Microwave Photonics Based Millimeter-Wave Signal Generation Technique for 5G Systems

We report a novel millimeter-wave signal generation scheme with microwave photonics technology for advanced 5G optical links. This work combines two parallel Mach Zehnder Modulators with a series Mach Zehnder Modulator for better tunability and efficient bandwidth. The experiments confirm a 35 GHz mm-wave signal of highest power and a 60 GHz mm-wave of lowest power from a 15 GHz electrical drive input signal. The Optical Sideband Suppression ratio (OSSR) and the Radio Frequency Suppression ratio (RFSSR) over a 0.5 Km standard single-mode fiber link are 27 dBm and 66 dBm, respectively. The harmonic suppression is also studied with modulation depth (m) and filter attenuation (α) parameters. The system’s performance is evaluated in terms of eye patterns, quality factor (Q), output power spectrum, and margin. In addition, the suggested photonic link plays a crucial role in developing 5G communication systems for generating high-frequency, ultra-fast speed, and low-noise mm-wave signals.