Linearized analog photonic links based on a dual-parallel polarization modulator

A linearized analog photonic link (APL) is proposed based on an integratable electro-optic dual-parallel polarization modulator (DPPolM), which consists of two polarization beam splitters and two polarization modulators (PolMs). Theoretical analysis shows that the APL is potentially free from the third-order nonlinear distortion if a polarization controller placed before the DPPolM is carefully adjusted. A proof-of-concept experiment is carried out. A reduction of the third-order intermodulation components as high as 40 dB and an improvement of the spurious-free dynamic range as large as 15.5 dB is achieved as compared with a single PolM-based link. The DPPolM-based APL is simple, compact, and power efficient since it requires only one laser, one modulator, and one photodetector.