Broad-band microwave-optical fiber links transmitting over long distances with optical amplification

We describe long-distance analog microwave-fiber optic links with bandwidth s larger than six and a half octaves at an upper frequency in the 1.5-2 GHz range. The links exhibit highly linear performance with harmonic and inter modulation distortions determining the overall spurious free dynamic ranges . Two configurations are presented, each capable of overcoming limitations imposed by fiber nonlinearities and each employing a custom optical amplifi er which maintains a low-noise figure under saturated conditions. For fiber lengths of tens of kilometers, representing losses of 10-16 dB, the basic links have a noise figure of 38 dB and second and third order spurious free dynamic ranges of 103 dB/Hz(1/2) and 105 dB/Hz(2/3). respectively, over th eir entire bandwidth.