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Amplifier-free slab-coupled optical waveguide optoelectronic oscillator systems.

William Loh1, Siva Yegnanarayanan, Jonathan Klamkin

  • 1Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lexington, Massachusetts 02420, USA. William.Loh@ll.mit.edu

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|October 6, 2012
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Summary

We developed a free-running 3-GHz slab-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) with exceptionally low phase noise and minimal sidemode spurs. This novel SCOW-OEO design avoids amplifiers to maintain high spectral purity for microwave signal generation.

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Area of Science:

  • Photonics and Optics
  • Microwave Engineering
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Optoelectronic oscillators (OEOs) are crucial for generating high-purity microwave signals.
  • Slab-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) technology offers potential for low-noise optoelectronic devices.
  • Minimizing phase noise and sidemode spurs is essential for advanced RF applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate a free-running 3-GHz SCOW optoelectronic oscillator (OEO).
  • To characterize the phase noise and sidemode spur performance of the SCOW-OEO.
  • To investigate the impact of amplification on OEO performance.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized high-power, low-noise SCOW components within a single-loop cavity.
  • Incorporated a 1.5-km optical delay line.
  • Characterized the noise properties of the SCOW external-cavity laser (SCOWECL) and SCOW photodiode (SCOWPD).
  • Compared performance with OEO topologies including optical or RF amplifiers.

Main Results:

  • Achieved low phase noise below -120 dBc/Hz at a 1-kHz offset.
  • Demonstrated ultra-low sidemode spurs, indistinguishable from noise (>88 dB down from carrier).
  • Identified that amplifiers within the OEO cavity degrade sidemode levels.

Conclusions:

  • The developed SCOW-OEO is suitable for generating high spectral purity microwave tones.
  • The absence of intra-cavity amplifiers is critical for achieving ultra-low sidemode spurs.
  • SCOW components exhibit favorable noise characteristics for high-performance OEOs.