Craig W. Nelson

Characterization of Power-to-Phase Conversion in High-Speed P-I-N Photodiodes

Fluctuations of the optical power incident on a photodiode can be converted into phase fluctuations of the resulting electronic signal due to nonlinear saturation in the semiconductor. This impacts overall timing stability (phase noise) of microwave signals generated from a photodetected optical pulse train. In this paper, we describe and utilize techniques to characterize this conversion of amplitude noise to phase noise for several high-speed (>; 10 GHz) InGaAs p-i-n photodiodes operated at 900 nm. We focus on the impact of this effect on the photonic generation of low phase noise 10-GHz microwave signals and show that a combination of low laser amplitude noise, appropriate photodiode design, and optimum average photocurrent is required to achieve phase noise at or below -100 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz offset for a 10-GHz carrier. In some photodiodes, we find specific photocurrents where the power-to-phase conversion factor is observed to go to zero.

Photonic microwave generation with high-power photodiodes

Using modified uni-travelling carrier photodiodes that exhibit high linearity at high photocurrent we have generated a 10 GHz microwave carrier via optical frequency division with sub 500 attosecond absolute timing jitter (1Hz - 10 MHz).

Exploiting shot noise correlations in the photodetection of ultrashort optical pulse trains

Shot noise originates from the discrete nature of optical field detection. By exploiting correlations in the shot-noise spectrum of optical pulse trains, scientists improve shot-noise-limited optical pulse timing measurements by several orders of magnitude. A photodetected pulse train timing noise floor at an unprecedented 25 zs Hz−1/2 is reported.

Guidelines for designing BJT amplifiers with low 1/f AM and PM noise

In this paper we discuss guidelines for designing linear bipolar junction transistor amplifiers with low 1/f amplitude modulation (AM) and phase modulation (PM) noise. These guidelines are derived from a new theory that relates AM and PM noise to transconductance fluctuations, junction capacitance fluctuations, and circuit architecture. We analyze the noise equations of each process for a common emitter (CE) amplifier and use the results to suggest amplifier designs that minimize the 1/f noise while providing other required attributes such as high gain. Although we use a CE amplifier as an example, the procedure applies to other configurations as well. Experimental noise results for several amplifier configurations are presented.

Sub-femtosecond absolute timing jitter with a 10 GHz hybrid photonic-microwave oscillator

We present an optical-electronic approach to generating microwave signals with high spectral purity. By circumventing shot noise and operating near fundamental thermal limits, we demonstrate 10 GHz signals with an absolute timing jitter for a single hybrid oscillator of 420 attoseconds (1 Hz–5 GHz).

High spectral purity microwave oscillator: design using conventional air-dielectric cavity

We report exceptionally low PM noise levels from a microwave oscillator that uses a conventional air-dielectric cavity resonator as a frequency discriminator. Our approach is to increase the discriminators intrinsic signal-to-noise ratio by use of a high-power carrier signal to interrogate an optimally coupled cavity, while the high-level of the carrier is suppressed before the phase detector. We developed and tested an accurate model of the expected PM noise that indicates, among other things, that a conventional air-dielectric resonator of moderate Q will exhibit less discriminator noise in this approach than do more esoteric and expensive dielectric resonators tuned to a high-order, high-Q mode and driven at the dielectrics optimum power.

Relationship of AM to PM noise in selected RF oscillators

We have studied the amplitude modulation (AM) and phase modulation (PM) noise in a number of 5 MHz and 100 MHz oscillators to provide a basis for developing models of the origin of AM noise. To adequately characterize the AM noise in high performance quartz oscillators, we found it necessary to use two-channel cross-correlation AM detection. In the quartz oscillators studied, the power spectral density (PSD) of the f/sup -1/ and f/sup 0/ regions of AM noise is closely related to that of the PM noise. The major difference between different oscillators of the same design depends on the flicker noise performance of the resonator. We therefore propose that the f/sup -1/ and f/sup 0/ regions of AM and PM noise arise from the same physical processes, probably originating in the sustaining amplifier. >

A collapse of the cross-spectral function in phase noise metrology

Cross-spectral analysis is a mathematical tool for extracting the power spectral density of a correlated signal from two time series in the presence of uncorrelated interfering signals. We demonstrate and explain a set of amplitude and phase conditions where the detection of the desired signal using cross-spectral analysis fails partially or entirely in the presence of a second uncorrelated signal. Not understanding when and how this effect occurs can lead to dramatic under-reporting of the desired signal. Theoretical, simulated and experimental demonstrations of this effect as well as mitigating methods are presented.

Microwave Optoelectronic Oscillator with Optical Gain

Optoelectronic oscillators (OEO) are unique compared to radio-frequency (RF) oscillators in that they do not fundamentally require a RF gain element in order to satisfy the amplitude threshold condition for oscillation. All of the energy required for oscillation can be obtained from the optical carrier. This, however, was not initially possible, due to the inefficiency and power limitations on the optical components used in the OEO. Recent improvements driven by the need for optical-RF links have improved modulator and detector technology. Electro-optic modulators (EOM) with ultra-low half-wave voltage (Vpi), and high optical power capabilities, when coupled with high-power photodetectors, have achieved optical links with gain. With sufficient gain from the photonic components in the OEO, the RF loop amplifier becomes unnecessary. Eliminating this amplifier removes one of the major noise contributing elements of the oscillator. Here we present designs and phase noise results of several OEOs, operating at RF frequencies up to 10 GHz, constructed with only optical gain.

State-of-the-art RF signal generation from optical frequency division

We present the design of a novel, ultralow-phasenoise frequency synthesizer implemented with extremely-lownoise regenerative frequency dividers. This synthesizer generates eight outputs, viz. 1.6 GHz, 320 MHz, 160 MHz, 80 MHz, 40 MHz, 20 MHz, 10 MHz and 5 MHz for an 8 GHz input frequency. The residual single-sideband (SSB) phase noises of the synthesizer at 5 and 10 MHz outputs at 1 Hz offset from the carrier are -150 and -145 dBc/Hz, respectively, which are unprecedented phase noise levels. We also report the lowest values of phase noise to date for 5 and 10 MHz RF signals achieved with our synthesizer by dividing an 8 GHz signal generated from an ultra-stable opticalcomb- based frequency division. The absolute SSB phase noises achieved for 5 and 10 MHz signals at 1 Hz offset are -150 and -143 dBc/Hz, respectively; at 100 kHz offset, they are -177 and -174 dBc/Hz, respectively. The phase noise of the 5 MHz signal corresponds to a frequency stability of approximately 7.6 × 10-15 at 1 s averaging time for a measurement bandwidth (BW) of 500 Hz, and the integrated timing jitter over 100 kHz BW is 20 fs.