Photonic-assisted multi-format microwave signal generation based on thin-film lithium niobite

Thin-Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) is a promising platform for optical communications, microwave photonics, and quantum technologies. Compared with conventional bulk materials, the TFLN platform has received widespread attention for its ability to achieve compact and high-performance integrated photonic components. In this work, we proposed a photonic-assisted multi-format microwave signal generator based on a TFLN Mach-Zehnder Modulator (MZM). It is a system with the capacity to generate and switch between a variety of microwave waveforms that are needed for optical communication and radars. The proposed microwave photonic link features a simple architecture, including only a laser, an MZM, and a photodetector (PD). Different waveforms can be obtained by appropriately setting the driven signal and Direct Current (DC) bias of the MZM, such as Phase-Shift Keying (PSK) signal, Amplitude-Shift Keying (ASK) signal, and dual-chirp microwave signal. The proposed signal generator offers a broad operating frequency range since no optical or electrical filters are involved. In addition, no extra optical processing is required which guarantees the simplicity of the generator.