Abstract
Microwave photonic (MWP) transversal signal processors offer a
compelling solution for realizing versatile high-speed information
processing by combining the advantages of reconfigurable electrical
digital signal processing and high-bandwidth photonic processing. With
the capability of generating a number of discrete wavelengths from
micro-scale resonators, optical microcombs are powerful multi-wavelength
sources for implementing MWP transversal signal processors with
significantly reduced size, power consumption, and complexity. By using
microcomb-based MWP transversal signal processors, a diverse range of
signal processing functions have been demonstrated recently. In this
paper we provide a detailed analysis for the errors induced by
experimental imperfections processors. First, we investigate the errors
arising from different sources including imperfections in the
microcombs, the chirp of electro-optic modulators, chromatic dispersion
of the dispersive module, shaping errors of the optical spectral
shapers, and noise of the photodetector. Next, we provide a global
picture quantifying the impact of error sources on the overall system
performance. Finally, we introduce feedback control to compensate the
errors caused by experimental imperfections, achieving significantly
improved accuracy. These results provide a guide for optimizing the
accuracy of microcomb-based MWP transversal signal processors.