Title :
Optical generation, distribution, and control of microwaves using laser heterodyne
Author :
Simonis, George J. ; Purchase, Kenneth G.
Author_Institution :
LABCOM, Adelphi, MD, USA
fDate :
5/1/1990 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Demonstrated is the optical generation and transmission of a microwave signal by the mixing of two high-quality optical signals from diode-laser-pumped Nd:YAG ring lasers, resulting in a narrow microwave line width (less than 5 kHz line width at 3 dB and less than -115 dBc/Hz at 300 kHz from line center) and broad microwave tunability (DC to 52 GHz). A III-V semiconductor waveguide with a doping superlattice active region is used to optoelectronically provide 20 dB of amplitude control and up to 5 π of phase shift. This approach can be straightforwardly implemented using integrated optics and fiberoptic links for control of phased-array antenna elements
Keywords :
integrated optics; laser beam applications; microwave generation; microwave links; neodymium; optical fibres; optical links; ring lasers; solid lasers; III-V semiconductor waveguide; Nd:YAG ring lasers; YAG:Nd ring lasers; YAl5O12:Nd; amplitude control; doping superlattice active region; fiberoptic links; high-quality optical signals; integrated optics; laser heterodyne; microwave line width; microwave signal; microwave tunability; optical generation; phase shift; phased-array antenna elements; DC generators; Microwave generation; Optical control; Optical mixing; Optical superlattices; Optical waveguides; Ring lasers; Semiconductor diodes; Semiconductor lasers; Signal generators;
Journal_Title :
Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on
