A system-on-chip microwave photonic processor solves dynamic RF interference in real time with picosecond latency

Radio-frequency interference (RFI) is a growing concern, especially with the interference between radar altimeters and 5G networks. Conventional digital signal processing (DSP) struggles with the high latency caused by mobile transceivers mixing signals with varying ratios. This paper introduces a photonic processor for dynamic interference mitigation using blind source separation (BSS). The system-on-chip processor uses a fully integrated photonic signal pathway for rapid demixing (under 15 picoseconds), exceeding electronic counterparts by three orders of magnitude. Electronic peripherals (FPGA) assess demixing and update weights (up to 305 Hz). The compact design, with precise dithering weight control, is suitable for mobile scenarios. Experiments demonstrate RFI suppression and maintained signal-to-noise ratios in radar altimeter and mobile communication scenarios, highlighting the real-time adaptability of integrated silicon photonics.

Weipeng Zhang, Joshua C. Lederman, Thomas Ferreira de Lima, Jiawei Zhang, Simon Bilodeau, Leila Hudson, Alexander Tait, Bhavin J. Shastri, Paul R. Prucnal