High bandwidth temporal RF photonic signal processing with Kerr micro-combs: integration, fractional differentiation and Hilbert transforms

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in high bandwidth RF photonic signal processing using integrated Kerr micro-combs, highlighting their capabilities for complex transformations like Hilbert transforms and differentiation in a compact, integrated platform.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of Kerr micro-comb-based RF processing techniques, including integral and fractional transforms, emphasizing their potential for integrated photonic solutions.

Findings

Kerr micro-combs enable high bandwidth RF signal processing up to 200 GHz.

Various transformations like Hilbert and fractional differentiation have been realized using micro-combs.

Micro-combs offer a compact, versatile platform for integrated RF photonic applications.

Abstract

Integrated Kerr micro-combs, a powerful source of many wavelengths for photonic RF and microwave signal processing, are particularly useful for transversal filter systems. They have many advantages including a compact footprint, high versatility, large numbers of wavelengths, and wide bandwidths. We review recent progress on photonic RF and microwave high bandwidth temporal signal processing based on Kerr micro-combs with spacings from 49-200GHz. We cover integral and fractional Hilbert transforms, differentiators as well as integrators. The potential of optical micro-combs for RF photonic applications in functionality and ability to realize integrated solutions is also discussed.