Multi-Loop opto-electronic microwave oscillator with a wide tuning range
First Claim
1. An opto-electronic system, comprising:
- an electro-optical modulator having an electrical input port and an optical output port, operating to generate an optical signal that is modulated at an oscillating frequency related to an electrical driving signal from said electrical input port;
a first feedback loop, operating to receive a first portion of said optical signal and to produce a first electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a first amount of delay and a first positive feedback; and
a second feedback loop, operating to receive a second portion of said optical signal and to produce a second electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a second amount of delay and second positive feedback,wherein said first electrical feedback signal and said second electrical feedback signal cooperatively affect said electrical driving signal and said first and second feedback loops have a total open loop gain greater than unity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A versatile photonic radio frequency (RF) oscillator employs multiple feedback loops of different delay times, including at least one optical feedback loop, to generate RF signals with ultra low phase noise, narrow spectral linewidth, and a continuous wide tuning range of high resolution. Specifically, an electro-optical modulator and a long optical fiber loop are implemented in one dual-loop system. In addition, a light beam from a light source can be directly modulated by using feedback signals from multi feedback loops to alter the electrical control signal to the light source. Furthermore, the disclosed system supports both electrical and optical RF outputs. External optical injection and electrical injection can be implemented.
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Citations
87 Claims
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1. An opto-electronic system, comprising:
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an electro-optical modulator having an electrical input port and an optical output port, operating to generate an optical signal that is modulated at an oscillating frequency related to an electrical driving signal from said electrical input port; a first feedback loop, operating to receive a first portion of said optical signal and to produce a first electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a first amount of delay and a first positive feedback; and a second feedback loop, operating to receive a second portion of said optical signal and to produce a second electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a second amount of delay and second positive feedback, wherein said first electrical feedback signal and said second electrical feedback signal cooperatively affect said electrical driving signal and said first and second feedback loops have a total open loop gain greater than unity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 71, 84)
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26. An opto-electronic system operating to generate electromagnetic oscillations, comprising:
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an electro-optical modulator having an electrical input port, an optical output port, and an electrical output port, operating to generate an optical signal that is modulated at an oscillating frequency related to an electrical driving signal from said electrical input port; a first optical feedback loop, operating to receive said optical signal and to produce a first electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a first amount of delay and a first positive feedback; and a second electrical feedback loop, operating to receive an electrical modulation signal related to said electrical driving signal from said electrical output port and to produce a second electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a second amount of delay and a second positive feedback, wherein said first electrical feedback signal and said second electrical feedback signal operate collectively to affect said electrical driving signal and said first and second feedback loops have a total open loop gain greater than unity. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 85)
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41. An opto-electronic system for generating electromagnetic oscillations, comprising:
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a light source having an electrical input port, operating to produce light that is modulated at an oscillating frequency related to an electrical driving signal applied at said electrical input port; a first feedback loop, operating to receive a first portion of said optical signal and to produce a first electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a first amount of delay and a first positive feedback; and a second feedback loop, operating to receive a second portion of said optical signal and to produce a second electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a second amount of delay and a second positive feedback, wherein said first electrical feedback signal and said second electrical feedback signal operate collectively to affect said electrical driving signal and said first and second feedback loops have a total open loop gain greater than unity. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 72, 86)
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51. A photonic method for generating radio frequency signals, comprising:
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modulating light at an oscillating frequency with a controlling signal wherein said oscillating frequency has a relationship with said controlling signal; partitioning a portion of said light to produce a first feedback signal with a first amount of delay; using an optical delay element to produce at least a part of said first amount of delay; producing a second feedback signal with a second amount of delay by using one of said light and said controlling signal; changing said controlling signal with both said first feedback signal and said second feedback signal to further modulate said light; and thereby generating radio frequency oscillations in said controlling signal and in said light. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 73)
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60. An opto-electrical system for generating electromagnetic oscillation, comprising:
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a light source having an electrical input port, operating to produce light that is modulated at an oscillating frequency related to an electrical driving signal applied at said electrical input port; a first feedback loop, operating to receive said optical signal and to produce a first electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a first amount of delay; and a second feedback loop, operating to receive an electrical modulation signal related to said electrical driving signal and to produce a second electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a second amount of delay, wherein first electrical feedback signal and said second electrical feedback signal operate collectively to affect said electrical driving signal. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 87)
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74. An opto-electronic system, comprising:
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an electro-optical modulator having an electrical input port and an optical output port, operating to generate an optical signal that is modulated at an oscillating frequency related to an electrical driving signal from said electrical input port; a first feedback loop, operating to receive a first portion of said optical signal and to produce a first electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a first amount of delay; a first photodetector disposed in said first feedback loop and configured to convert said first portion of said optical signal into said first electrical feedback signal; a second feedback loop, operating to receive a second portion of said optical signal and to produce a second electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a second amount of delay; and a second photodetector disposed in said second feedback loop and configured to convert said second portion of said optical signal into said second electrical feedback signal, wherein said first electrical feedback signal and said second electrical feedback signal cooperatively affect said electrical driving signal. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77)
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78. An opto-electronic system for generating electromagnetic oscillations, comprising:
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a light source having an electrical input port, operating to produce light that is modulated at an oscillating frequency related to an electrical driving signal applied at said electrical input port; a first feedback loop, operating to receive a first portion of said optical signal and to produce a first electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a first amount of delay; a first photodetector disposed in said first feedback loop and configured to convert said first portion of said optical signal into said first electrical feedback signal; a second feedback loop, operating to receive a second portion of said optical signal and to produce a second electrical feedback signal to said electrical input port with a second amount of delay; and a second photodetector disposed in said second feedback loop and configured to convert said second portion of said optical signal into said second electrical feedback signal, wherein said first electrical feedback signal and said second electrical feedback signal operate collectively to affect said electrical driving signal. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81)
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82. A method for generating radio frequency signals, comprising:
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modulating light at an oscillating frequency with a controlling signal wherein said oscillating frequency has a relationship with said controlling signal; producing a first positive electrical feedback signal with a first amount of delay by using one of said light and said controlling signal in a first way; producing a second positive electrical feedback signal with a second amount of delay by using one of said light and said controlling signal in a second way; changing said controlling signal by using both said first electrical feedback signal and said second electrical feedback signal to further modulate said light; maintaining a total open-loop gain of said first and said second electrical feedback signals greater than unity; and thereby generating radio frequency oscillations in said controlling signal and in said light. - View Dependent Claims (83)
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Specification