Packaged semiconductor laser optical phase-locked loop (OPLL) for photonic generation, processing and transmission of microwave signals

Author

Langley, L.N. ; Elkin, M.D. ; Edge, C. ; Wale, M.J. ; Gliese, U. ; Huang, X. ; Seeds, A.J.

Author_Institution

Photonics Div., Marconi Mater. Technol., Towcester, UK

Volume

47

Issue

7

fYear

1999

fDate

7/1/1999 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1257

Lastpage

1264

Abstract

In this paper, we present the first fully packaged semiconductor laser optical phase-locked loop (OPLL) microwave photonic transmitter. The transmitter is based on semiconductor lasers that are directly phase locked without the use of any other phase noise-reduction mechanisms. In this transmitter, the lasers have a free-running summed linewidth of 6 MHz and the OPLL has a feedback bandwidth of 70 MHz. A state-of-the-art performance is obtained, with a total phase-error variance of 0.05 rad ² (1-GHz bandwidth) and a carrier phase-error variance of 7×10^-4 rad² in a 15-MHz bandwidth. Carriers are generated in the range of 7-14 GHz. The OPLL transmitter has been fully packaged for practical use in field trials. This is the first time this type of transmitter has been fabricated in a packaged state which is a significant advance on the route to practical application

Keywords

laser feedback; microwave photonics; optical fibre communication; optical phase locked loops; optical transmitters; semiconductor lasers; 15 MHz; 7 to 14 GHz; 70 MHz; carrier phase-error variance; feedback bandwidth; free-running summed linewidth; microwave photonic transmitter; microwave signals; optical phase-locked loop; packaged semiconductor laser; total phase-error variance; Bandwidth; Laser feedback; Laser noise; Masers; Optical feedback; Optical noise; Optical transmitters; Phase locked loops; Semiconductor device packaging; Semiconductor lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/22.775465

Filename

775465