Spectral Talbot phenomena in a microwave photonic filter

We report the first observation of the spectral Talbot effect in the microwave domain. We derive the general conditions for which fractional and integer self-imaging phenomena are obtained. We then provide experimental validation using frequency comb microwave photonic filters and obtain good agreement between measured and simulated results for both the fractional and integer spectral Talbot effects. These effects provide an additional degree of flexibility to control the spacing of the frequency comb microwave photonic filter.