Leonardo Mw Ltd.

Leonardo UK Limited

Elonardo UK Ltd

Ian Flint

Shyqyri Haxha

Taimur Mirza

Mohammed Alom

Shyqyri Hahxa

Improving the signal to noise ratio in an optical link involves either reducing the noise or increasing the RF power coupled into the optical link by lowing the voltage, Vπ, required to induce a phase change of π of the optical beam passing through the optical modulator. The present disclosure relates to methods and architectures for increasing the optical power through a link through providing one or more laser sources, additional modulators or photodiode receivers and dividing the optical power through these components so that none are overloaded.

System and method for increasing optical power in an RF over fibre link

A common method of down converting a received RF signal mixes the received RF signal with a LO signal to create a beat signal. Exemplary embodiments can address multiple simultaneously received RF signals which beat within receiver electronics at frequencies similar to that of the down converted signals. An RF mixer is disclosed using a photonic circuit arranged to impose the RF signal and the LO signal onto separate optical beams. An arrangement provides a beam carrying the RF signal to a first optical input of a balanced photodiode receiver and another beam carrying the RF and LO signals to a second optical input of the balanced photodiode receiver. Any beat products formed between different RF signals will be cancelled out at the electrical output of the balanced photodiode receiver.

Radio frequency mixer implemented with a photonic circuit

A Mach Zehnder modulator operates by phase modulating split optical beams with a modulating signal to create dissimilarities in the optical characteristics between the split beams. When the beams are recombined, the dissimilarities gives rise to intensity modulations that are indicative of the modulating signal. One or both beams are modulated with an RF trimming signal. The trimming signal is applied asymmetrically across the two beams thereby reducing the intensity of the optical carrier frequency in one of the beams more than in the other. By selecting the size of the trimming signal the differences in the optical amplitude of the carrier frequency in the two beams can be nulled.

Electro-optical modulator and method of modulating an optical beam to carry an RF signal

An RF signal to be carried by an optical link is modulated onto two optical beams. The modulators are tuned differently so that the distortion products carried on one beam are relatively larger compared to the fundamental compared with other beam. One of the beams is optically upconverted by the appropriate Brillouin shift frequency and the two beams counter-propagated through an optical waveguide in order to create a Brillouin grating. The grating acts to separate the distortion products from the fundamental so as to provide at an output of the link a signal in which the distortion products are insignificant is not absent.

Apparatus and method for reducing distortion of an optical signal

A system and method of down converting microwave (RF) signals into lower frequencies are disclosed, such that associated electronics can more precisely analyse the signals. Exemplary embodiment, can be applied to multiple RF bands by using several optical wavelengths.

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Basildon, United Kingdom

Ian Flint