Title :
Microwave generation by regenerative mode-locking of a Nd:YVO4/MgO:LiNbO3 microchip laser
Author :
Madjar, Asher ; Yoo, David ; Herczfeld, Peter R. ; Jemison, William D. ; Goldwasser, Samuel M. ; Li, Yifei
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Comput. Eng., Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA, USA
Abstract :
This paper describes a 20 GHz experimental coupled optoelectronic oscillator based on the concept of active self mode-locking (regenerative mode locking) a Nd:YVO4/MgO:LiNbO3 multi mode microchip laser. A millimeter wave signal is generated by beating the multiple longitudinal modes of the laser in a photo detector. In principle, the oscillator can be designed to operate to beyond 100 GHz. An important feature of this COEO is the absence of external narrowband RF filters and E/O modulators. The laser acts as an extremely narrowband filter in the microwave domain, which enables selection of one oscillation line. A phase noise of -102 dBc/Hz at 10 KHz offset was measured (limited by the noise floor of the analyzer used for the measurement). Lower phase noise is expected with optimization of the system and equipment.
Keywords :
integrated optoelectronics; laser mode locking; millimetre wave generation; neodymium compounds; phase noise; photodetectors; radiofrequency filters; semiconductor lasers; 10 KHz; 20 GHz; E-O modulators; Nd:YVO4-MgO:LiNbO3; equipment optimization; microwave generation; millimeter wave generation; multimode microchip laser; multiple longitudinal modes; narrowband RF filters; optoelectronic oscillator; oscillation line; phase noise; photo detector; regenerative mode-locking; system optimization; Laser mode locking; Masers; Microchip lasers; Microwave filters; Microwave generation; Microwave oscillators; Narrowband; Noise measurement; Phase measurement; Phase noise;
Conference_Titel :
Microwave Symposium Digest, 2004 IEEE MTT-S International
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-8331-1
DOI :
10.1109/MWSYM.2004.1335874
