Photonic vector modulation Tx/Rx architecture for generation, remote delivery and detection of m-QAM signals

In this paper, a Tx/Rx quadrature photonic vector modulator architecture is proposed. In transmitting mode, an electrical QAM-modulated signal at microwave/millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequencies is generated from the base-band in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components using two optical sources, one electrical tone and a dispersive media. Also in receiving mode, the original I and Q components are directly recovered from the QAM signal at microwave/mm-wave band using similar hardware. In all the architecture, no electrical devices apart from the electrical tone oscillator are needed in the generation/recovery process. In addition, the hardware requirements are reduced when compared to previously proposed architectures, aiming to a high-compact low-cost architecture. Simulations as well as preliminary experimental results demonstrate that this architecture is suitable to antenna remote delivery at high frequency bands and high data rates since no intermediate electrical devices are necessary. Also a low cost and complexity base station is proposed.