Simultaneous generation of baseband and radio signals using only one single-electrode Mach-Zehnder modulator with enhanced linearity

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate a simultaneous generation of baseband (BB) and RF signals, using only one single-electrode Mach-Zehnder modulator (SD-MZM) based on double-sideband with optical carrier suppression (DSBCS) scheme. With optimal modulation index (MI = Vp-p/2V(pi)) equal to 0.43 for driving MZM, the receiver sensitivity of the RF signal can have 1-dB improvement. Based on this result, only one SD-MZM is needed to generate optical microwaves using DSBCS scheme, thus eliminating the requirement of a high-cost dual-electrode MZM without degrading the signal performance. Following 75-km standard single-mode fiber, the power penalties of both BB and RF signals are less than 0.3 dB.