Generation of millimeter wave with high frequency accuracy using Mach-Zehnder-modulator-based flat comb generator

• Published in: 2012 IEEE International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics pp. 35 - 38
• Main Authors: Morohashi, I., Irimajiri, Y., Sakamoto, T., Kawanishi, T., Yasui, M., Hosako, I.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-09-2012
• Subjects: Broadband communication; dispersion-flattened dispersion-decreasing fiber; millimeter wave; Nonlinear optics; Optical fiber dispersion; Optical fibers; optical frequency comb; Quantum cascade lasers; Radio frequency; terahertz wave
• ISBN: 9781467328630; 1467328634
• DOI: 10.1109/MWP.2012.6474047

We report on broadband comb generation using a combination of a Mach-Zehnder-modulator-based flat comb generator (MZ-FCG) and a dispersion-flattened dispersion-decreasing fiber (DF-DDF), as well as MMW signal generation using the MZ-FCG. For application of quantum cascade lasers operating in the THz range, phase-locking techniques are required to stabilize the frequency and the linewidth. Optical combs are good candidate for a reference source in the phase locking, because of the high stability and accuracy of the comb signals. Generation of a 110 GHz signal by photomixing of two-tone signal extracted from an optical comb signal has been demonstrated as a preliminary experiment.