Single-sideband suppressed-carrier optical modulator for wideband rf signal processing

Summary form only given. We describe a new and simple technique for implementing a wide bandwidth single sideband suppressed-carrier (SSB-SC) optical modulator. The modulator is built with all commercial components and demonstrates >40 dB optical carrier suppression, and as much as 60 dB unwanted signal sideband rejection across a 6-20 GHz microwave frequency range. The modulator is used to show microwave signal processing such as spectral shifting and inversion over 3-18 GHz.