Tunable X-Band Optoelectronic Oscillators Based on External-Cavity Semiconductor Lasers

• Published in: IEEE journal of quantum electronics Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 1 - 6
• Main Authors: Chien-Yuan Chang, Wishon, Michael J., Daeyoung Choi, Junliang Dong, Merghem, Kamel, Ramdane, Abderrahim, Lelarge, Francois, Martinez, Anthony, Locquet, Alexandre, Citrin, D. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.06.2017; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE); Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Injection current; Masers; Microwave oscillators; microwave photonics; microwave source; Nonlinear optics; Nonlinear Sciences; Optical feedback; Optoelectronic oscillator; Optoelectronics; Oscillators; Photodiodes; Radio frequency; Semiconductor lasers; semiconductor lasers dynamics; Superhigh frequencies; Timing jitter; Radio frequency; Microwave oscillators; Semiconductor lasers; Optical feedback; Nonlinear optics; Masers
• ISSN: 0018-9197; 1558-1713
• DOI: 10.1109/JQE.2017.2682702

Laser diodes with optical feedback can exhibit periodic intensity oscillations at or near the relaxation-oscillation frequency. We demonstrate optoelectronic oscillators based on external-cavity semiconductor lasers in a periodic dynamical regime tunable over the entire X-band. Moreover, unlike standard optoelectronic oscillators, we need not employ the time-dependent optical intensity incident on a photodiode to generate the microwave signal, but rather have the option of generating the electrical microwave signal directly as a voltage V(t) at the laser-diode injection terminals under constant current operation; no photodiode need be involved, thus circumventing optical-toelectrical conversion. We achieve a timing jitter of 10 ps and a quality factor of ≳ 2 × 10 5 across the entire X-band, that ranges from 6.79 to 11.48 GHz. Tuning is achieved by varying the injection current J.