Abstract
This paper reviews recent progresses on optical arbitrary waveform generation (AWG) techniques, which could be used to break the speed and bandwidth bottlenecks of electronics technologies for waveform generation. The main enabling techniques for optically generating optical and microwave waveforms are introduced and reviewed in this paper, such as wavelength-to-time mapping techniques, space-to-time mapping techniques, temporal pulse shaping (TPS) system, optoelectronics oscillator (OEO), programmable optical filters, optical differentiator and integrator and versatile electro-optic modulation implementations. The main advantages and challenges of these optical AWG techniques are also discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Win M, Scholtz R. Ultra-wide bandwidth time-hopping spreadspectrum impulse radio for wireless multiple-access communications. IEEE Transactions on Communications, 2000, 48(4): 679–689
Daniels R, Heath R Jr. 60 GHz wireless communications: emerging requirements and design recommendations. IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine, 2007, 2(3): 41–50
Lee J, Nguyen C, Scullion T. A novel, compact, low-cost, impulse ground-penetrating radar for nondestructive evaluation of pavements. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 2004, 53(6): 1502–1509
Weiner A. Femtosecond pulse shaping using spatial light modulators. Review of Scientific Instruments, 2000, 71(5): 1929–1960
Chou J, Han Y, Jalali B. Adaptive RF-photonic arbitrary waveform generator. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2003, 15(4): 581–583
Lin I, McKinney J, Weiner A. Photonic synthesis of broadband microwave arbitrary waveforms applicable to ultra-wideband communication. IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, 2005, 15(4): 226–228
Farhang M, Salehi J A. Spread-time/time-hopping UWB CDMA communication. In: Proceedings of IEEE International Symposium on Communications and Information Technology (ISCIT). 2004, 2: 1047–1050
Hamidi E, Weiner A. Phase-only matched filtering of ultrawideband arbitrary microwave waveforms via optical pulse shaping. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2008, 26(15): 2355–2363
McKinney J, Lin I, Weiner A. Shaping the power spectrum of ultrawideband radio-frequency signals. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 2006, 54(12): 4247–4255
Liu Y, Park S, Weiner A. Terahertz waveform synthesis via optical pulse shaping. IEEE Journal on Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, 1996, 2(3): 709–719
Miyamoto D, Mandai K, Kurokawa T, Takeda S, Shioda T, Tsuda H. Waveform-controllable optical pulse generation using an optical pulse synthesizer. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2006, 18(5): 721–723
Takiguchi K, Okamoto K, Takahashi H, Shibata T. Flexible pulse waveform generation using silica-waveguide-based spectrum synthesis circuit. Electronics Letters, 2004, 40(9): 537–538
Pan S, Yao J. IR-UWB over fiber systems compatible with WDMPON networks. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2011, 29(20): 3025–3034
Lin J, Lu C L, Chuang H P, Kuo FM, Shi JW, Huang C B, Pan C L. Photonic generation and detection of W-band chirped millimeterwave pulses for radar. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2012, 24(16): 1437–1439
Shabani M, Akbari M. Simultaneous microwave chirped pulse generation and antenna beam steering. Progress in Electromagnetics Research, 2012, 22: 137–148
Shi J W, Kuo F, Chen N, Set S, Huang C, Bowers J. Photonic generation and wireless transmission of linearly/nonlinearly continuously tunable chirped millimeter-wave waveforms with high time-bandwidth product at W-band. IEEE Photonics Journal, 2012, 4(1): 215–223
Deng Y, Li M, Huang N, Zhu N. Ka-band tunable flat-top microwave photonic filter using a multi-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating. Photonics Journal, 2014, (in press)
Zou X, Li M, Pan W, Luo B, Yan L, Shao L. Optical length change measurement via RF frequency shift analysis of incoherent light source based optoelectronic oscillator. Optics Express, 2014, 22(9): 11129–11139
Deng Y, Li M, Huang N, Wang H, Zhu N. Optical length change measurement based on an incoherent single bandpass microwave photonic filter with high resolution. Photonics Research, 2014, 2(4): B35
