Emerging applications of integrated optical microcombs for analogue RF and microwave photonic signal processing

TL;DR

This paper reviews the use of integrated microcombs in RF and microwave photonic systems, highlighting their ability to enable various advanced signal processing functions with reduced system complexity and cost.

Contribution

It introduces new applications of integrated microcombs in RF/microwave systems, demonstrating their practical use in diverse photonic signal processing functions.

Findings

Successful experimental demonstrations of microcomb-based functions

Microcombs enable high-performance multiwavelength sources

Significant reduction in system size and cost

Abstract

We review new applications of integrated microcombs in RF and microwave photonic systems. We demonstrate a wide range of powerful functions including a photonic intensity high order and fractional differentiators, optical true time delays, advanced filters, RF channelizer and other functions, based on a Kerr optical comb generated by a compact integrated microring resonator, or microcomb. The microcomb is CMOS compatible and contains a large number of comb lines, which can serve as a high performance multiwavelength source for the transversal filter, thus greatly reduce the cost, size, and complexity of the system. The operation principle of these functions is theoretically analyzed, and experimental demonstrations are presented.