Stabilization of millimeter-wave frequencies from passively mode-locked semiconductor lasers using an optoelectronic phase-locked loop

Author

Buckman, Lisa A. ; Georges, John B. ; Park, John ; Vassilovski, Dan ; Kahn, Joseph M. ; Lau, Kam Y.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng. & Comput. Sci., California Univ., Berkeley, CA, USA

Volume

5

Issue

10

fYear

1993

Firstpage

1137

Lastpage

1140

Abstract

The use of an optoelectronic phase-locked loop to stabilize the pulsation frequency of a three-section, passively mode-locked quantum well laser diode at 41 GHz is discussed. It is shown that the free-running mode-locked signal, with a radio frequency (RF) linewidth of 770 kHz, can be stabilized to the linewidth of a reference RF oscillator (<1 kHz). The stabilized mode-locked signal has a phase noise of -70 dBc/Hz at 370 kHz offset. Tracking of the mode-locked signal to the external reference RF oscillator is maintained over 11 MHz. This is, in effect, an actively mode-locked laser source at 41 GHz.<>

Keywords

laser mode locking; masers; phase-locked loops; semiconductor device noise; semiconductor lasers; spectral line breadth; 11 MHz; 41 GHz; 770 kHz; RF linewidth; RF oscillator; actively mode-locked laser source; free-running mode-locked signal; millimeter-wave frequencies; optoelectronic phase-locked loop; passively mode-locked; passively mode-locked semiconductor lasers; phase noise; pulsation frequency stabilisation; quantum well laser diode; radio frequency; reference oscillator; three-section; Electrons; Fiber lasers; Laser mode locking; Laser modes; Laser stability; Laser tuning; Optical pulse generation; Quantum well lasers; Radio frequency; Semiconductor lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.248406

Filename

248406