Single-cycle radio-frequency pulse generation by an optoelectronic oscillator

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Electrical Engineering
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Optoelectronic oscillators are crucial for generating radio-frequency (RF) signals.
• Achieving stable, single-cycle pulse generation in such oscillators presents significant challenges.
• Passive mode-locking offers a promising avenue for robust pulse generation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate passive mode-locking in an optoelectronic oscillator for single-cycle RF pulse generation.
• To characterize the stability and waveform of the generated pulses.
• To establish the feasibility of direct single-cycle pulse generation from a passive oscillator.

Main Methods:

• Experimental setup of a passive mode-locked optoelectronic oscillator.
• Measurement of pulse-to-pulse jitter using high-precision timing techniques.
• Analysis of the generated pulse waveform and carrier-envelope phase relationship.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated a single-cycle radio-frequency pulse train.
• Measured pulse-to-pulse jitter below 5 parts per million (ppm) of the round-trip duration.
• Observed autonomous locking of the relative phase between the pulse envelope and carrier wave, with waveform repetition each round-trip.

Conclusions:

• Passive mode-locking directly generates stable single-cycle RF pulses.
• The demonstrated optoelectronic oscillator is a viable platform for novel radar and RF pulsed sources.
• This work provides direct insight into the physics of single-cycle pulse generation.