Hybrid microwave photonic receiver based on integrated tunable bandpass filters

Inspired by the concept of system-in-a-package (SiP) in electronics, here we report a hybrid microwave photonic receiver prototype by integrating lithium niobate (LiNbO3) dual-parallel phase modulators with silicon nitride (Si3N4) integrated tunable microring filters. In particular, we experimentally characterize these employed key elements and evaluate the down-conversion performance of RF signals from 4-20 GHz to the intermediate frequency. With the advantages of the tunable microwave photonic signal filtering, uniform system performance within a broad operation bandwidth, and low SWaP, the demonstrated hybrid microwave photonic receiver module shows a potential setup to satisfy the requirements of wireless communication systems, phased-array radar systems, and electronic warfare. (C) 2021 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

The study presents a hybrid microwave photonic receiver prototype that integrates key components made of different materials to process signals, offering advantages such as wide operational bandwidth and low SWaP, suitable for applications in wireless communication, radar systems, and electronic warfare.