Low cost radio over fiber transceiver using phase signal modulation

In this paper we propose a novel photonic transceiver based on the phase modulation of an optical broadband source sliced by an Mach-Zehnder interferometer which is suitable for radio over fiber applications. The SCM data signal is introduced in the optical fiber link by the photonic transceiver at the Central Office. After propagation over 20 km of a dispersive SMF link, a CWDM performs the spectral slicing of the modulated optical signal in order to distribute the SCM data to a number of base stations where the transmitted signals are photodetected and demodulated. The tuning properties of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure located in the radio over fiber transceiver enable multiservice distribution through all the WDM channels of the network. A good quality of service is guaranteed for different type of codification formats in a 10 GHz electrical range, as shown by the experimental results.