Dual-Frequency Distributed Feedback Laser With Optical Frequency Locked Loop for Stable Microwave Signal Generation

Author

Khan, Muhammad R H ; Bernhardi, E.H. ; Marpaung, David A I ; Burla, Maurizio ; De Ridder, Rene M. ; Wörhoff, Kerstin ; Pollnau, Markus ; Roeloffzen, Chris G H

Author_Institution

Telecommun. Eng. Group, Univ. of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands

Volume

24

Issue

16

fYear

2012

Firstpage

1431

Lastpage

1433

Abstract

We demonstrate the photonic generation of microwave signals by using a dual-frequency distributed feedback waveguide laser in ytterbium-doped aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃:Yb³⁺). An optical frequency locked loop (OFLL) was implemented to stabilize the center frequency of the microwave signal. This approach resulted in a microwave frequency at ~14 GHz with a phase noise of -75 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from the center frequency. The frequency stability of the photonic microwave signal has an Allan deviation of more than 1 × 10^-10 for an averaging time of 1000 s. The combination of the dual-frequency laser and the OFLL scheme holds great potential for the photonic generation and distribution of highly stable microwave or millimeter-wave signals.

Keywords

aluminium compounds; distributed feedback lasers; frequency locked loops; microwave photonics; waveguide lasers; ytterbium; Al₂O₃:Yb³⁺; Allan deviation; dual-frequency distributed feedback laser; dual-frequency distributed feedback waveguide laser; dual-frequency laser; frequency 1 MHz; frequency 14 GHz; microwave signals photonic generation; millimeter-wave signals photonic generation; optical frequency locked loop; stable microwave signal generation; time 1000 s; Laser noise; Laser stability; Masers; Microwave oscillators; Optical feedback; Optical waveguides; Waveguide lasers; Dual-frequency laser; frequency stability; microwave generation; optical frequency locked loop (OFLL);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2012.2205379

Filename

6221952