In the optical filtering method, the OSSB signal is generated by removing one of the first-order sidebands in an intensity-modulated (IM) or phasemodulated (PM) signal. Uniform fiber Bragg grating (FBG) Manuscript [12], phase shift fiber Bragg grating (PS-FBG) [13], steep-edge tunable optical filter [6], crystalline whispering gallery mode resonator [14], or active photonic filter based on stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) [15] was employed to implement the OSSB modulation. However, the method is highly dependent on the wavelength of the optical carrier.…”

Optical single-sideband modulation based on silicon-on-insulator coupled-resonator optical waveguides

“…[1][2][3][4] In microwave photonic systems, optical single-sideband (OSSB) modulation is often required for applications, such as radio-over-fiber transmission, photonic controlled phased array antenna, microwave photonic phase shifter, and optical vector network analyzer. [5][6][7][8] Heretofore, various approaches have been presented to generate OSSB modulation. One method is by means of π∕2-phase shift via hybrid coupler in a dual-input Mach-Zehnder modulator or polarization modulator 9,10 or via optical Hilbert transformer.…”

Optical Vector Network Analyzer With Improved Accuracy Based on Brillouin-Assisted Optical Carrier Processing

“…Many approaches have been reported to generate OSSB modulated signals [9]. The OSSB modulation can be achieved by removing either sidebands of an optical double-sideband (DSB) modulated signal using an optical bandpass filter (OBPF) or a fiber grating, using a dual-drive Mach-Zehnder modulator (DMZM) incorporating a 90-degree or 120-degree hybrid electrical coupler [10]. The transmission response of an optical device-under-test (ODUT) is measured by sweeping the frequency of a microwave signal to realize one-to-one mapping between the optical domain and electrical domain.…”

“…In the OSSB-based OVNA, the optical carrier and the first-order optical sideband should go through the ODUT simultaneously to undergo the magnitude and phase change. OVNAs based on the combination of a phase modulator (PM) with an OBPF [10] and a joint use of a PM with optical frequency comb (OFC) [13] have been proposed. The measurement errors mainly derive from the beat signal between adjacent two optical sidebands.…”