Microwave Photonics Upconversion

1. VPItransmissionMaker™ WDM and Cable Access each can simulate both digital and analog systems.
2. Of increasing interest is the generation and processing of microwave and millimeter waves using optical components.
3. This example shows how an optical circuit can upconvert a sub-GHz IF spectrum to a millimeter-wave frequency without the use of an RF mixer.
4. An overdriven modulator is used to generate optical side-bands spaced at 30 GHz (and a suppressed carrier). One of the side-bands is modulated with the IF information.
5. The photodiode mixes the unmodulated and modulated sidebands to produce a 30 GHz electrical signal for free-space transmission.