Opto-VLSI-based reconfigurable photonic RF filter

Abstract

Radio frequency (RF) signal processors based on photonics have several advantages, such as broadband capability, immunity to electromagnetic interference, flexibility, and light weight in comparison to all-electronics RF filters. It still requires innovative research and development to achieve high-resolution reconfigurable photonic RF signal processors featuring high selectivity, resolution, wide tunability, and fast reconfigurability. In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate the concept of a reconfigurable photonic RF filter structure integrating an Amplified Spontaneous Emission (ASE) source, an Opto-VLSI processor that generates arbitrary phase-only steering and multicasting holograms for wavelength selection and attenuation, arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) for waveband multiplexing and demultiplexing, high-dispersion fibres for RF delay synthesis, and a balanced photodetector for generating positive and negative processor weights. Independent control of the weights of a reconfigurable photonic RF filter is experimentally demonstrated.