Method and apparatus for microwave signal generation that uses photonic mixing

A method and apparatus for generating microwave signal frequencies. An incident reference signal is provided. A first stimulus signal is also provided, the first stimulus signal having a first polarization and having a first predetermined relationship with the incident reference signal. A second stimulus signal is also provided, the second stimulus signal having a second polarization and having a second predetermined relationship with the incident reference signal. The incident reference signal is split into a first polarization reference signal and into a second polarization reference signal. The first stimulus signal is coupled with the first polarization reference signal to provide first polarization mixed signals. The second stimulus signal is coupled with the second polarization reference signal to provide second polarization mixed signals. The first polarization mixed signals are combined with the second polarization mixed signals to provide output signals having only a first component signal at the first predetermined relationship with the incident reference signal and a second component signal at the second predetermined relationship with the incident reference signal. The first predetermined relationship with the incident reference signal is provided by a first phase lock loop and the second predetermined relationship with the incident reference signal is provided by a second phase lock loop.