Applications of Quantum Dash Mode-Locked Laser in Microwave Photonics

Microwave photonics (MWP) represents a significant optical signal processing system, standing at the confluence of microwave engineering and photonics. It presents a promising way for meeting the growing demands of contemporary communication systems, radar, sensing, and signal processing. Driving the rapid advancement of MWP are pivotal technologies such as optical frequency combs, photonic integrated circuits, and advanced modulation formats. The integration of photonic integrated circuit technology with hybrid integration techniques holds the promise of realizing MWP systems on a single chip, while comb shaping technology endows MWP systems with programmable and reconfigurable capabilities. In this paper, we present a review of our recent research, which focused on exploring the full spectrum of potential applications for quantum dash lasers in MWP systems. Leveraging principles of finite impulse response filters, our MWP system not only facilitates conventional filtering but also enables instantaneous frequency measurement and waveform generation. A distinguishing feature of MWP filters is their uniform delay. After converting it into a uniform phase difference, it underpins the development of MWP-based phase antenna array systems. Furthermore, this uniform delay finds application in time-interleaved photonic analog-to-digital conversion.