RoF/mmW-over-fiber systems is the simplified and cost-effective RAUs, a simpler and cheaper
demultiplexer is essential for the multiplexed RoF/mmW-over-fiber systems. In this way, the implementation
of a demultiplexer in photonic method tends to be a desirable solution for a subcarrier
multiplexed RoF/mmW-over-fiber system. Several methods have been reported [5], [6], in which
either robust fiber Bragg grating with very narrow bandwidth or a complicated system configuration is
needed.
In this paper, we report a novel and simple demultiplexing approach for the subcarrier multiplexed
RoF system using a multiple-optical-source-based microwave photonic filter. The microwave photonic
filter is embedded in the RoF system to perform as a demultiplexer, and the desired subcarrier
frequency can be chosen by carefully controlling the sampling time between different taps of the
filter. Subcarriers with different frequencies modulated with pseudo-random codes were demultiplexed
separately in the experiment, and the system performance by using a two-optical-sourcebased
microwave photonic filter performing as a demultiplexer was measured. In the proposed
demultiplexing approach, the multiple optical sources shared by all the RAUs are placed in the CS,
with only dispersive medium needed in each RAU, which is a cost-effective, easy to implement,
tunable, and has good potential applications in subcarrier multiplexed RoF/mmW-over-fiber systems.