Photonics-Assisted RF Channelizer Based on Integrated Ring Modulator

Photonic channelization receivers play a crucial role in optical communications and optical networks, providing technology for broadband radio frequency (RF) signal monitoring and reception. However, traditional channelization schemes, consisting of an optical frequency comb (OFC), modulators, and optical filters, are bulky and lack tunability. To address this issue, we propose a channelization scheme based on an OFC and an on-chip ring modulator. An electro-optical ring modulator is employed to realize modulation and filtering processes simultaneously. Consequently, our photonic channelization scheme employs ring modulators instead of conventional traveling-wave modulators and optical filters, thereby reducing device count and simplifying system architecture. Moreover, our approach can alter the output channel of RF signals by controlling the amount of optical detuning, offering the advantage of an adjustable channel center wavelength. Experimentally, an 8-channel channelizer with center frequencies of 21∼28 GHz in 1 GHz steps is demonstrated by a ring modulator and an OFC. Furthermore, the center frequency of the proposed channelizer can be continuously adjusted by simply changing the DC voltage.