Phase-Coded Microwave Signal Generation Based on a Segmented Silicon Mach–Zehnder Modulator

We demonstrate novel phase-coded microwave signal generation based on a two-segment single-drive push-pull silicon Mach-Zehnder modulator. The coding signal and the microwave frequency are each applied to one of the separate segments. The phase-coded microwave signal is generated by properly setting the working point of the modulator. The precise π phase shift is determined by the sign of the coding signal. Both theoretical analysis and experimental demonstration are performed to verify the concept. The modulator successfully generates a 10-GHz (20-GHz) phase-coded microwave signal with a 5-Gb/s (10-Gb/s) coding data rate and the measured pulse compression ratio is 133.0 (156.8).