Deng Y, Li M, Huang N, Azana J, Zhu N. Serial time-encoded amplified microscopy for ultrafast imaging based on multiwavelength laser. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2014, 59(22): 2693–2701
Guo J J, Li M, Deng Y, Huang N, Liu J, Zhu N. Multichannel optical filters with an ultranarrow bandwidth based on sampled Brillouin dynamic gratings. Optics Express, 2014, 22(4): 4290–4300
Zou X, Li M, Ge W, Pan W, Luo B, Yan L, Azaña J. Synthesis of fiber Bragg gratings with arbitrary stationary power/field distribution. IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, 2014, 50(3): 186–197
Wang H, Zheng J Y, Li W, Wang L X, Li M, Xie L, Zhu N H. Widely tunable single-bandpass microwave photonic filter based on polarization processing of a nonsliced broadband optical source. Optics Letters, 2013, 38(22): 4857–4860
Zheng J, Zhu N, Wang L, Li M, Wang H, Li W, Qi X, Liu J. Spectral sculpting of chaotic-UWB signals using a dual-loops optoelectronic oscillator. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2013, 25(24): 2397–2400
Zou X, Li M, Pan W, Yan L, Azaña J, Yao J. All-fiber optical filter with an ultranarrow and rectangular spectral response. Optics Letters, 2013, 38(16): 3096–3098
Li B, Li M, Lou S, Azaña J. Linear optical pulse compression based on temporal zone plates. Optics Express, 2013, 21(14): 16814–16830
Malacarne A, Ashrafi R, Li M, LaRochelle S, Yao J, Azaña J. Single-shot photonic time-intensity integration based on a timespectrum convolution system. Optics Letters, 2012, 37(8): 1355–1357
Li W, Li M, Yao J. A narrow-passband and frequency-tunable micro-wave photonic filter based on phase-modulation to intensitymodulation conversion using a phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 2012, 60(5): 1287–1296
Liu W, Li M, Wang C, Yao J. Real-time interrogation of a linearly chirped fiber Bragg grating sensor based on chirped pulse compression with improved resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2011, 29(9): 1239–1247
Shahoei H, Li M, Yao J. Continuously tunable time delay using an optically pumped linearly chirped fiber Bragg grating. IEEE/OSA. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2011, 29(10): 1465–1472
Li Z, Wang C, Li M, Chi H, Zhang X, Yao J. Instantaneous microwave frequency measurement using a special fiber Bragg grating. IEEE Microwave Theory and Wireless Component Letters, 2011, 21(1): 52–54
Capmany J, Mora J, Gasulla I, Sancho J, Lloret J, Sales S. Microwave photonic signal processing. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2013, 31(4): 571–586
Minasian R. Photonic signal processing of microwave signals. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 2006, 54(2): 832–846
Yao J, Zeng F, Wang Q. Photonic generation of ultrawideband signals. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2007, 25(11): 3219–3235
Yao J. Photonic generation of microwave arbitrary waveforms. Optics Communications, 2011, 284(15): 3723–3736
Wang C, Yao J. Fiber Bragg gratings for microwave photonics subsystems. Optics Express, 2013, 21(19): 22868–22884
Torres-Company V, Metcalf A J, Leaird D E, Weiner A M. Multichannel radio-frequency arbitrary waveform generation based on multiwavelength comb switching and 2-D line-by-line pulse shaping. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2012, 24(11): 891–893
Shahoei H, Yao J. Continuously tunable chirped microwave waveform generation using a tilted fiber Bragg grating written in an erbium/ytterbium codoped fiber. IEEE Photonics Journal, 2012, 4(3): 765–771
Jiang H, Yan L, Ye J, Pan W, Luo B, Zou X. Photonic generation of microwave signals with tunabilities. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2014, 59(22): 2672–2683
Burla M, Cortés L R, Li M, Wang X, Chrostowski L, Azaña J. Integrated waveguide Bragg gratings for microwave photonics signal processing. Optics Express, 2013, 21(21): 25120–25147
Wang C, Yao J. Photonic generation of chirped millimeter-wave pulses based on nonlinear frequency-to-time mapping in a nonlinearly chirped fiber Bragg grating. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 2008, 56(2): 542–553
