The article analyzes the total cost of ownership (TCO) of 5G fronthauling solutions based on analog and digital radio-over-fiber (RoF) architectures in cloud radio access networks (C-RANs). The capital and operational expenditures (CAPEX, OPEX) are assessed, for a 10-year period, considering three different RoF techniques: intermediate frequency an...
All-digital radio-over-fiber (RoF) transmission has attracted a significant amount of interest in digital-centric systems or centralized networks because it greatly simplifies the front-end hardware by using digital processing. The sigma-delta modulator (SDM)-based all-digital RoF approach pushes the digital signal processing as far as possible int...
Migrating toward higher frequencies and densification of the communication cells are two key enablers for increased wireless data rates. To make these trends economically viable, centralized architectures based on radio-over-fiber (RoF) are explored. This article describes the design of a photoreceiver that can be applied at the remote radio head i...
To achieve the massive device connectivity and high data rate demanded by 5G, wireless transmission with wider signal bandwidths and higher-order multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is inevitable. This work demonstrates a possible function split option for the next generation fronthaul interface (NGFI). The proof-of-concept downlink architecture ...
The fifth generation (5G) cellular network is expected to include the millimeter wave spectrum, to increase base station density, and to employ higher-order multiple-antenna technologies. The centralized radio access network architectures combined with radio-over-fiber (RoF) links can be the key enabler to improve fronthaul networks. The sigma-delt...
We recently demonstrated modulators based on plasmonic technology displaying a flat frequency response reaching 500 GHz, high linearity and power handling. We discuss their potential for extending microwave photonics (MWP) applications to the sub-THz range, demonstrating analog photonic links with bandwidth in excess of 100 GHz and the capability o...
This paper reviews linear cell radar systems, which are radar systems consisting of many antenna units connected by radio-over-fiber to monitor linear-shaped areas. A linear cell system using a millimeter-wave band can provide high-resolution imaging for foreign object detection on runways. Electro-optic devices play important roles in linear cell ...
We experimentally demonstrate a seamless hybrid transmission of radio-over-fiber (RoF), radio-over-free-space optics (RoFSO) and millimeter wave wireless link using long-term evolution (LTE) 4/16/64-QAM signals for broadband wireless access applications. The signals are transmitted and evaluated over the hybrid channel consisting of 5 km of standar...
We propose and experimentally demonstrate a photonics-assisted converged radio-over-fiber (RoF), radio-over-free-space optics (RoFSO) and millimeter-wave (MMW) wireless transmission system for use in broadband wireless access (BWA) networks. The focus is at the emerging frequency band of 25 GHz, as recommended for fifth-generation networks. As a pr...
In this letter, we present a silicon photonics radio-over-fiber transmitter with a microwave photonic up-conversion capability. The circuit consists of a pair of parallel GeSi intensity modulators (EAMs) in an MZI structure. We show that the up-converter/transmitter can up-convert 64-QAM data on a 1.5-GHz IF to any output carrier frequency in the 7...
