ABSTRACT
Analog fiber-optic links are used in many microwave-photonic applications. Microwave photonics is a field that uses light waves to aid in the transmission, signal generation, or signal processing of high-frequency analog signals. These signals may be in the radio frequency (RF), microwave, or millimeter-wave bands. The analog fiber-optic link is the fundamental building block for many microwave-photonic applications. A microwave analog fiber-optic link consists of an optical transmitter, a length of fiber, and a photodetector
Traditionally, the optical transmitter uses intensity modulation of a laser source to impress a microwave signal onto an optical carrier frequency. The modulated light is then transmitted over a low-loss fiber-optic cable and detected by a high-speed photodetector. The intensity modulation may be done by directly
as shown in Figure 9.1.
