Optical Domain Down-Conversion of Microwave Signals for High Dynamic Range Microwave Fiber Optic Links

Optical downconversion of microwave signals offers the potential for reduced noise and higher dynamic range over electronic downconversion. A novel downconversion scheme is introduced which allows for remote reception of microwave signals and downconversion to intermediate frequencies or baseband in the optical domain. Experiments show low noise and intermodulation effects. Further extensions of the optical downconverter and potential gains are also discussed