Comparison of two photonic sampling mixer architectures based on SOA-MZI for all-optical frequency up-conversion

Abstract

An experimental comparison of the conversion gain and harmonic distortion performance between Switching and Modulation architectures of an all-optical photonic sampler mixer up-converter using a Semiconductor Optical Amplifier-based Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (SOA-MZI) is presented. The process of frequency up-conversion from 1 GHz to 9 GHz is evaluated. Because of their different principle of operation, the Switching architecture demonstrates higher positive conversion gain by approximately 6 dB and 8 dB for standard and differential configuration, respectively, while the Modulation architecture achieves lower harmonic distortion up to 8 dB, depending on the modulation index of the 1 GHz signal.

SOA-MZI photonic sampler with a post-distortion linearization technique

“…1 illustrates the principle of operation of the post-distortion linearization method in a SOA-MZI. In this method, the function of sampling is obtained using a modulation architecture presented for the first time in [17] and in detail in [23]. In the SOA-MZI, a sampling pulse train of instantaneous power P C , center wavelength λ C , repetition rate f C and equal amplitude pulses generated by a mode-locked laser, is applied at input C, while a sinusoidal signal to be sampled of instantaneous power P A , modulation index MI, center wavelength λ Α and frequency f A is applied at input A.…”

“…Nevertheless, because the sampler characteristic function is not linear, the distortion products that appear at the output degrade the performance of the link, especially for signals with high modulation indices [12,16,17]. Thus, mitigation of nonlinear distortion i.e., linearization, is the key in order to improve the performance and expand the exploitable input power range of the photonic sampler [12,16].…”

“…Photonic sampling employing a SOA-MZI has been used for the application of photonic microwave mixing in [17][18][19][20][21][22][23], since the SOA-MZI is an all-optical module which uniquely combines a low excitation power, a high extinction ratio and a high switching efficiency with the simultaneous signal amplification [24,25].…”

“…High THD may signify interference for other equipment or require elaborate filtering at the expense of increased cost and complexity of the ARoF link. Recently, THD has been evaluated for the SOA-MZI photonic sampler in [17,28]. Applying the post-distortion linearization technique tο this case aims exactly at minimizing THD of the SOA-MZI photonic sampler.…”

Modulation and Switching Architecture Performances for Frequency Up-Conversion of Complex-Modulated Data Signals Based on a SOA-MZI Photonic Sampling Mixer

“…In our recent works [15]- [16], we have experimentally demonstrated a new Modulation architecture and we have compared its performance in terms of the CG against the established Switching architecture, both based on the SOA-MZI photonic sampler. In [15], a very high CG up to 22 dB was achieved, where a 1 GHz was up-converted to 9 GHz, which was adjacent to the 1 st harmonic of the mode-locked laser.…”