Characterization of a Coherent Optical RF Channelizer Based on a Diffraction Grating

A coherent optical RF channelizer has been constructed and characterized. The optical channelizer is based on a free-space optical diffraction grating, and utilizes coherent optical heterodyne detection to translate all of the frequency channels to a common intermediate frequency (IF). The designed optical channelizer has a 1-GHz channel spacing, and a nominal 5-GHz IF, and can offer an instantaneous bandwidth greater than 100 GHz. The channelizing receiver has been characterized for its frequency response, crosstalk, and spur-free dynamic range, and the results are in a good agreement with the theoretical values.