Optical frequency chirp generation by swept sideband injection locking

We demonstrate a technique for generating high-speed coherent optical frequency sweeps. Swept cw phase modulated light is injected into a Fabry–Perot semiconductor laser. Through a judicious choice of the injection locking parameters the system is configured to perform frequency selective amplification of a swept single sideband. Sweep rates up to 100 MHz/ms, limited by the RF sweep source, over 1.2 GHz were observed with a peak-to-sidelobe ratio of 25 dB.