Fiber optic microwave links using balanced laser harmonic generation, and balanced/image cancellation laser mixing

Three fiber optic link configurations that utilize the combination of microwave functional components and optical devices are proposed. These links can suppress undesired spurious frequencies generated by laser diode nonlinearities. One configuration is a balanced laser harmonic generation link which consists of two laser diodes, an out-of-phase divider, one or two photodiodes, an in-phase combiner and one or two fibers. The other configurations are the balanced/image cancellation laser mixing links which are composed of two laser diodes, two photodiodes, out-of-phase dividers, in-phase combiners, 90 degrees hybrid circuits and two fibers. The fundamental behavior of these configurations is discussed, and the basic performance was demonstrated at microwave frequency bands.<>