Characteristics and performance of a novel photonic oscillator

In the photonic oscillator the oscillation of the intensity of the photons detected with a photodetector provides the reference signal, much in the same fashion that the oscillatory current across a load resistor comprises the signal of the electronic oscillators. Despite this close similarity, significantly different features of the photonic oscillator provide for much improved noise and stability performance, as compared with the electronic oscillator. In this paper we describe the physical basis of the photonic oscillator, and present preliminary experimental and analytical results for a number of such oscillators developed at JPL. The paper will conclude with a discussion of the applications of the photonic oscillators, and an assessment for its potential stability performance