Novel Technique for Implementing Incoherent Microwave Photonic Filters With Negative Coefficients Using Phase Modulation and Single Sideband Selection

We propose a novel configuration to implement microwave photonic filters featuring positive and negative coefficients which is based on the use of a single phase modulator to modulate an array of optical sources followed by a filtering stage to choose the optical carrier and higher or lower radio-frequency sideband depending on the sign of the desired coefficient. Experimental results are presented which prove the feasibility of this concept for a two tap notch filter. Filter tunability is also demonstrated