Communications system including an optical filter device and related methods

An optical filter device comprising:

• an optical waveguide having an input and an output;
• a plurality of first optical resonators each having a first side optically coupled to the optical waveguide along a length thereof between the input and the output, with adjacent first optical resonators being directly coupled to one another, the first optical resonators also each having a second side opposite the first side;
• and
• at least one second optical resonator optically coupled to the second sides of the plurality of first optical resonators.

A method comprising:

• receiving a radio frequency (RF) input signal at an RF input;
• generating an optical input signal based upon the RF input signal using an RF to photonic converter coupled to the RF input;
• optically filtering the optical input signal to generate a filtered optical signal using an optical filter device comprising
• an optical waveguide having an input configured to receive the optical input signal from the RF to photonic converter, and an output configured to output the filtered optical signal,
• a plurality of first optical resonators each having a first side optically coupled to the optical waveguide along a length thereof between the input and the output, with adjacent first optical resonators being directly coupled to one another, the first optical resonators also each having a second side opposite the first side, and
• at least one second optical resonator optically coupled to the second sides of the plurality of first optical resonators;
• generating a filtered RF output signal based upon the filtered optical signal using a photonic to RF converter coupled to the output of the optical waveguide;
• and
• outputting the filtered RF output signal from an RF output.

A method of filtering an optical input signal comprising:

• inputting the optical input signal to an optical filter device comprising
• an optical waveguide having an input configured to receive the optical input signal, and an output configured to output a filtered optical signal,
• a plurality of first optical resonators each having a first side optically coupled to the optical waveguide along a length thereof between the input and the output, with adjacent first optical resonators being directly coupled to one another, the first optical resonators also each having a second side opposite the first side, and
• at least one second optical resonator optically coupled to the second sides of the plurality of first optical resonators;
• and
• outputting the filtered optical signal from the output of the optical waveguide.