Abstract

Up-converted phase noise, which is induced by the low-frequency relative intensity noise (RIN) of a laser through AM-PM conversion within a photodetector (PD), is first measured here by means of a cross-correlation method. Our proposed measurement system can isolate the RIN-induced phase noise from noise contributions of other components, such as amplifiers, modulators, and mixers. In particular, shot noise and thermal noise generated from the PD are also suppressed by this method, so that standalone characteristics of the RIN-induced phase noise can be obtained. Experimental results clearly show the quantitative relationship between the RIN-induced phase noise and the incident optical power of the PD. Our findings indicate that the least RIN-induced phase noise appeared at the saturation point of the PD, which is about -162 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset.

© 2016 Optical Society of Korea

Suppression of amplitude-to-phase noise conversion in balanced optical-microwave phase detectors

Maurice Lessing, Helen S. Margolis, C. Tom A. Brown, Patrick Gill, and Giuseppe Marra
Opt. Express 21(22) 27057-27062 (2013)

Phase noise measurement of an optoelectronic oscillator based on the photonic-delay line cross-correlation method

Zhiqiang Fan, Qi Qiu, Jun Su, Tianhang Zhang, and Yue Lin
Opt. Lett. 44(8) 1992-1995 (2019)

Evidence of ultra low microwave additive phase noise for an optical RF link based on a class-A semiconductor laser.

Ghaya Baili, Mehdi Alouini, Thierry Malherbe, Daniel Dolfi, Jean-Pierre Huignard, Thomas Merlet, Jean Chazelas, Isabelle Sagnes, and Fabien Bretenaker
Opt. Express 16(14) 10091-10097 (2008)

Ultra-low phase noise microwave generation with a free-running monolithic femtosecond laser

Manoj Kalubovilage, Mamoru Endo, and Thomas R. Schibli
Opt. Express 28(17) 25400-25409 (2020)

Study on low-phase-noise optoelectronic oscillator and high-sensitivity phase noise measurement system

Jun Hong, An-min Liu, and Jian Guo
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 30(8) 1557-1562 (2013)