Wang C, Yao J. Phase-coded millimeter-wave waveform generation using a spatially discrete chirped fiber Bragg grating. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2012, 24(17): 1493–1495
Zhang F, Ge X, Pan S, Yao J. Photonic generation of pulsed microwave signals with tunable frequency and phase based on spectral-shaping and frequency-to-time mapping. Optics Letters, 2013, 38(20): 4256–4259
Zhang F, Ge X, Pan S. Background-free pulsed microwave signal generation based on spectral shaping and frequency-to-time mapping. Photonics Research, 2014, 2(4): B5–B10
Rashidinejad A, Weiner A.Photonic radio-frequency arbitrary waveform generation with maximal time-bandwidth product capability. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2014, PP(99): 1
Yao J, Zhang J, Asghari MH. Time-bandwidth product expansion of microwave waveforms using anamorphic stretch transform. In: Proceedings of CLEO: QELS_Fundamental Science. 2014, JTh2A.38
Wang C, Zeng F, Yao J. All-fiber ultrawideband pulse generation based on spectral shaping and dispersion-induced frequency-to-time conversion. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2007, 19(3): 137–139
Chi H, Zeng F, Yao J. Photonic generation of microwave signals based on pulse shaping. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2007, 19(9): 668–670
Wang C, Yao J. Photonic generation of chirped microwave pulses using superimposed chirped fiber Bragg gratings. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2008, 20(11): 882–884
Chi H, Yao J. All-fiber chirped microwave pulse generation based on spectral shaping and wavelength-to-time conversion. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 2007, 55(9): 1958–1963
Li M, Shao L, Albert J, Yao J. Tilted fiber Bragg grating for chirped microwave waveform generation. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2011, 23(5): 314–316
Leaird D E, Weiner A M. Femtosecond direct space-to-time pulse shaping in an integrated-optic configuration. Optics Letters, 2004, 29(13): 1551–1553
McKinney J D, Leaird D E, Weiner A M. Millimeter-wave arbitrary waveform generation with a direct space-to-time pulse shaper. Optics Letters, 2002, 27(15): 1345–1347
Ashrafi R, Li M, Azana J. Multi-TBaud optical coding based on superluminal space-to-time mapping in long period gratings. Scientific Research, 2013, 3(2): 126–130
Ashrafi R, Li M, Belhadj N, Dastmalchi M, LaRochelle S, Azaña J. Experimental demonstration of superluminal space-to-time mapping in long period gratings. Optics Letters, 2013, 38(9): 1419–1421
Ashrafi R, Li M, Azaña J. Tsymbol/s optical coding based on long period gratings. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2013, 25(10): 910–913
Ashrafi R, Li M, Azaña J. Coupling-strength-independent longperiod grating designs for THz-bandwidth optical differentiators. IEEE Photonics Journal, 2013, 5(2): 7100311
Ashrafi R, Li M, LaRochelle S, Azaña J. Superluminal space-totime mapping in grating-assisted co-directional couplers. Optics Express, 2013, 21(5): 6249–6256
Chi H, Yao J. Symmetrical waveform generation based on temporal pulse shaping using an amplitude-only modulator. Electronics Letters, 2007, 43(7): 415–417
Li M, Yao J. Photonic generation of continuously tunable chirped microwave waveforms based on a temporal interferometer incorporating an optically-pumped linearly-chirped fiber Bragg grating. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 2011, 59(12): 3531–3537
Li M, Yao J. All-optical short-time Fourier transform based on a temporal pulse shaping system incorporating an array of cascaded linearly chirped fiber Bragg gratings. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2011, 23(20): 1439–1441
Han Y, Li Z, Pan S, Li M, Yao J. Photonic-assisted tunable microwave pulse fractional Hilbert transformer based on a temporal pulse shaping system. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2011, 23(9): 570–572
Li M, Han Y, Pan S, Yao J. Experimental demonstration of symmetrical waveform generation based on amplitude-only modulation in a temporal pulse shaping system. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2011, 23(11): 715–717
