A continuously tunable and filterless optical millimeter-wave generation via frequency octupling

Abstract

This work proposes a cost-effective, continuously tunable and filterless optical millimeter-wave (MMW) signal generation employing frequency octupling. Optical MMW signals with 30-dB undesired sideband suppression ratios can be obtained. Since no optical filtering is required, the proposed system can be readily implemented in wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) systems. V-band 60-GHz and W-band 80-GHz optical MMW signals are experimentally demonstrated. Because of the high undesired sideband suppression ratio, 60-GHz waveform with 50% duty cycle is observed. The single-sideband (SSB) phase noise of the generated 60-GHz signal is -73 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz. The proposed system is a viable solution for the future ultra-high frequency MMW applications up to 320 GHz using the external modulator with a limited bandwidth of 40 GHz. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America