Photonic synthesis of broadband microwave arbitrary waveforms applicable to ultra-wideband communication

We demonstrate photonic synthesis of broadband radio-frequency (RF) waveforms suitable for ultra-wide bandwidth (UWB) systems via open-loop reflection-mode dispersive Fourier transform optical pulse shaping. Using this technique, we synthesize broadband burst, monocycle and pulsed waveforms with RF bandwidths ranging from ∼1-8 GHz. Through appropriate optical waveform design, we demonstrate direct control over the shape of the RF spectrum - a capability that enables us to tailor our RF waveforms to conform to the low-power UWB spectral criteria.