Li M, Wang C, Li W, Yao J. An unbalanced temporal pulse shaping system for chirped microwave waveform generation. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 2010, 58(11): 2968–2975
Wang C, Li M, Yao J. Continuously tunable photonic microwave frequency multiplication by use of an unbalanced temporal pulse shaping system. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2010, 22(17): 1285–1287
Li W, Yao J. Generation of linearly chirped microwave waveform with an increased time-bandwidth product based on a tunable optoelectronic oscillator and a recirculating phase modulation loop. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2014: 1
Huang N, Li M, Deng Y, Zhu N. Optical pulse generation based on an optoelectronic oscillator with cascaded nonlinear semiconductor optical amplifiers. Photonics Journal, 2014, 6(1): 5500208-1–5500208-8
Li M, Li W, Yao J. A tunable optoelectronic oscillator based on a high-Q spectrum-sliced photonic microwave transversal filter. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2012, 24(14): 1251–1253
Scott R P, Fontaine N K, Heritage J P, Yoo S J. Dynamic optical arbitrary waveform generation and measurement. Optics Express, 2010, 18(18): 18655–18670
Hu Y, Li M, Bongiovanni D, Clerici M, Yao J, Chen Z, Azaña J, Morandotti R. Spectrum to distance mapping via nonlinear Airy pulses. Optics Letters, 2013, 38(3): 380–382
Li M, Jeong H S, Azaña J, Ahn T J. 25-terahertz-bandwidth alloptical temporal differentiator. Optics Express, 2012, 20(27): 28273–28280
Liu W, Li M, Guzzon R, Norberg E, Parker J, Coldren L, Yao J. Photonic temporal integrator with an ultra-long integration time window based on an InP-InGaAsP integrated ring resonator. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2014: 1
Huang N, Li M, Ashrafi R, Wang L, Wang X, Azaña J, Zhu N. Active Fabry-Perot cavity for photonic temporal integrator with ultra-long operation time window. Optics Express, 2014, 22(3): 3105–3116
Fernandez M, Li M, Dastmalchi M, Carballar A, LaRochelle S, Azaña J. Picosecond optical signal processing based on transmissive fiber Bragg gratings. Optics Letters, 2013, 38(8): 1–3
Li M, Dumais P, Ashrafi R, Bazargani H, Quéléne J, Callender C, Azaña J. Ultrashort flat-top pulse generation using on-chip CMOScompatible Mach-Zehnder interferometers. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2012, 24(16): 1387–1389
Li M, Yao J. Ultrafast all-optical wavelet transform based on temporal pulse shaping incorporating a two-dimensional array of cascaded linearly chirped fiber Bragg gratings. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2012, 24(15): 1319–1321
Li M, Yao J. Multichannel arbitrary-order photonic temporal differentiator for wavelength-division-multiplexed signal processing using a single fiber Bragg grating. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2011, 29(17): 2506–2511
Li M, Shao L, Albert J, Yao J. Continuously tunable photonic fractional temporal differentiator based on a tilted fiber Bragg grating. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2011, 23(4): 251–253
Li M, Yao J. Experimental demonstration of a wideband photonic temporal Hilbert transformer based on a single fiber Bragg grating. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2010, 22(21): 1559–1561
Li M, Yao J. All-fiber temporal photonic fractional Hilbert transformer based on a directly designed fiber Bragg grating. Optics Letters, 2010, 35(2): 223–225
Li M, Janner D, Yao J, Pruneri V. Arbitrary-order all-fiber temporal differentiator based on a fiber Bragg grating: design and experimental demonstration. Optics Express, 2009, 17(22): 19798–19807
Liu W, Yao J. Photonic generation of arbitrary microwave waveforms based on a polarization modulator in a Sagnac loop. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2014,(accepted)
Xiang P, Zheng X, Zhang H, Li Y, Chen Y. A novel approach to photonic generation of RF binary digital modulation signals. Optics Express, 2013, 21(1): 631–639
Liu X, Pan W, Zou X, Zheng D, Yan L, Luo B, Lu B. Photonic generation of triangular-shaped microwave pulses using SBS-based optical carrier processing. Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2014, PP(99): 1
Xiang P, Zheng X, Zhang H, Li Y, Wang R. Photonic generation of BFSK RF signals based on optical pulse shaping. Optoelectronics Letters, 2012, 8(5): 368–371
