Surpassing the classical limit of microwave photonic frequency fading effect by quantum microwave photonics

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that quantum microwave photonics can surpass classical limits in microwave signal processing, offering immunity to dispersion effects and enabling advanced functionalities like phase shifting and filtering.

Contribution

It introduces quantum microwave photonics as a superior approach for microwave signal processing, demonstrating key functionalities and immunity to classical dispersion-induced fading.

Findings

Realization of RF phase shifting and transversal filtering using QMWP

Demonstration of immunity to dispersion-induced frequency fading

Provision of a native two-dimensional parallel microwave signal processor

Abstract

With energy-time entangled biphoton sources as the optical carrier and time-correlated single-photon detection for high-speed radio frequency (RF) signal recovery, the method of quantum microwave photonics (QMWP) has presented the unprecedented potential of nonlocal RF signal encoding and efficient RF signal distilling from the dispersion interference associated with ultrashort pulse carriers. In this letter, its capability in microwave signal processing and prospective superiority is further demonstrated. Both the QMWP RF phase shifting and transversal filtering functionality, which are the fundamental building blocks of microwave signal processing, are realized. Besides the perfect immunity to the dispersion-induced frequency fading effect associated with the broadband carrier in classical microwave photonics, a native two-dimensional parallel microwave signal processor is provided. These demonstrations fully prove the superiority of QMWP over classical MWP and open the door to new application fields of MWP involving encrypted processing.