The International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics is the premier international meeting on microwave photonic devices, systems, and applications.

The broadband, low-loss transmission capability of optical fiber links has led to much interest in their use in the distribution and control of microwave and millimeter-wave signals.  Application areas include antenna remoting for wireless data and cellular radio systems, optically controlled phased array antennas, optical processing of microwave signals and broadband cable television distribution.  Photonics enables new microwave system functions such as long delays lines, fast spectrum analysis, frequency conversion, probing and control of microwave devices, low phase-noise oscillators, and ultra-fast analog-to-digital converters. Conversely, microwave techniques are enabling new generations of optical communication systems with capabilities exceeding 1 Tb/s/fiber.

Associated with the evolution of these systems is the development of high-speed optical sources, modulators and detectors with bandwidths extending into the millimeter-wave region.

The International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics provides a forum for the presentation of new advances in this multi-disciplinary research area, ranging from novel devices to systems field trials.  It is held annually and rotates between the Americas, the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.