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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/K39301/01
Title: OPTICAL FIBRE SUPPORTED 60GHZ MM WAVE SYSTEMS
Principal Investigator: O'Reilly, Professor Sir JJ
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Department: Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Organisation: UCL
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 July 1994 Ends: 31 December 1997 Value (£): 161,343
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Optical Communications
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
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Summary on Grant Application Form
This project is concerned with techniques for the remote optical generation and delivery via optical fibre of modulated mmwave signals in the important 60GHz region of the spectrum and with an assessment of the system implications and applications potential. Particular emphasis is based upon novel techniques which exploit the E-field modulation characteristics of the Mach-Zehnder modulator to reduce the drive frequency and linearity requirements.Progress:A previously reported technique established that by appropriately biasing a Mach-Zehnder modulator and considering the optical E-field modulation characteristics the drive frequency requirements could be halved, such that 30GHz signals were generated using a 15GHz source, with message modulation sidebands being applied to just one of the resultant optical carriers. This arrangement has the benefit of reducing the drive frequency but also reduces the linearity requirements for the microwave drive, the information bearing sidebands being applied separately. Modelling studies are investigating the impact of fibre dispersion and non-linearities upon the performance of mmwave fibre-radio systems with a view to effecting a comparative evaluation of the relative merits of the various alternative arrangements. This idea has now been extended within this project, with 60GHz signals being generated from a 15GHz drive. Two techniques have been investigated and validated. The first relies on the optical signal doubly traversing the modulator, with the electrode drive configuration being so arranged that the travelling wave nature of the modulation process is preserved. A second technique relies upon the quadratic E-field characteristic of the modulator when biased at zero. It has been shown that a suitable drive level enables in principle pure four-times frequency generation. The approach has been validated in the laboratory with optical generation of 60GHz signals from a 15GHz source being achieved. Investigations are proceeding on techniques for enhancing the optical efficiency of the method.
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