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Microwave photonics is the practical application of electromagnetic waves with a wavelength between one millimetre and one meter. Microwaves are important for communications, and systems for detecting microwaves are crucial for astronomy. The term also includes high-frequency electronic systems.
The authors propose a nonlinear spoof plasmonic waveguide to realize coherent perfect absorption and parametric amplification at the same frequency, which opens a new route to actively modulate the electromagnetic waves with giant amplification-to-absorption contrast.
A miniaturized optical frequency division system that could transfer the generation of microwaves, with superior spectral purity, to a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-compatible integrated photonic platform is demonstrated showing potential for large-volume, low-cost manufacturing for many applications.
The authors report implementing and demonstrating a first general-purpose integrated photonic programmable processor capable of performing all the functionalities required in RF photonic systems, such as those needed in 5/6 G communications networks.
The centrally located reciprocal point can achieve single-mode transmission and switch off the photonic molecule. The deviated reciprocal point can switch on the photonic molecule and dynamically control the splitting.
An inexpensive and compact short-range radar, which is capable of beam steering and operates at 330–500 GHz, can be used to detect heartbeat-induced chest motions through a person’s clothes.
Modulation of light by external waves is an essential function in any photonics-based system. Using an integrated plasmonic approach, the speed of modulation of 1.55-μm waves has now been extended to the ‘low’ THz band.
