Investigation of analog signal distortion introduced by a fiber phase sensitive amplifier

We numerically simulate the distortion of an analog signal carried in a microwave photonics link containing a phase sensitive amplifier (PSA), focusing mainly on amplitude modulation format. The numerical model is validated by comparison with experimental measurements. By using the well-known two-tone test, we compare the situations in which a standard intensity modulator is used with the one where a perfectly linear modulator would be employed. We also investigate the role of gain saturation in the nonlinearity of the PSA. Finally, we establish the conditions in which the signal nonlinearity introduced by the PSA itself can be extremely small. (C) 2020 Optical Society of America