We demonstrate a 10-GHz RF-amplifier-free slab-coupled optical waveguide coupled optoelectronic oscillator (SCOW-COEO) system operating with low phase-noise (<-115 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset) and large sidemode suppression (>70 dB measurement-limited). The optical pulses generated by the SCOW-COEO exhibit 26.8-ps pulse width (post compression) with a corresponding spectral bandwidth of 0.25 nm (1.8X transform-limited). We also investigate the mechanisms that limit the performance of the COEO. Our measurements indicate that degradation in the quality factor (Q) of the optical cavity significantly impacts COEO phase-noise through increases in the optical amplifier relative intensity noise (RIN).

© 2012 OSA

1. X. S. Yao and L. Maleki, “Dual microwave and optical oscillator,” Opt. Lett.22(24), 1867–1869 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. G. R. Huggett, “Mode-locking of CW lasers by regenerative RF feedback,” Appl. Phys. Lett.13(5), 186–187 (1968). [CrossRef]
3. M. Nakazawa, E. Yoshida, and Y. Kimura, “Ultrastable harmonically and regeneratively modelocked polarisation-maintaining erbium fibre ring laser,” Electron. Lett.30(19), 1603–1605 (1994). [CrossRef]
4. D. Eliyahu and L. Maleki, “Modulation response (S21) of the coupled opto-electronic oscillator,” in Proc. FCS, (2005), pp. 850–856.
5. D. Eliyahu, D. Seidel, and L. Maleki, “Phase noise of a high performance OEO and an ultra low noise floor cross-correlation microwave photonic homodyne system,” in Proc. FCS, (2008), pp. 811–814.
6. A. B. Matsko, D. Eliyahu, P. Koonath, D. Seidel, and L. Maleki, “Theory of coupled optoelectronic microwave oscillator I: expectation values,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B26(5), 1023–1031 (2009). [CrossRef]
7. E. Salik, N. Yu, and L. Maleki, “An ultralow phase noise coupled optoelectronic oscillator,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.19(6), 444–446 (2007). [CrossRef]
8. S. Ozharar, I. Ozdur, F. Quinlan, P. J. Delfyett, J. J. Plant, and P. W. Juodawlkis, “Ultra stable coupled optoelectronic oscillator based on slab-coupled optical waveguide amplifier,” in Proc. CLEO, (2008), pp. 1–2.
9. X. S. Yao, L. Davis, and L. Maleki, “Coupled optoelectronic oscillators for generating both RF signal and optical pulses,” J. Lightwave Technol.18(1), 73–78 (2000). [CrossRef]
10. P. W. Juodawlkis, J. J. Plant, R. K. Huang, L. J. Missaggia, and J. P. Donnelly, “High-power 1.5-μm InGaAsP-InP slab-coupled optical waveguide amplifier,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.17(2), 279–281 (2005). [CrossRef]
11. P. W. Juodawlkis, J. J. Plant, W. Loh, L. J. Missaggia, F. J. O'Donnell, D. C. Oakley, A. Napoleone, J. Klamkin, J. T. Gopinath, D. J. Ripin, S. Gee, P. J. Delfyett, and J. P. Donnelly, “High-power, low-noise 1.5μm slab-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) emitters: physics, devices, and applications,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.17(6), 1698–1714 (2011). [CrossRef]
12. J. Klamkin, S. M. Madison, D. C. Oakley, A. Napoleone, F. J. O’Donnell, M. Sheehan, L. J. Missaggia, J. M. Caissie, J. J. Plant, and P. W. Juodawlkis, “Uni-traveling-carrier variable confinement waveguide photodiodes,” Opt. Express19(11), 10199–10205 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. X. S. Yao and L. Maleki, “Optoelectronic microwave oscillator,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B13(8), 1725–1735 (1996). [CrossRef]
14. T. Yamatoya and F. Koyama, “Noise suppression of spectrum-sliced light using semiconductor optical amplifiers,” Electron. Commun. Jpn.286(2), 28–35 (2003). [CrossRef]
15. J. Maeda, D. Kurotsu, and S. Ebisawa, “Stable pulse generation from regenerative mode-locked fiber ring laser employing semiconductor optical amplifier,” in Proc. OECC, (2010), pp. 348–349.
16. C. Wu and N. K. Dutta, “High-repetition-rate optical pulse generation using a rational harmonic mode-locked fiber laser,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron.36(2), 145–150 (2000). [CrossRef]
17. L. Duan, C. J. K. Richardson, Z. Hu, M. Dagenais, and J. Goldhar, “A stable smoothly wavelength-tunable picosecond pulse generator,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.14(6), 840–842 (2002). [CrossRef]
18. D. Eliyahu, D. Seidel, and L. Maleki, “RF amplitude and phase-noise reduction of an optical link and an opto-electronic oscillator,” IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech.56(2), 449–456 (2008). [CrossRef]
19. N. Yu, E. Salik, and L. Maleki, “Ultralow-noise mode-locked laser with coupled optoelectronic oscillator configuration,” Opt. Lett.30(10), 1231–1233 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
20. D. R. Hjelme and A. R. Mickelson, “Theory of timing jitter in actively mode-locked lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron.28(6), 1594–1606 (1992). [CrossRef]
21. F. Quinlan, S. Ozharar, S. Gee, and P. J. Delfyett, “Harmonically mode-locked semiconductor-based lasers as high repetition rate ultralow noise pulse train and optical frequency comb sources,” J. Opt. A, Pure Appl. Opt.11(10), 103001 (2009). [CrossRef]
22. W. Loh, J. Klamkin, S. M. Madison, F. J. O'Donnell, J. J. Plant, S. Yegnanarayanan, R. J. Ram, and P. W. Juodawlkis, “Slab-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) based optoelectronic oscillator (OEO),” in Proc. IPC, (2011), pp. 605–606.
23. G. P. Agrawal and N. A. Olsson, “Self-phase modulation and spectral broadening of optical pulses in semiconductor laser amplifiers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron.25(11), 2297–2306 (1989). [CrossRef]
24. F. R. Ahmad, Y. W. Tseng, M. A. Kats, and F. Rana, “Energy limits imposed by two-photon absorption for pulse amplification in high-power semiconductor optical amplifiers,” Opt. Lett.33(10), 1041–1043 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• G. R. Huggett, “Mode-locking of CW lasers by regenerative RF feedback,” Appl. Phys. Lett.13(5), 186–187 (1968). [CrossRef]

