Microwave Pioneers: Kam Lau, “μWaves Meet Photons”

Abstract

This article is part of a continuing series of biographical pieces on persons who have made significant and continuous contributions to microwave science, technology, and applications over the course of their careers. It is intended to bring to the reader, especially those new to the field, a portrait of an individual who serves as a role model for the community and a detailed description of their accomplishments. At the same time, it tries to bridge with commonality, the experiences of the subject with those of the scientists, engineers and technologists who are following in their footsteps or hope to establish a similar record of success. The articles are composed only after an extensive face-to-face interview with the subject and are helped immensely by additional input and editing by the subjects themselves. The focus of this article is Professor Kam-Yin Lau, who developed the first photonic source capable of high-fidelity optical modulation at 10 GHz and beyond, and successfully introduced photonics into the traditional microwave disciplines. His work during the 1980s enabled hitherto unattainable long-distant (∼50 km) guided transport of microwave signals over optical fibers. These accomplishments helped spur the microwave photonics industry that has transformed both wired and wireless communications networks, and as you will read, several other applications of national and scientific significance. It is appropriate that Professor Lau is the recipient of this year's Microwave Theory and Techniques Society's Microwave Pioneer award for his development and commercialization of RoF (RF-over-Fiber) which launched the microwave photonics industry. As both an industry pioneer and an academic, Professor Lau's accomplishments fit well within the scope of this series. I hope you will both enjoy and learn from his account of where he came from, what motivated his career choices, and the many notable people he interacted with.INDEX TERMS Microwave photonics, laser diode modulation, hybrid fiber-coax networks, RoF, communications.Kam-Yin Lau, 1 the only child of working-class parents who migrated from war ravaged mainland China to Hong Kong 1 This article was compiled after a series of three interviews with Professor Lau on Dec. 1, 2 and 4, 2020. Normally, the interviews would have been face-to-face, but Covid 19 restrictions forced their conversion into video conference sessions. The author was made aware of Professor Lau's longstanding contributions to microwave techniques through MTT Past President and Awards committee chair, Dr. Ed Rezek, on his (Professor Lau's) selection for the MTT Society's 2021 Microwave Pioneer award "for pioneering developments and commercialization of RF over fiber devices, systems and applications which launched the microwave photonics industry." Professor Lau also received the 2013 Pioneer Award from the IEEE Aerospace and Electronics Systems Society (AESS): http://ieee-aess.org/professor-kam-lau-2013-pioneer-award-winner. After reading through his detailed biography and spending 8 intere...