Optoelectronic oscillator using a high finesse etalon

• US 8,717,657 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc. (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc. (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Delfyett, Peter J., Ozdur, Ibrahim T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martinez, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US13/117,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20110292486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 359/245, 359/260, 359/584, 359/589, 372/18, 372/26
• US Class Current: 359/260
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0121 Operation of devices; Circuit arrangements, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/212 Mach-Zehnder type

Abstract

An optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) is used to provide a continuous, high Q, modulated signal for a variety of purposes, including a carrier wave for communications, and radar emissions. The OEO of this invention replaces an RF filter in the conventional OEO with an interferometer, preferably a high finesse Fabry-Perot etalon as the mode selector, providing lower phase noise and higher RF frequency stability.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) comprising a Fabry-Perot etalon interferometer as a mode selector in said OEO, wherein said mode selector selects optical frequencies to enable said OEO to emit a single radio frequency (RF) tone.

2. The OEO of claim 1, wherein said OEO further comprises a light signal source, electro-optic modulator, an optical delay passage, a photodiode and a radio frequency (RF) amplifier.

3. The OEO of claim 2, wherein said light signal source comprises a continuous wave laser.

4. The OEO of claim 2, wherein said OEO provides an output oscillation frequency in the microwave range.

5. The OEO of claim 2, wherein said optical delay passage comprises a length of optical fiber.

6. The OEO of claim 2, wherein said OEO further comprises an output coupler to return a portion of the signal emitted by the photodiode to the electro-optic modulator.

7. The OEO of claim 1, wherein the RF frequency stability over one (1) minute is 2.6 KHz.

8. A signal generating apparatus, wherein said apparatus emits a modulated signal, and said apparatus comprises the OEO of claim 1.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said apparatus comprises the OEO of claim 3.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said apparatus comprises a radar signal generator.