Electron. Commun. Jpn.2

• T. Yamatoya and F. Koyama, “Noise suppression of spectrum-sliced light using semiconductor optical amplifiers,” Electron. Commun. Jpn.286(2), 28–35 (2003). [CrossRef]

Electron. Lett.

• M. Nakazawa, E. Yoshida, and Y. Kimura, “Ultrastable harmonically and regeneratively modelocked polarisation-maintaining erbium fibre ring laser,” Electron. Lett.30(19), 1603–1605 (1994). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Quantum Electron.

• C. Wu and N. K. Dutta, “High-repetition-rate optical pulse generation using a rational harmonic mode-locked fiber laser,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron.36(2), 145–150 (2000). [CrossRef]
• D. R. Hjelme and A. R. Mickelson, “Theory of timing jitter in actively mode-locked lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron.28(6), 1594–1606 (1992). [CrossRef]
• G. P. Agrawal and N. A. Olsson, “Self-phase modulation and spectral broadening of optical pulses in semiconductor laser amplifiers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron.25(11), 2297–2306 (1989). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.

• P. W. Juodawlkis, J. J. Plant, W. Loh, L. J. Missaggia, F. J. O'Donnell, D. C. Oakley, A. Napoleone, J. Klamkin, J. T. Gopinath, D. J. Ripin, S. Gee, P. J. Delfyett, and J. P. Donnelly, “High-power, low-noise 1.5μm slab-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) emitters: physics, devices, and applications,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.17(6), 1698–1714 (2011). [CrossRef]

IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.

