Microwave photonic modules for radio frequency over fiber from S-band to Ka-band

Optical components for commercial and defense systems are becoming readily available due to demand in new military applications in surveillance and countermeasures and commercial applications in communications. In defense systems such as phased array antennas and fiber optic decoys, high performance is required of the optical components both in narrow band for RF and wideband in countermeasure. In commercial applications, the expected high demand of two-way fixed and mobile wireless services, the consequent need of expanding the systems capacity, and the urgency of reducing the costs, has created an opportunity for the utilization of hybrid fiber wireless transport in wireless networks. These systems offer the potential to improve services and reduce base station costs through increased bandwidth and easy of installation. System demonstrations for personal communications services operating at 1.9 GHz up through Ka Band (26 to 40 GHz) have been developed. In many of these applications the key is to integrate the optical components with the microwave circuits to reduce size, cost and improve performance particularly at millimeter wave frequencies.