Subgigahertz channel filtering by optical heterodyne detection using a single axial mode from an injection-locked passively mode-locked semiconductor laser

We report experimental results of fine (subgigahertz) channel filtering via optical heterodyne detection based on an optical injection locking technique. A passively mode-locked semiconductor laser injection locked to a master oscillator forms a comb of discrete frequency probes, and a single axial mode is used as a local oscillator (LO). The injection-locked LO carrier showed 42-dB phase noise suppression at 100-kHz offset. One of two analog radio frequency signals detuned by only 200 MHz showed a signal-to-noise ratio over 65 dB/Hz through demultiplexing with a commercially available microwave bandpass filter. The single sideband noise of the heterodyne beat tone at 13.160 GHz was measured to be -123 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset from the carrier under injection-locked state.

[1]  R L Byer,et al.  Polarization-based balanced heterodyne detection method in a Sagnac interferometer for precision phase measurement. , 1997, Optics letters.

[2]  P.J. Delfyett,et al.  Pulsed injection locking dynamics of passively mode-locked external-cavity semiconductor laser systems for all-optical clock recovery , 2000, Journal of Lightwave Technology.

[3]  Jhin-Fang Huang,et al.  Simulated annealing algorithm applied in optimum design of optical thin‐film filters , 2003 .

[4]  M. Saruwatari,et al.  A very wide-band frequency response measurement system using optical heterodyne detection , 1989 .

[5]  N. Ohkawa,et al.  A highly sensitive balanced receiver for 2.5 Gb/s heterodyne detection systems , 1991, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[6]  T. Kuri,et al.  Laser phase noise free optical heterodyne detection technique for 60-GHz-band radio-on-fiber systems , 2000, International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics MWP 2000 (Cat. No.00EX430).

[7]  C. Henry.  Phase noise in semiconductor lasers , 1986 .

[8]  A. Irace,et al.  Silicon-based optoelectronic filter based on an electronically active waveguide embedded Bragg grating , 2003 .

[9]  R. Wood.  Optical detection theory for laser applications , 2003 .

[10]  Ming C. Wu,et al.  Characterization of a coherent optical RF channelizer based on a diffraction grating , 2001 .

[11]  Kazuro Kikuchi,et al.  Optical heterodyne receiver for selecting densely frequency division multiplexed signals , 2002 .

[12]  Alan H. Gnauck,et al.  High-capacity coherent lightwave systems , 1988 .

[13]  M. Winter,et al.  Optimized filtering for 40-gb/s/ch-based DWDM transmission systems over standard single-mode fiber , 2003, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[14]  A. Mickelson,et al.  An optically driven phased array antenna utilizing heterodyne techniques , 1993 .

[15]  D. Novak,et al.  Locking characteristics of a passively mode-locked monolithic DBR laser stabilized by optical injection , 1996, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[16]  Peter J. Delfyett,et al.  Complete noise characterisation of external cavity semiconductor laser hybridly modelocked at 10 GHz , 2001 .

[17]  K. Nosu.  Advanced coherent lightwave technologies , 1988, IEEE Communications Magazine.

[18]  Ken-ichi KITAYAMA,et al.  4-2 Optical Heterodyne Detection for 60-GHz-Band Radio-on-Fiber Systems , 2002 .

[19]  Gregory R. Osche.  Optical Detection Theory for Laser Applications , 2002 .