Measurement of microwave behavior in optical links

The aim of this article is to give an overview of how S-parameter techniques can be used and misused to measure the "microwave behavior" of microwave photonic components and links-a field known as lightwave component analysis. Along the way, we clarify what is meant by the term "microwave behavior" when it is applied to what in effect are nonmicrowave components. We find that while it is desirable to extend the S-parameter approach to the lightwave domain, it is not as easy as we would hope.