Noise and distortion analysis of dual frequency comb photonic RF channelizers

• DOI: 10.1364/oe.410340
• Publication Date: 2020-11-14T18:00:08Z
• Authors: Callum Deakin; Zhixin Liu
• Keywords: Comb generator

Dual frequency combs are emerging as highly effective channelizers for radio (RF) signal processing, showing versatile capabilities in various applications including Fourier mapping, analog-to-digital conversion and sub-sampling of sparse wideband signals. Although previous research has considered the impact comb power harmonic distortions individual systems, a rigorous comprehensive performance analysis is lacking, particularly regarding phase noise. This especially important considering that noise increases quadratically with line number. In this paper, we develop theoretical model dual channelizer evaluate to ratio limits design challenges when deploying such systems high bandwidth processing context. We show these based processors limited by relative between two optical combs, which our knowledge not been literature. Our simulations verify examine stochastic contributions distortion, followed broader discussion channelizers, demonstrate importance minimizing achieve signal-to-noise processing.