Frequency-agile vector signal generation
based on optical frequency comb and pre-
coding
Kun Qu
1,4
, ShangHong Zhao
2
, QingGui Tan
3
and DanYa Liang
2
1
School of Information and Navigation, Air Force Engineering University, Xi’an 710077, People’s
Republic of China
2
Air Force Engineering University, Xi’an 710077, People’s Republic of China
3
China Academy of Space Technology, Xi’an 710000, People’s Republic of China
E-mail: m13259463680@163.com
Received 12 January 2017, revised 6 March 2017
Accepted for publication 31 March 2017
Published 2 May 2017
Abstract
In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate the generation of frequency-agile vector signals based
on an optical frequency comb (OFC) and unbalanced pre-coding technology by employing a dual-
driven Mach-Zehnder Modulator (DD-MZM) and an intensity modulator (IM).TheOFCis
generated by the DD-MZM and sent to the IM as a carrier. The IM is driven by a 5 GHz 2 Gbaud
quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) vector signal with unbalanced pre-coding. The −1st order
sideband of one OFC line and the +1st order sideband of another OFC line are selected by a
programmable pulse shaper (PPS), after square-low photodiode detection, the frequency-agile
vector signal can be obtained. The results show that the 2 Gbaud QPSK vector signals at 30 GHz,
50 GHz, 70 GHz and 90 GHz can be generated by only pre-coding once. It is possible to achieve a
bit-error-rate (BER) below 1e-3 for wireless transmissions over 0.5 m using this method.
Keywords: photonic vector signal generation, optical frequency comb, pre-coding,
millimeter wave
(Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)
1. Introduction
With the increasing demand of the huge bandwidth for com-
munication networks, the mm-wave wireless communication
system has been perceived as an attractive option for future
wireless and space communication [1–3]. Using electricity to
generate mm-wave signals is a challenge due to the insufficient
bandwidth of electrical components. Recently, the method of
generating mm-wave signals based on photonics technologies is
receiving much attention [4–8]. This method is of great sig-
nificance in breaking electronic bandwidth bottlenecks and can
promote the seamless integration of wireless and fiber networks.
Pre-coding assisted mm-wave generation based on electro-optic
intensity or phase modulators has the advantages of high sta-
bility and a low requirement for transmitter component
bandwidth. Thus, various approaches have been proposed to
generate mm-wave signals based on photonic technology.
Recently, some feasible schemes of vector mm-wave
signal generation based on phase or intensity modulators with
pre-coding assisted photonic frequency multiplication tech-
niques have been reported [9–15]. A scheme for the genera-
tion of a W-band QPSK vector signal based on frequency
quadrupling and pre-coding is proposed in [11]. Another
method for the generation of a QPSK vector signal based on
frequency octupling and pre-coding is proposed in [12], the
generation of 8 QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation
) and
16 QAM vector signal utilizing pre-coding technology based
on frequency octupling and frequency doubling is proposed in
[13] and [14], respectively. These schemes can achieve high
frequency mm-wave vector signal generation with a reduction
in the bandwidth requirement for both optical and electrical
components, but the realization of frequency multiplication
Journal of Optics
J. Opt. 19 (2017) 065701 (6pp) https://doi.org/10.1088/2040-8986/aa6a98
4
Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed.
2040-8978/17/065701+06$33.00 © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK1