Subfemtosecond synchronization of microwave oscillators with mode-locked Er-fiber lasers

We synchronize an 8.06 GHz microwave signal from a voltage-controlled oscillator with an optical pulse train from a 77.5 MHz mode-locked Er-fiber laser using a fiber-based optical-microwave phase detector. The residual phase noise between the optical pulse train and the synchronized microwave signal is -133 dBc/Hz (-154 dBc/Hz) at 1 Hz (5 kHz) offset frequency, which results in 838 as integrated rms timing jitter [1 Hz-1 MHz]. The long-term residual phase drift is 847 as (rms) measured over 2 h, which reaches 4×10(-19) fractional frequency instability at 1800 s averaging time. This method has a potential to provide both subfemtosecond-level short-term phase noise and long-term phase stability in microwave extraction from mode-locked fiber lasers.     

Femtosecond-laser-based synthesis of ultrastable microwave signals from optical frequency references

We use femtosecond laser frequency combs to convert optical frequency references to the microwave domain, where we demonstrate the synthesis of 10-GHz signals having a fractional frequency instability of < or =3.5 x 10(-15) at a 1-s averaging time, limited by the optical reference. The residual instability and phase noise of the femtosecond-laser-based frequency synthesizers are 6.5 x 10(-16) at 1 s and -98 dBc/Hz at a 1-Hz offset from the 10-GHz carrier, respectively. The timing jitter of the microwave signals is 3.3 fs.     

Ultralow-noise mode-locked laser with coupled optoelectronic oscillator configuration

We describe simultaneous generation of ultralow-noise optical pulses and microwave signal with a mode-locked fiber laser in a coupled optoelectronic oscillator configuration. We demonstrate 9.2-GHz optical and microwave signals with the measured phase noise of -140 dBc/Hz at 10-kHz offset frequency. We show that the mode-locked laser in the photonic oscillator serves as a high-Q filter and is responsible for the observed low phase noise.     

Ultra-stable microwave generation with a diode-pumped solid-state laser in the 1.5-μm range

We demonstrate the first ultra-stable microwave generation based on a 1.5-μm diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) frequency comb. Our system relies on optical-to-microwave frequency division from a planar-waveguide external cavity laser referenced to an ultra-stable Fabry–Perot cavity. The evaluation of the microwave signal at ~10 GHz uses the transportable ultra-low-instability signal source ULISS^®, which employs a cryo-cooled sapphire oscillator. With the DPSSL comb, we measured ?125 dBc/Hz phase noise at 1 kHz offset frequency, likely limited by the photo-detection shot-noise or by the noise floor of the reference cryo-cooled sapphire oscillator. For comparison, we also generated low-noise microwave using a commercial Er:fiber comb stabilized in similar conditions and observed >20 dB lower phase noise in the microwave generated from the DPSSL comb. Our results confirm the high potential of the DPSSL technology for low-noise comb applications.     

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介绍了HL-2M装置低混杂波系统中3.7GHz微波激励源的设计。微波激励源设计为模块化形式,由3.7GHz点频固态源单元、功率分配器单元、功率放大器单元和现场控制器单元等组成。微波激励源有8路输出端口,每个端口的输出功率在0~10W范围内连续可调,并可以实现远程控制输出功率;采用取样鉴相锁相环技术使微波输出信号具有相位噪声低、频率稳定度高、杂散抑制好等优点。频偏1kHz时,相位噪声是-115dBc/Hz,频偏10kHz时,相位噪声是-117dBc/Hz,频偏100kHz时,相位噪声是-122dBc/Hz;输出频率稳定度≤0.03ppm/30min;杂散抑制≤-80dBc。     

Demonstration of a HeNe/CH4-based optical molecular clock

We implement a simple optical clock based on the F2(2) [P(7), v3] optical transition in methane. A single femtosecond laser's frequency comb undergoes difference frequency generation to provide an IR comb at 3.39 microm with a null carrier-envelope offset. This IR comb provides a phase-coherent link between the 88-THz optical reference and the rf repetition rate. Comparison of the repetition rate signal with a second femtosecond comb stabilized to molecular iodine shows an instability of 1.2 x 10(-13) at 1 s, limited by microwave detection of the repetition rates. The single-sideband phase noise of the microwave signal, normalized to a carrier frequency of 1 GHz, is below -93 dBc/Hz at 1-Hz offset.     

基于光学-微波同步的低噪声微波产生方法

低噪声微波在冷原子光钟、光子雷达、大科学装置远程同步等领域具有重要的应用价值.本文介绍了一种基于光学-微波相位探测技术的低噪声微波产生方案,利用光纤环路光学-微波鉴相器,将超稳激光的频率稳定度相干传递至介质振荡器.实验采用梳齿相位参考至超稳激光的窄线宽掺铒光纤飞秒光学频率梳,结合光纤环路光学-微波鉴相器和精密锁相装置,将7 GHz介质振荡器同步至光频梳重复频率的高次谐波,同步后的光脉冲序列与微波信号的剩余相位噪声为–100 d Bc/Hz@1 Hz,定时抖动为8.6 fs [1 Hz—1.5 MHz];通过搭建两套低噪声微波产生系统,测得7 GHz微波的剩余相位噪声为–90 d Bc/Hz@1 Hz,对应的频率稳定度为4.8×10^–15@1 s.该研究结果对基于光学相干分频的低噪声微波产生提供了一种新思路.     

Optical-fiber pulse rate multiplier for ultralow phase-noise signal generation

In this Letter we report on an all optical-fiber approach to the synthesis of ultralow-noise microwave signals by photodetection of femtosecond laser pulses. We use a cascade of Mach-Zehnder fiber interferometers to realize stable and efficient repetition rate multiplication. This technique increases the signal level of the photodetected microwave signal by close to 18 dB. That in turn allows us to demonstrate a residual phase-noise level of -118 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz and -160 dBc/Hz at 10 MHz from a 12 GHz signal. The residual noise floor of the fiber multiplier and photodetection system alone is around -164 dBc/Hz at the same offset frequency, which is very close to the fundamental shot-noise floor.     

长光纤环高性能光电振荡器研究

提出了采用多个长光纤环实现高性能光电振荡器的方法,通过合理的长度设计,多个长光纤环能够降低光电振荡器的相位噪声,同时提高边模抑制比。理论分析了多个长光纤环实现高性能光电振荡器的可行性,并构建了实验系统。在实验中,利用3个大于4km的长光纤环构建光电振荡器,实现了频率10GHz的微波信号,其相位噪声在频偏10kHz处达到了-130dBc/Hz,边模抑制比达到了60dBc。实验结果与理论分析一致,证明了该方法的正确性。     

Phase Noise of Optically Generated Microwave Using Sideband Injection Locking

Optically generated 20-GHz microwave carriers with phase noise lower than -75 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset and lower than -90 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset are obtained using single- and double-sideband injection locking. Within the locking range, the effect of sideband injection locking can be regarded as narrow-band amplification of the modulation sidebands. Increasing the current of slave laser will increase the power of beat signal and reduce the phase noise to a certain extent. Double-sideband injection locking can increase the power of the generated microwave carrier while keeping the phase noise at a low level. It is also revealed that partially destruction of coherence between the two beating lights in the course of sideband injection locking would impair the phase noise performance.     

Regenerative mode locking via superposition of higher-order cavity modes in composite cavity fiber lasers

We demonstrate a new method of optical pulse generation in regeneratively mode-locked fiber ring lasers (RML-FRLs). The method is based on generating dominant longitudinal modes in the fiber ring cavity by means of a composite cavity structure and their intermode beating at the photodetector incorporated in the regenerative feedback loop. The beat signal is then used as a modulation signal to generate optical pulses in a regenerative mode-locking scheme, thereby eliminating the requirement for a high-Q rf bandpass filter in a conventional RML-FRL. Optical pulses with a repetition frequency of 3.6 GHz have been generated successfully with a supermode noise suppression of more than 48 dB and a low phase noise of -85 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset from the carrier frequency.     

