Noise Comparison of RF Photonic Filters Based on Coherent and Incoherent Multiwavelength Sources

A filtered microwave photonic (MWP) link implemented with an optical frequency comb as a multitap optical source offers a significant improvement in noise characteristics when compared to a spectrally sliced broadband incoherent source with the same number of taps and identical tap delay. Our results show that frequency combs also enable a better use of the optical bandwidth for filtering with minimum noise-induced fluctuations. These results highlight the potential of optical frequency comb technology to operate over large distances in MWP filter links.