The advances in optical technologies provided by the optical fiber industry are opening new avenues for improvement in microwave applications, among which the microwave signal filtering is found. In this thesis work we aim at reviewing new microwave filtering methods wich rely on optical technologies from both a theoretical as well as experimental viewpoint.

A simple technique for microwave photonic filtering is presented, which allows independent tunability of each ends of the RF passband by tuning of the wavelengths of the lasers which are phase modulated with the RF signal and optically filtered. The results proved its potential and the conducted research has revealed the key role played by the optical filter spectral transfer characteristics.