Theoretical investigation of optical fiber-length-dependent phase noise in opto-electronic oscillators

Optical fiber-length-dependent flicker phase noise has been identified as a major limit to the reduction of phase noise in opto-electronic oscillators (OEOs). We outline a systematic approach to model the optical path of the OEO, and investigate the sources of length-dependent phase noise in the optical path and how they are effected by the dispersion and Kerr nonlinearity of the optical fiber.