• Photonics Research
  • Vol. 8, Issue 6, 852 (2020)
Yiwei Xie1, Leimeng Zhuang4, Pengcheng Jiao2、3、*, and Daoxin Dai1
Author Affiliations
  • 1Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Sensing Technologies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
  • 2Institute of Port, Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan 316021, China
  • 3Engineering Research Center of Oceanic Sensing Technology and Equipment, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
  • 4e-mail: leimeng.zhuang@ieee.org
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    DOI: 10.1364/PRJ.387480 Cite this Article Set citation alerts
    Yiwei Xie, Leimeng Zhuang, Pengcheng Jiao, Daoxin Dai. Sub-nanosecond-speed frequency-reconfigurable photonic radio frequency switch using a silicon modulator[J]. Photonics Research, 2020, 8(6): 852 Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    Radio frequency (RF) switches are essential for implementing routing of RF signals. However, the increasing demand for RF signal frequency and bandwidth is posing a challenge of switching speed to the conventional solutions, i.e., the capability of operating at a sub-nanosecond speed or faster. In addition, signal frequency reconfigurability is also a desirable feature to facilitate new innovations of flexible system functions. Utilizing microwave photonics as an alternative path, we present here a photonic implementation of an RF switch providing not only the capability of switching at a sub-nanosecond speed but also options of frequency doubling of the input RF signals, allowing for flexible output waveforms. The core device is a traveling-wave silicon modulator with a device size of 0.2 mm×1.8 mm and a modulation bandwidth of 10 GHz. Using microwave frequencies, i.e., 15 GHz and 20 GHz, as two simultaneous RF input signals, we experimentally demonstrated their amplitude and frequency switching as well as that of the doubled frequencies, i.e., 30 GHz and 40 GHz, at a switching frequency of 5 GHz. The results of this work point to a solution for creating high-speed RF switches with high compactness and flexibility.
    EMZM(t)=δMZM{J0(mMZM)exp(j2πνt)+J1(mMZM)exp[j2π(ν+fin)t]J1(mMZM)exp[j2π(νfin)t},(1)

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    EMZM(t)=δMZM{J1(mMZM)exp[j2π(ν+fin)t]J1(mMZM)exp[j2π(νfin)t}.(2)

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    [Y1Y2]=[H11H12H21H22][X1X2],(3)

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    [H11H12H21H22]=α[ejΔφej2πfΔt1j(ejΔφej2πfΔt1)j(ejΔφej2πfΔt+1)ejΔφej2πfΔt+1],(4)

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    i(t)=γRPD[Eout(t)·Eout(t)*]2,(5)

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    Eout(t)=δMZM{J0(mMZM)exp(j2πνt)H11(ν)+J1(mMZM)exp[j2π(ν+fx)t]H11(ν+fx)J1(mMZM)exp[j2π(νfx)t]H11(νfx)},x=1,2,(6)

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    Yiwei Xie, Leimeng Zhuang, Pengcheng Jiao, Daoxin Dai. Sub-nanosecond-speed frequency-reconfigurable photonic radio frequency switch using a silicon modulator[J]. Photonics Research, 2020, 8(6): 852
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