{rfName}
Fi

Indexed in

License and Use

Icono OpenAccess

Analysis of institutional authors

Vidal, BorjaAuthor

Share

January 7, 2026
Publications
>
Article
Sí

Field-Programmable Microwave Photonic Filter for Interference-Suppressing RF Communications

Publicated to: IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES. - 2025-12-18 (), DOI: 10.1109/TMTT.2025.3638610

Authors:

Wang C; Liang Y; Li H; Ye K; Bai L; Lyu Z; Vidal B; Ozolins O; Pang X; Cui N; Zhang L; Yu X
[+]

Affiliations

Chongqing United Microelect Ctr, Chongqing 401332, Peoples R China - Author
Riga Tech Univ, Inst Photon Elect & Telecommun, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia - Author
Univ Politeicn Valencia, Nanophoton Technol Ctr, Valencia 46022, Spain - Author
Zhejiang Univ, Coll Informat Sci & Elect Engn, Hangzhou 310027, Peoples R China - Author
See more

Abstract

The escalating complexity of next-generation wireless systems demands advanced interference suppression beyond the low-frequency band. While integrated microwave photonic filters (IMPFs) offer a solution, existing application-specific (AS) photonic integrated circuits (PICs) lack programmability and require costly redesigns. Inspired by the hardware flexibility of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), this work demonstrates a field-programmable hexagonal mesh PIC that enables software-defined reconfiguration of microwave photonic filters (MPFs). By programming voltages across tunable basic units (TBUs), the IMPF achieves a dynamic tuning of notch frequency (132 GHz), with a rejection ratio (RR) of 27.28 dB, and a 3-dB bandwidth of 0.4 GHz. Experimental validation in 2-Gb/s quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) communications shows >40% error vector magnitude (EVM) improvement under strong interference, outperforming state-of-the-art ASICs. This platform bridges photonic integration with functional adaptability, providing a scalable foundation for future radio frequency (RF) systems.
[+]

Keywords

Integrated microwave photonic filter (impf)Integrated opticsMicrowave communicationMicrowave filtersMicrowave photonicsOptical device fabricationOptical filtersOptical refractionOptical variables controlPhotonic integrated circuit (pic)PhotonicsRadioRadio frequencyRadio frequency (rf) communicationsTechnologies

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2025, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Radiation. Notably, the journal is positioned above the 90th percentile.

[+]

Impact and social visibility

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
[+]

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: China; Latvia.

[+]

Project objectives

Los objetivos perseguidos en esta aportación se centran en avanzar en la supresión de interferencias en sistemas inalámbricos de próxima generación mediante filtros fotónicos microondas programables. Se pretende analizar la viabilidad de un circuito integrado fotónico de malla hexagonal programable en campo para la reconfiguración por software de filtros fotónicos microondas. Además, se busca evaluar el ajuste dinámico de la frecuencia de rechazo en 132 GHz, con una relación de rechazo de 27,28 dB y un ancho de banda de 0,4 GHz. Otro objetivo es validar experimentalmente la mejora en la calidad de comunicaciones QPSK a 2 Gb/s, logrando una mejora superior al 40 % en la magnitud del vector de error bajo interferencia intensa. Finalmente, se aspira a establecer una plataforma escalable que integre adaptabilidad funcional para futuros sistemas de radiofrecuencia.
[+]

Most relevant results

La aportación presenta un filtro fotónico microondas programable en campo basado en una matriz hexagonal reconfigurable que permite la definición por software de filtros microondas fotónicos. Los resultados más relevantes incluyen: (1) una sintonización dinámica de la frecuencia de muesca de 132 GHz; (2) una relación de rechazo (RR) de 27,28 dB; (3) un ancho de banda de 3 dB de 0,4 GHz; (4) una mejora superior al 40 % en la magnitud del vector de error (EVM) en comunicaciones QPSK de 2 Gb/s bajo interferencia intensa; y (5) un rendimiento superior a los circuitos integrados específicos de aplicación (ASIC) actuales. Estos hallazgos validan experimentalmente la flexibilidad y eficacia del filtro para sistemas RF avanzados.
[+]

Awards linked to the item

This work was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 62471433 and in part by the Latvian Council of Science (LZP) Fundamental and Applied Research Projects (FLPP) Project "Photonic Reservoirs for Intelligent Signal Impairments Mitigation in Coherent Optical Communication Systems (PRISM)" under Grant lzp-2025/1-0309.
[+]