Title :
Microwave signal generation by mixing of modulated optical carriers in saturated semiconductor optical amplifiers
Author :
Bordonalli, Aldário Chrestani ; Neto, Adriano Domingos ; Lima, C.R. ; Conforti, Evandro
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Microwave & Opt., State Univ. of Campinas, Brazil
Abstract :
The gain-crossed property of semiconductor optical amplifiers for generation of microwave carriers after photodetection is experimentally investigated. It was observed that cascaded saturated amplifiers were able to offer up to 10 dB gain to two 8-nm-apart modulated optical carriers. However, due to the saturation, the amplifier gain mechanism was also altered, leading to a mixing effect that causes the frequency components of the optical signals to be exchanged at the cascaded amplifier output. For optical carriers modulated at 700 MHz and 1 GHz it was possible to produce, after photodetection, up and down-converted electronic components at 1.7 GHz and 300 MHz respectively
Keywords :
electro-optical modulation; microwave generation; microwave photonics; optical frequency conversion; optical saturation; photodetectors; semiconductor optical amplifiers; 1 GHz; 1.7 GHz; 10 dB; 700 MHz; 8 mm; amplifier gain mechanism; cascaded amplifier output; cascaded saturated amplifiers; down-converted electronic components; frequency components; gain-crossed property; microwave carrier generation; microwave signal generation; modulated optical carrier mixing; modulated optical carriers; optical signals; photodetection; saturated semiconductor optical amplifiers; Gain; Microwave generation; Optical amplifiers; Optical devices; Optical mixing; Optical modulation; Optical saturation; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Signal generators; Stimulated emission;
Conference_Titel :
Microwave and Optoelectronics Conference, 1999. SBMO/IEEE MTT-S, APS and LEOS - IMOC '99. International
Conference_Location :
Rio de Janeiro
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5807-4
DOI :
10.1109/IMOC.1999.866261
