Dispersion Robustness of Millimeter Waves Generated by Up-Conversion Strategies

• Published in: Fiber and integrated optics Vol. 29; no. 6; pp. 441 - 452
• Main Authors: Laurêncio, P., Vargues, H., Fortes, I., Avó, R., Medeiros, M. C. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis Group 01.11.2010; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Carriers; Circuit properties; Computer simulation; Dispersion; Dispersions; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fiber optic interferometers; Fiber optics; Frequencies; Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides; Microwave circuits, microwave integrated circuits, microwave transmission lines, submillimeter wave circuits; Millimeter waves; Modulation; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; Optical fiber communications; Optical fibers; optical millimeter wave generation; Optical properties; Optical telecommunications; radio over fiber; Sidebands; Simulation; Single sideband; Systems, networks and services of telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Transmission and modulation (techniques and equipments); up-conversion using external modulators; Upconversion; Performance evaluation; Modulator; Upconversion; up-conversion using external modulators; Single mode fiber; Mach Zehnder interferometer; Microwave; Extinction index; Degradation; Millimeter wave generation; Millimetric wave; Optical fiber network; optical millimeter wave generation; Numerical simulation; Optical fiber communication; Robustness; radio over fiber; Wave generation; Signal conversion; Optical modulation; Sideband; Radio communication; Single sideband; Damaging
• ISSN: 0146-8030; 1096-4681
• DOI: 10.1080/01468030.2010.509464

The performance degradation caused by transmission along dispersive single-mode fibers of optically generated millimeter-wave signals using up-conversion is theoretically assessed and validated by numerical simulation. Up-conversion techniques based on optical double sideband, optical single sideband, and optical carrier suppression are considered. The generation of 60 GHz by frequency tripling using the optical single sideband is shown to be particularly tolerant to the fiber dispersion. The practical imbalance of Mach-Zehnder modulators is taken into account for optical carrier suppression modulation, where the finite extinction ratio is found to increase tolerance to fiber dispersion.