Opto-electronic cross-phase tuneable system based on cascaded intensity modulators

Abstract

We demonstrate a dual-output microwave photonic system that allows 360-degree per element up-converted phase adjustment with potential applicability in phased array systems. Two self-correlated Ku-band carriers are generated in the optical domain through beating by means of concatenated intensity modulators fed by lower frequency electrical sources, where the phase-tuning originates. The system shows high correlation along the full phase sweep between its outputs, which are characterized individually in terms of phase noise and spectral stability.