Hybrid microwave photonic receiver based on integrated tunable bandpass filters

Inspired by the concept of system-in-a-package (SiP) in electronics, here we report a hybrid microwave photonic receiver prototype by integrating lithium niobate (LiNbO3) dual-parallel phase modulators with silicon nitride (Si3N4) integrated tunable microring filters. In particular, we experimentally characterize these employed key elements and evaluate the down-conversion performance of RF signals from 4-20 GHz to the intermediate frequency. With the advantages of the tunable microwave photonic signal filtering, uniform system performance within a broad operation bandwidth, and low SWaP, the demonstrated hybrid microwave photonic receiver module shows a potential setup to satisfy the requirements of wireless communication systems, phased-array radar systems, and electronic warfare.