Optical mm-wave signal generation using a single iq modulator

An optical transmitter apparatus, comprising:

• a data interface that receives information bits;
• a digital signal processor to read instructions stored on a memory to implement a method, the instructions comprising:
• code for modulating the information bits to generate a complex vector signal at baseband;
• code for mixing the complex baseband signal with a complex sinusoidal source at a negative first frequency to produce a lower sideband (LSB) vector signal at the negative first frequency;
• code for generating an I-component by adding a real part of the LSB vector signal with a real part of a complex sinusoidal signal at a positive second frequency;
• and
• code for generating a Q-component by adding an imaginary part of the LSB vector signal with an imaginary part of the complex sinusoidal signal at the positive second frequency;
• an I/Q modulator configured to obtain an optical SSB signal from the I-component, the Q-component and an optical source at a carrier frequency;
• a photodiode configured to upcovert the optical SSB signal to a desired radio-frequency (RF) carrier frequency;
• and
• a signal transmission stage that transmits the signal at the desired RF carrier frequency over a transmission medium.