Chi H, Yao J. An approach to photonic generation of high-frequency phase-coded RF pulses. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2007, 19(10): 768–770
Chi H, Yao J. Photonic generation of phase-coded millimeter-wave signal using a polarization modulator. IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, 2008, 18(5): 371–373
Li W, Wang L X, Zheng J Y, Li M, Zhu N H. Photonic generation of ultrawideband signals with large carrier frequency tunability based on an optical carrier phase-shifting method. IEEE Photonics Journal, 2013, 5(5): 5502007
Li W, Wang L X, Li M, Zhu N H. Photonic generation of widely tunable and background-free binary phase-coded radio-frequency pulses. Optics Letters, 2013, 38(17): 3441–3444
Li W, Wang L X, Li M, Zhu N H. Single phase modulator for binary phase-coded microwave signals generation with large carrier frequency tunability. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2013, 25(19): 1867–1870
Li W, Wang L X, Zheng J Y, Li M, Zhu N H. PhotonicMMW-UWB signal generation via DPMZM-based frequency up-conversion. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2013, 25(19): 1875–1878
Li W, Wang L X, Li M, Wang H, Zhu N H. Photonic generation of binary phase-coded microwave signals with large frequency tunability using a dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator. IEEE Photonics Journal, 2013, 5(4): 5501507
Fernández-Ruiz M R, Li M, Azaña J. Time-domain holograms for generation and processing of temporal complex information by intensity-only modulation processes. Optics Express, 2013, 21(8): 10314–10323
Li M, Li Z, Yao J P. Photonic generation of a precisely pi phase shifted binary phase-coded microwave signal. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2012, 24(22): 2001–2004
Li Z, Li M, Chi H, Zhang X, Yao J. Photonic generation of phasecoded millimeter-wave signal with large frequency tunability using a polarization-maintaining fiber Bragg grating. IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, 2011, 21(12): 694–696
Khan M H, Shen H, Xuan Y, Zhao L, Xiao S, Leaird D E, Weiner A M, Qi M. Ultrabroad-bandwidth arbitrary radiofrequency waveform generation with a silicon photonic chip-based spectral shaper. Nature Photonics, 2010, 4(2): 117–122
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Ming Li received the B.S. and M.E. degrees from the School of Physical Science and Technology of the Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China, in 2002 and 2005, respectively. He was awarded the Monbukagakusho scholarship from the Government of Japan in 2005 and involved in the research of the design of multichannel fiber Bragg grating and its applications to chromatic dispersion compensation and multiwavelength fiber laser in the Shizuoka University. He received the Ph.D. degree in the graduate school of science and technology from Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu, Japan, in the March of 2009.
In April of 2009, He joined the Microwave Photonics Research Laboratory under the supervision of Prof. Jianping Yao, School of information Technology and Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. In June of 2011, He joined in the Ultrafast Optical Processing Group under the supervision of Prof. José Azaña, INRS-EMT, Montreal, Canada, as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. In February of 2013, he successfully got a high-level government-funded program (“Thousand Young Talents” program) in China. And then, he joined in the Institute of Semiconductor, Chinese Academy of Sciences as a Full Professor.
His research interests include fiber Bragg grating, optical MEMS sensing, ultrafast optical signal processing and arbitrary microwave waveform generation. He has published more than 75 articles in refereed journals, 55 papers in conference proceedings and 10 patents related to the above areas.
José Azaña received the Telecommunication Engineer degree (six years engineering program) and Ph.D. degree from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Spain, in 1997 and 2001, respectively. He completed part of his Ph.D. research at the University of Toronto (Canada) and University of California, Davis (USA).
