Phase Noise Modeling and Experimental Demonstration of Single and Dual-Loop Direct Modulation Optoelectronic Oscillator

A single and dual loop direct modulation Opto-Electronic Oscillator (DMOEO) phase noise model for generation of low phase noise signal operating in Radio Frequency (RF) and microwave frequency range is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The distribute feedback (DFB) laser diode is used in the proposed design to perform the RF to optical conversion by exploiting its non-linear transfer function characteristics, in contrast to external modulator in conventional OEO designs. We presented the theoretical phase noise model for single and multi-loop DMOEO deign with all possible noise contributions. Also, simulation scenarios have been demonstrated to show the impact of different noise source on the overall phase noise performance of the OEO. A single and dual loop DMOEO with phase noise of −112 dBc/Hz and −110 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset from 2.4 GHz carrier respectively is designed and the side mode suppression better than 50 dB is achieved for the generated signal with 11 dBm output power.