用于铯芯片级原子钟的4.596 GHz射频源研制

芯片级原子钟主要包括射频模块、物理封装模块以及其他的外围控制模块。射频模块的设计关系到芯片级原子钟的短期稳定度,所以射频模块在芯片级原子钟的设计时是非常重要的一部分。本文利用数字锁相环技术实现频率为4.596 GHz的射频源,射频源由三部分组成,包括小数分频频率综合器、压控振荡器和环路滤波器。数字锁相环具有相位噪声低,频谱稳定度高等特点。此外,由于小数分频频率综合器是可编程的,可以通过配置N分频器与R分频器实现输出频率的快速扫描。与此同时,根据相关公式,可以计算出三阶无源环路滤波器的近似参数值,所设计的环路滤波器具有300 kHz的环路带宽以及55的相位裕度。最后,整个基于数字锁相环技术实现的射频源通过仿真、硬件实现以及测试。测试结果显示,射频源的相位噪声为-74.02 dBc/Hz@300 Hz,符合芯片级原子钟射频源的设计要求。     

重复频率可调谐的超低抖动光窄脉冲源的研究

提出了一种新型的基于光电振荡器的重复频率可调谐的超低抖动光窄脉冲源. 光电振荡器系统可以产生超低相位噪声的微波信号; 被该信号调制的直调光经过两次相位调制之后, 使光脉冲的啁啾增强; 再通过一段色散补偿光纤, 光脉冲被进一步压窄. 实验中使用YIG可调滤波器, 可以得到8–12 GHz内步进为200 MHz的可调谐微波信号, 因此光脉冲的重复频率具有可调谐性. 当微波信号即脉冲重复频率为9.6 GHz时, 测得脉冲宽度为3.7 ps, 相位噪声为-130.1 dBc/Hz@10 kHz. 由此得出光脉冲的瞬时抖动为60.1 fs (100 Hz–1 MHz), 因此该方案产生的光窄脉冲源具有超低的抖动.     

An Yb-fiber frequency comb phase-locked to microwave standard and optical reference

We present a fully stabilized Yb-fiber frequency comb locked to a microwave standard and an optical reference separately. The carrier-envelope offset frequency is generated by a standard f–2f interferometer with 40 dB signal-tonoise ratio. The offset frequency and the repetition rate are stabilized simultaneously to the radio frequency reference for more than 30 hours, and the fractional Allan deviation of the comb is the same as the microwave standard of 10^-12 at 1 s.Alternatively, the comb is locked to an ultra-stable optical reference at 972 nm using an intracavity electro-optic modulator,exhibiting a residual integrated phase noise of 458 mrad(1 Hz–10 MHz) and an in-loop tracking stability of 1.77× 10^-18 at 1 s, which is significantly raised by six orders comparing to the case locked to the microwave frequency standard.     

Ultralow noise and supermode suppression in an actively mode-locked external-cavity semiconductor diode ring laser

We report what is to our knowledge the lowest phase and amplitude noise characteristics achieved to date in a 10-GHz pulse train produced by the active harmonic mode locking of an external-cavity semiconductor diode laser. Supermode noise has also been suppressed below -140 dBc/Hz by use of a high-finesse fiber Fabry-Perot etalon as an intracavity filter. Novel noise sideband measurements that extend to the Nyquist offset frequency suggest a significant advantage in using harmonic (rather than fundamental) mode locking to produce ultralow-noise pulse trains, owing to the relationship between the noise roll-off frequency and the fundamental cavity frequency.     

