A method and an apparatus are described that split a broadband optical signal into a plurality of narrow-band portions. Each of said narrow-band portions is combined in the same optical channel with an optical local oscillator (OLO). Furthermore, the OLO is spectrally separate from, or non-overlapping with, the corresponding narrow-band portion of the signal in the same channel. This functionality is achieved by launching the broadband optical signal and a local oscillator optical comb (LOOC) into separate waveguides at the input star coupler of an arrayed-waveguide grating. The waveguides of the output star coupler carry the narrow-band portions of the broadband optical signal along with the respective non-overlapping spectral lines of the OLO.

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a signal processing method and apparatus for use in a satellite payload in which an input RF signal received at a receiver antenna is modulated by using a single optical carrier at the input of an optical modulator. The optical domain signal is processed and is subsequently combined with a single unmodulated optical LO tone to provide an output RF signal for radiation by a transmitter antenna or for further digital processing by an on-board processor. This results in a clean generation of the frequency-converted RF signal at the output of the opto-electrical conversion stage.

An apparatus for generating a time-delayed product of two independent signals includes a fixed-wavelength laser. A first optical modulator is optically coupled to the fixed-wavelength laser and configured to modulate a fixed wavelength optical carrier with a first input signal of a set of input signals. The apparatus also includes a tunable laser. A second optical modulator is optically coupled to the tunable laser and configured to modulate a tunable optical carrier with a second input signal of the set of input signals. The apparatus also includes a dispersive element coupled to the second optical modulator, a first optical detector coupled to the dispersive element, a third optical modulator optically coupled to the first optical detector and the first optical modulator, an optical 90-degree hybrid element optically coupled to the third optical modulator, and a plurality of optical detectors optically coupled to the optical 90-degree hybrid element.

Devices, methods and systems for generating wideband, high-fidelity arbitrary radio frequency (RF) passband signals are described. A voltage tunable optical filter for arbitrary RF passband signal generation includes a first input configured to receive a broadband optical pulse train, a second input configured to receive a first control voltage representative of an amplitude signal, an electrooptic modulator to receive the broadband optical pulse train and the first control voltage, to modulate the broadband optical pulse train in accordance with the amplitude signal, and to produce two complementary optical outputs that form two arms of an interferometer, an optical delay component to impart an optical path difference into one of the complementary outputs of the electrooptic modulator, and a combiner or a splitter to receive two complementary optical outputs of the electrooptic modulator after impartation of the optical path difference and to produce an output interference pattern of fringes.

A communication device designed for an interior compartment, for example of a motor vehicle. The device includes a radiofrequency communication module and an interface module which is operationally coupled to the radiofrequency communication module in order to receive a digital signal generated by the radiofrequency communication module, and to modulate an electric power supply signal for at least one lamp, according to the digital signal, in order to generate a modulation of light emitted by the lamp according to the digital signal received from the radiofrequency communication module.

A photonic system enabling the processing of high frequency microwave, mm-wave, THz signals or other RF signals. The processing may include, e.g., adjusting the frequency, quadrature, and/or power of the signals. In illustrative examples, the system uses a polychromatic light source producing at least two low noise optical emission frequencies that can be independently tuned in a broad frequency range and/or modulated in a broad frequency range using external modulators. An RF input signal is upconverted to one of the optical harmonics of the modulated polychromatic source, processed in the optical frequency domain, and downconverted to the RF domain (at the same or a different RF carrier frequency). The photonic system can be integrated on a planar optical substrate, such as a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). Optical local oscillators are also described for use in the photonic system or for other purposes. Various system, device, and method examples are provided.

An apparatus includes an optical phased array having multiple array elements. Each array element includes an antenna element configured to transmit or receive an optical signal. Each array element also includes an electro-optic (EO) modulator associated with the antenna element, where the EO modulator is configured to modulate the optical signal transmitted or received by the antenna element. The antenna elements may be configured to transmit optical signals, the EO modulator of each array element may be configured to perform at least one of amplitude modulation and phase modulation, where at least one of the amplitude modulations and the phase modulation is based on encoded data. The antenna elements may be configured to receive optical signals, the EO modulator of each array element may be configured to perform at least one of phase modulation and amplitude modulation, and a decoder may be configured to recover data.

An RF imaging receiver using photonic spatial beam processing is provided with an optical beam steerer that directs the modulated optical signals to steer the composite optical signal and move the location of the spot on the optical detector array. The optical beam steerer may be implemented with one or more phase-dependent steering units in which each unit includes a waveplate and polarization grating to steer the modulated optical signals. The optical beam steerer may be configured to act on the individual modulated optical signals to induce individual phase delays that produce a phase delay with a linear term, and possibly spherical or aspherical terms, to steer the composite optical signal in which case the optical beam steerer may be implemented, for example, with an optical phase modulator and optical antenna in each optical channel which together form an OPA, a Risley prism or a liquid crystal or MEMs spatial light modulator.

Methods and apparatus for interference cancelation in a radio frequency communications device are described. In various embodiments a signal to be transmitted in converted into an optical signal and processed using an optical filter assembly including one or more optical filters to generate an optical interference cancelation signal. The optical interference cancelation signal is converted into an analog radio frequency interference cancelation signal using an optical to electrical converter prior to the analog radio frequency interference cancelation signal being combined with a received signal to cancel interference, e.g., self interference. The optical filter assembly can include a large number of taps, e.g., 30, 50, 100 or more. Each tap may be implemented as a separate optical filter or series of optical filters. Delays and/or gain of the optical filters can be controlled dynamically based on channel estimates which may change due to changes in the environment and/or communications device position.

An RF imaging receiver using photonic spatial beam processing is provided with an optical beam steerer that directs the modulated optical signals to steer the composite optical signal and move the location of the spot on the optical detector array. The optical beam steerer may be implemented with one or more phase-dependent steering units in which each unit includes a waveplate and polarization grating to steer the modulated optical signals. The optical beam steerer may be configured to act on the individual modulated optical signals to induce individual phase delays that produce a phase delay with a linear term, and possibly spherical or aspherical terms, to steer the composite optical signal in which case the optical beam steerer may be implemented, for example, with an optical phase modulator and optical antenna in each optical channel which together form an OPA, a Risley prism or a liquid crystal or MEMs spatial light modulator.