Electrical FIR Filter With Optical Coefficients for Self-Referencing WDM Intensity Sensors

In this letter, a novel radio-frequency finite impulse reponse (FIR) electrooptical configuration for self-referencing optical wavelength-division-multiplexed intensity sensors is reported. By employing the proposed low-cost electronic FIR filter at the reception stage, the use of a 14-km fiber delay coil is avoided for a 2-kHz modulation frequency, preserving sensitivity and self-reference. The technique is analyzed following the Z-transform formalism and measurements validating the theoretical model are reported.