Multidimensional Optimization of Radio-over-Fiber Links Based on Tunable Carrier-to-Sideband Ratio

Zhai, Weile; Ye, Jinyuan; Wang, Ruihao; Yang, Zhong’ao; Tan, Jiajun; Pang, Xiaoyan; Cui, Wanzhao; Gao, Yongsheng

doi:10.3390/photonics13060600

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Open AccessArticle

Multidimensional Optimization of Radio-over-Fiber Links Based on Tunable Carrier-to-Sideband Ratio

by

Weile Zhai

,

Jinyuan Ye

,

Ruihao Wang

,

Zhong’ao Yang

,

Jiajun Tan

,

Xiaoyan Pang

,

Wanzhao Cui

and

Yongsheng Gao

^*

School of Electronics and Information, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Photonics 2026, 13(6), 600; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13060600 (registering DOI)

Submission received: 13 May 2026 / Revised: 11 June 2026 / Accepted: 17 June 2026 / Published: 21 June 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Signal Processing for Advanced Communication Systems)

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Abstract

In radio-over-fiber (RoF) links, optical single-sideband (OSSB) modulation is an effective method to mitigate power fading caused by chromatic dispersion. However, its low modulation efficiency leads to suboptimal link performance. To address this, we propose a tunable optical carrier-to-sideband ratio (OCSR) OSSB modulation scheme based on a dual-electrode Mach–Zehnder modulator (DEMZM) in a Sagnac loop. Firstly, by adjusting the OCSR, higher radio-frequency (RF) transmission efficiency can be achieved. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed link provides a 6 dB improvement in received RF power compared to conventional SSB modulation schemes. Furthermore, this approach effectively optimizes nonlinear distortions in the link, achieving a 12.14 dB enhancement in spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR). For tests conducted with a broadband signal featuring a 15 GHz carrier frequency and 500 MHz bandwidth, the optimal error vector magnitude (EVM) reaches 4.88%. Additionally, the link performance can be flexibly improved by adjusting the polarization controller configurations for each channel, making it suitable for multi-user application scenarios.

Keywords: radio over fiber; optical single sideband (OSSB); tunable carrier-to-sideband ratio; link gain; linearization

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MDPI and ACS Style

Zhai, W.; Ye, J.; Wang, R.; Yang, Z.; Tan, J.; Pang, X.; Cui, W.; Gao, Y. Multidimensional Optimization of Radio-over-Fiber Links Based on Tunable Carrier-to-Sideband Ratio. Photonics 2026, 13, 600. https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13060600

AMA Style

Zhai W, Ye J, Wang R, Yang Z, Tan J, Pang X, Cui W, Gao Y. Multidimensional Optimization of Radio-over-Fiber Links Based on Tunable Carrier-to-Sideband Ratio. Photonics. 2026; 13(6):600. https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13060600

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhai, Weile, Jinyuan Ye, Ruihao Wang, Zhong’ao Yang, Jiajun Tan, Xiaoyan Pang, Wanzhao Cui, and Yongsheng Gao. 2026. "Multidimensional Optimization of Radio-over-Fiber Links Based on Tunable Carrier-to-Sideband Ratio" Photonics 13, no. 6: 600. https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13060600

APA Style

Zhai, W., Ye, J., Wang, R., Yang, Z., Tan, J., Pang, X., Cui, W., & Gao, Y. (2026). Multidimensional Optimization of Radio-over-Fiber Links Based on Tunable Carrier-to-Sideband Ratio. Photonics, 13(6), 600. https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13060600

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Multidimensional Optimization of Radio-over-Fiber Links Based on Tunable Carrier-to-Sideband Ratio

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