Photonic Generation of Ultra-Wideband Signals via Pulse Compression in a Highly Nonlinear Fiber

A simple and reconfigurable scheme for photonic generation of ultra-wideband (UWB) waveforms is proposed, simulated, and demonstrated. The technique relies on pulse compression in a highly nonlinear fiber and subsequent differential detection. A center frequency of 25 GHz and a fractional bandwidth of 120% are obtained. The generated waveform is also adjusted to closely approximate the spectral mask for unlicensed UWB indoor wireless communications.