Wideband microwave photonic downconverters with high dynamic range and high conversion efficiency

Microwave photonic frequency conversion is a key function that is essential in many optical-wireless system applications. Photonic mixers are attractive because of the wide bandwidth potential, the high isolation between the RF and the LO ports, and the advantage of electromagnetic interference immunity. Recent new methods in wideband microwave photonic downconverters, including carrier suppression techniques that can achieve high conversion efficiency, and new linearized structures that can achieve a high spurious free dynamic range, are presented.