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Opto-electronic oscillator and method of generating an electrical carrier signal

  • US 10,520,759 B2
  • Filed: 01/07/2016
  • Issued: 12/31/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An opto-electronic oscillator comprising:

  • an optical source configured to generate an optical carrier signal having a carrier wavelength;

    an optical phase modulator configured to apply a sinusoidal phase modulation to the optical carrier signal to thereby generate two first order sidebands, located on either side of the optical carrier signal respectively, the two first order sidebands having a π

    phase difference between them;

    an optical phase shifter comprising an optical resonator configured to apply a substantially π

    phase-shift to one of the first order sidebands at a preselected wavelength within an optical spectrum of said first order sideband; and

    a photodetector configured to perform optical heterodyne detection of the optical carrier signal with both;

    said one of the first order sidebands substantially π

    phase shifted by the optical resonator; and

    the other of the first order sidebands,to generate an electrical carrier signal having a frequency equal to a frequency difference between the carrier wavelength of the optical carrier signal and the preselected wavelength at which the optical resonator is configured to apply the substantially π

    phase-shift, andwherein a first part of the electrical carrier signal is delivered to an electrical output of the opto-electronic oscillator and a second part of the electrical carrier signal is delivered to the optical phase modulator as a drive signal for the optical phase modulator.

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