Programmable RF Receiver Related On-Chip Photonic Processor

This study reports and experimentally demonstrates a programmable on-chip photonic processor towards different RF receiver configurations. The Si3N4 processor is built by interconnecting independent subunits such as simple and complex Mach-Zehnder interferometers and Ring resonators. The design, fabrication, and characterization of a dedicated chip are described. As a proof of concept, it can be used as a reconfigurable filter with distinct frequency response. More importantly, a thorough RF receiver related passive processor including out-of-band suppression, carrier-sideband routing, channelization filtering, as well as I-Q mixing prior to an optical detection stage. This is effective proof of a programmable integrated processor encompassing most passive filtering and routing subunits for broadband photonic RF receiver.

Automated summary

This study presents a programmable on-chip photonic processor for various RF receiver configurations, built by interconnecting independent subunits such as Mach-Zehnder interferometers and Ring resonators. The design, fabrication, and characterization of a dedicated chip are described, showing its potential as a reconfigurable filter. Thorough RF receiver related passive processor including out-of-band suppression, carrier-sideband routing, channelization filtering, as well as I-Q mixing is demonstrated, effectively proving the programmable integrated processor's capability for broadband photonic RF receiver.