Phase-locked, low-noise, frequency agile titanium:sapphire lasers for simultaneous atom interferometers

We demonstrate a laser system consisting of a >1.6 W titanium:sapphire laser that is phase locked to another free-running titanium:sapphire laser at a wavelength of 852 nm with a phase noise of -138 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz from the carrier, using an intracavity electro-optic phase modulator. The residual phase variance is 2.5 x 10(-8) rad2 integrated from 1 Hz to 10 kHz. This system can phase-continuously change the offset frequency within 200 ns with frequency steps up to 4 MHz. Simultaneous atom interferometers can make full use of this ultralow phase noise in differential measurements, where influences from the vibration of optics are greatly suppressed in common mode.     

Quadruple-frequency millimeter-wave generation using second-order rational harmonic mode-locking technique

A novel method for generating quadruple-frequency millimeter-wave （MMW） by using an actively mode-locked fiber ring laser is proposed and demonstrated. In this approach, the optical Mach-Zehnder intensity modulator （MZM） is biased to suppress the odd-order optical sidebands, the fiber laser operates in the second-order rational harmonic mode, and a fiber Bragg grating （FBG） notch filter is used to block the optical carrier. When the MZM is driven by a fixed radio-frequency （RF） source of 10 GHz, a stable MMW signal of 40 GHz with the phase noise better than -76 dBc/Hz at 1-kHz offset is generated.     

基于DFB腔注入锁定效应的可调谐光电振荡器

提出一种基于分布反馈光注入锁定效应的可调谐光电振荡器,其环路主要由马赫曾德尔调制器、光电探测器、环形器、分布反馈激光器和射频放大器顺接而成,分布反馈激光器是系统关键器件,通过分布反馈激光器光注入锁定效应,分布反馈腔在光域实现了微波光子滤波器功能,无需传统光电振荡器必须的射频带通滤波器.同时,由于分布反馈激光器注入锁定提高了环路Q值,因此系统可采用短环路结构,从而降低了光纤因温度敏感对微波信号稳定性的影响并减小了整个系统的尺寸.另外,通过调节注入光波长和功率可改变该微波光子滤波器的中心频率,从而可实现系统的可调谐性.理论分析了该光电振荡器的原理和微波光子滤波器的调谐性,在此基础上开展了实验验证.结果表明该光电振荡器能够产生18.7～21.6 GHz的可调微波信号,在1 kHz频偏处的相位噪声为-90 dBc/Hz.     

Two-level injection in fiber-delay line based oscillator

Two-level injection-locked opto-electronic oscillator is proposed for low phase noise. Dielectric resonator oscillator (DRO) is used as the first injection source, injection locking a long-fiber loop based opto-electronic oscillator, then its output is injection locking another long-fiber opto-electronic oscillator for getting a lower-phase noise output carrier. After the first injection, the single side band (SSB) phase noise at 10 kHz offset frequency decreases from −123 dBc/Hz to −135 dBc/Hz, then through the second injection the SSB phase noise drops down to −146 dBc/Hz.     

Wideband frequency tunable optoelectronic oscillator based on a dispersion compensated microwave photonic filter

A wideband tunable optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) based on a dispersion compensated phase modulated microwave photonics filter (MPF) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The MPF, consisting of a tunable laser source (TLS), a phase modulator, a fiber Bragg grating Fabry–Perot filter and a photodetector, is used as the oscillating mode selection device. Dual-loop configuration is employed to make sure the OEO operates at a single oscillating mode. Theoretically analysis is carried out to demonstrate the tuning range limitation due to the phase-modulation to intensity-modulation conversion caused by long single mode fiber (SMF). To overcome this disadvantage and expand the signal tuning range, a dispersion compensation fiber is introduced followed by the SMF to compensate the fiber dispersion. By simply adjusting the wavelength of the TLS, an ultra-wideband tunable microwave signal with the frequency tuning range from 2 to 44 GHz is obtained. The phase noise is also investigated and measured to be less than ? 110 dBc/Hz at an offset of 10 kHz within the whole frequency range.