Tunable RF filter device using optical waveguides with dispersion slopes of opposite signs and related methods
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorsRichard Desalvo, Charles Franklin Middleton, IV
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Abstract
A tunable Radio Frequency (RF) filter device includes a tunable optical source configured to generate an optical carrier signal, and a modulator coupled to the tunable optical source and configured to modulate the optical carrier signal with an RF input signal. The tunable RF filter device may also include first and second optical waveguides coupled to the modulator and having first and second dispersion slopes of opposite sign, and an optical-to-electrical converter coupled to the first and second optical waveguides and configured to generate an RF output signal with a frequency notch therein based upon the tunable optical source.
Claims19
A method of Radio Frequency (RF) filtering comprising:
- generating an optical carrier signal using a tunable optical source;
- modulating the optical carrier signal with an RF input signal using a modulator coupled to the tunable optical source and first and second optical waveguides coupled to the modulator and having first and second dispersion slopes of opposite sign;
- and
- generating an RF output signal with at least one frequency notch therein based upon the tunable optical source using an optical-to-electrical converter coupled to the first and second optical waveguides and based upon the first and second dispersion slopes being of opposite sign.
A method of Radio Frequency (RF) filtering comprising:
- modulating an optical carrier signal with an RF input signal;
- passing the modulated optical carrier signal through first and second optical waveguides having first and second dispersion slopes of opposite sign;
- and
- converting optical signals from the first and second optical waveguides to an RF output signal with at least one frequency notch therein based upon the first and second dispersion slopes being of opposite sign.
A method of Radio Frequency (RF) processing comprising:
- generating an optical carrier signal;
- modulating the optical carrier signal with an RF input signal;
- passing the modulated optical carrier signal through first and second optical waveguides having first and second dispersion slopes of opposite sign;
- converting optical signals from the first and second optical waveguides to an RF output signal with at least one frequency notch therein based upon the first and second dispersion slopes being of opposite sign;
- and
- tuning a frequency of the optical carrier signal over a desired frequency range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.