From September 2001 to mid 2003, he worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at McGill University (Montreal, Canada). In 2003, he was appointed as an Assistant Professor at Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) in Montreal. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2006. His research interests focus on fiber and integrated technologies for ultrafast optical signal processing and optical pulse shaping, for various applications, including optical telecommunications, ultrafast metrology, biomedical imaging and microwave waveform generation and manipulation. His research work has resulted in more than 150 publications in top scientific and engineering journals and leading conferences, including more than 80 publications in highimpact ISI journals and various (co-)invited presentations.
Prof. Azaña is a member of IEEE and the Optical Society of America (OSA). He has served as a Guest Editor of the only two monographs entirely devoted to the emerging area of Optical Signal Processing, published by EURASIP Journal of Applied Signal Processing (2005) and IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technology (2006). Prof. Azaña was awarded with the XXII national prize for the “best doctoral thesis in data networks” from the Association of Telecommunication Engineers of Spain (2002) and with the “extraordinary prize for the best doctoral thesis” from his former university, UPM (2003). He is also the recipient of two Strategic Projects grants (2004 and 2007 competitions) by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Ninghua Zhu received the B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electronic engineering from University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, in 1982, 1986, and 1990, respectively.
From 1990 to 1994, he worked with the Electronics Department of Zhongshan University, China, first as a Post-doctoral Fellow, and became an Associate Professor in 1992, and a Full Professor in 1994. From 1994 to 1995, he was a Research Fellow in the Department of Electronic Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, China. From 1996 to 1998, he was with the Siemens Corporate Technology, Munich, Germany, as a Guest Scientist (Humboldt Research Fellow), where he worked on the microwave design and testing of external waveguide modulators and laser modules. He is currently a Professor with the Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. In 1998, he was involved in the Hundred-Talent Program, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He was selected by the National Natural Science Foundation of China as a Distinguished Young Scientist in 1998.
His research interests are in modeling and characterization of integrated optical waveguides and coplanar transmission lines, optimal design and testing of optoelectronics devices, microwave photonics, photonic integration circuits and optical fiber communications. His research work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the National High Technology Development Program (863), and the Major State Basic Research Program. He is the principal investigator of a) NSFC Science Fund for Creative Research Group “Semiconductor Integrated Optoelectronic Devices” (6M RMB); b) NSFC Key project “Basic research on high-speed semiconductor integrated optoelectronic devices” (10M RMB); c) 863 project “Photonic Integration Technology and Its System Applications” (80M RMB).
Jianping Yao (M’99-SM’01-F’12) is a Professor and University Research Chair in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the Université de Toulon, Toulon, France, in December 1997. He joined the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, as an Assistant Professor in 1999. In December 2001, he joined the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Ottawa, as an Assistant Professor, where he became an Associate Professor in 2003, and a Full Professor in 2006. He was appointed University Research Chair in Microwave Photonics in 2007. From July 2007 to June 2010, he was the Director of the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Electrical and Computer Engineering. He was re-appointed Director of the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2013.
Prof. Yao has authored or co-authored more than 450 research papers (H-index: 45), including more than 260 papers in peerreviewed journals and 190 papers in conference proceedings. Prof. Yao is a Topical Editor for Optics Letters, and serves on the Editorial Board of the IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. He was as a guest co-editor for the Focus Issue on Microwave Photonics in Optics Express in 2013 and a Feature Issue on Microwave Photonics in Photonics Research in 2014. Prof. Yao is a Chair of numerous international conferences, symposia, and workshops, including the Vice Technical Program Committee (TPC) Chair of the IEEE Microwave Photonics Conference in 2007, TPC Co-Chair of the Asia-Pacific Microwave Photonics Conference in 2009 and 2010.
Prof. Yao is a registered Professional Engineer of Ontario. He is a Fellow of the IEEE, the Optical Society of America (OSA), and the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Li, M., Azaña, J., Zhu, N. et al. Recent progresses on optical arbitrary waveform generation. Front. Optoelectron. 7, 359–375 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-014-0470-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-014-0470-y