Photonic‐assisted one‐third microwave frequency divider

A microwave photonic frequency divider to produce a frequency‐divided microwave signal with its frequency that is one‐third the frequency of the input microwave signal is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The key novelty of the approach is that the phase control, a condition to realise the frequency division operation, is implemented through controlling the modulator bias voltage, enabling a wideband, high resolution and fast response phase control. One‐third frequency division with an ultra‐high harmonic suppression of over 71.5 dB is demonstrated for the first time.