Integrated Multifrequency Recognition and Downconversion Based on Photonics-Assisted Compressive Sampling

On the basis of photonics-assisted compressive sampling (CS), we demonstrate for the first time an integrated system with the capacity of multifrequency recognition and downconversion of intercepted radio frequency (RF) component. Using a single analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with sub-Nyquist analog bandwidth of 826.75 MHz, a multicomponent signal with unknown frequencies ranging from 15 to 20 GHz is precisely located with maximum detection error of 100 kHz. The system´s ability of photonic downconversion of identified RF component is characterized in terms of spur-free dynamic range (SFDR) as well.