Microwave Photonics Based Millimeter-Wave Signal Generation Technique for 5G Systems

We report a novel millimeter-wave signal generation scheme with microwave photonics technology for advanced 5G optical links. This work combines two parallel Mach Zehnder Modulators with a series Mach Zehnder Modulator for better tunability and efficient bandwidth. The experiments confirm a 35 GHz mm-wave signal of highest power and a 60 GHz mm-wave of lowest power from a 15 GHz electrical drive input signal. The Optical Sideband Suppression ratio (OSSR) and the Radio Frequency Suppression ratio (RFSSR) over a 0.5 Km standard single-mode fiber link are 27 dBm and 66 dBm, respectively. The harmonic suppression is also studied with modulation depth ( m ) and filter attenuation (α) parameters. The system's performance is evaluated in terms of eye patterns, quality factor (Q), output power spectrum, and margin. In addition, the suggested photonic link plays a crucial role in developing 5G communication systems for generating high-frequency, ultra-fast speed, and low-noise mm-wave signals.