Bi-directional frequency shifting loops for real-time processing of broadband RF signals

Abstract

Analog photonic techniques can perform better than conventional digital electronics, which have significant limitations when it comes to processing fast RF signals on the fly. We show that a simple photonic architecture, based on a bi-directional frequency-shifting loop, makes it possible to calculate in real time the cross-correlation function of two broadband signals for about 200 values of their delay simultaneously. Additionally, our architecture also enables to perform spectral analysis of signals with 16 GHz instantaneous bandwidth, 100 % probability of interception, and detection electronics below 10 MSa/s.