• P. W. Juodawlkis, J. J. Plant, R. K. Huang, L. J. Missaggia, and J. P. Donnelly, “High-power 1.5-μm InGaAsP-InP slab-coupled optical waveguide amplifier,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.17(2), 279–281 (2005). [CrossRef]
• L. Duan, C. J. K. Richardson, Z. Hu, M. Dagenais, and J. Goldhar, “A stable smoothly wavelength-tunable picosecond pulse generator,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.14(6), 840–842 (2002). [CrossRef]
• E. Salik, N. Yu, and L. Maleki, “An ultralow phase noise coupled optoelectronic oscillator,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.19(6), 444–446 (2007). [CrossRef]

IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech.

• D. Eliyahu, D. Seidel, and L. Maleki, “RF amplitude and phase-noise reduction of an optical link and an opto-electronic oscillator,” IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech.56(2), 449–456 (2008). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• X. S. Yao, L. Davis, and L. Maleki, “Coupled optoelectronic oscillators for generating both RF signal and optical pulses,” J. Lightwave Technol.18(1), 73–78 (2000). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. A, Pure Appl. Opt.

• F. Quinlan, S. Ozharar, S. Gee, and P. J. Delfyett, “Harmonically mode-locked semiconductor-based lasers as high repetition rate ultralow noise pulse train and optical frequency comb sources,” J. Opt. A, Pure Appl. Opt.11(10), 103001 (2009). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am. B

• X. S. Yao and L. Maleki, “Optoelectronic microwave oscillator,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B13(8), 1725–1735 (1996). [CrossRef]
• A. B. Matsko, D. Eliyahu, P. Koonath, D. Seidel, and L. Maleki, “Theory of coupled optoelectronic microwave oscillator I: expectation values,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B26(5), 1023–1031 (2009). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• J. Klamkin, S. M. Madison, D. C. Oakley, A. Napoleone, F. J. O’Donnell, M. Sheehan, L. J. Missaggia, J. M. Caissie, J. J. Plant, and P. W. Juodawlkis, “Uni-traveling-carrier variable confinement waveguide photodiodes,” Opt. Express19(11), 10199–10205 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• N. Yu, E. Salik, and L. Maleki, “Ultralow-noise mode-locked laser with coupled optoelectronic oscillator configuration,” Opt. Lett.30(10), 1231–1233 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• X. S. Yao and L. Maleki, “Dual microwave and optical oscillator,” Opt. Lett.22(24), 1867–1869 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• F. R. Ahmad, Y. W. Tseng, M. A. Kats, and F. Rana, “Energy limits imposed by two-photon absorption for pulse amplification in high-power semiconductor optical amplifiers,” Opt. Lett.33(10), 1041–1043 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Other

• W. Loh, J. Klamkin, S. M. Madison, F. J. O'Donnell, J. J. Plant, S. Yegnanarayanan, R. J. Ram, and P. W. Juodawlkis, “Slab-coupled optical waveguide (SCOW) based optoelectronic oscillator (OEO),” in Proc. IPC, (2011), pp. 605–606.
• J. Maeda, D. Kurotsu, and S. Ebisawa, “Stable pulse generation from regenerative mode-locked fiber ring laser employing semiconductor optical amplifier,” in Proc. OECC, (2010), pp. 348–349.
• S. Ozharar, I. Ozdur, F. Quinlan, P. J. Delfyett, J. J. Plant, and P. W. Juodawlkis, “Ultra stable coupled optoelectronic oscillator based on slab-coupled optical waveguide amplifier,” in Proc. CLEO, (2008), pp. 1–2.
• D. Eliyahu and L. Maleki, “Modulation response (S21) of the coupled opto-electronic oscillator,” in Proc. FCS, (2005), pp. 850–856.
• D. Eliyahu, D. Seidel, and L. Maleki, “Phase noise of a high performance OEO and an ultra low noise floor cross-correlation microwave photonic homodyne system,” in Proc. FCS, (2008), pp. 811–814.

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