Photonic frequency double-mixing conversion over the 120-GHz band using InP- and graphene-based transistors

InP-based high electron mobility transistors (InP-HEMTs) and graphene-channel FETs (G-FETs) are experimentally examined as photonic frequency converters for future broadband optical and wireless communication systems. Optoelectronic properties and three-terminal functionalities of the InP-HEMTs and G-FETs are exploited to perform single-chip photonic double-mixing operation over the 120 GHz wireless communication band. A 10 Gbit/s-class data signal on a 112.5 GHz carrier is mixed down to a 25 GHz IF band with an 87.5 GHz LO signal that is simultaneously self-generated from an optically injected photomixed beat note. The results suggest that the intrinsic channel of the G-FET can achieve a speed performance that is superior to that of an InP-HEMT having an equivalent device feature size. The reduction of the extrinsic parasitic resistances and the implementation of an efficient photo-absorption structure in the G-FET may allow a millimeter-wave and sub-THz photonic frequency conversion with a sufficiently high conversion gain for practical purposes.