FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to local oscillator signal generators and generation of local oscillator signals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photonic local oscillator generator and the generation of a local oscillator signal therefrom in the microwave frequency band and higher.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditional frequency synthesis electronics are not adequate for generation of microwave and higher frequency local oscillator signals. Presently, high frequency stable electrical signals from local oscillators are obtained by multiplying a low-frequency reference (e.g., quartz oscillator) to the required high frequency, for example, 32 GHz, with several stages of multipliers and amplifiers. The resulting system is bulky, complicated, inefficient, presents high phase noise, and is costly.

Typical systems require the generation of multiple local oscillator signals followed by distribution of the signals to various points throughout an electronics rack. The cabling required for this distribution presents high loss and distortion for the local oscillator frequencies in the microwave and higher frequency bands. This often requires the duplication of costly frequency synthesis hardware at multiple points in the system. Alternate local oscillator signal generating proposals require complex frequency-locking and phase-locking electronics systems to preserve signal integrity.

Photonic generation of local oscillator signals provides improved spectral purity of the generated signal. Photonic generation is capable of producing local oscillator signals up to several Terahertz in frequency. While capable of producing these high frequency local oscillator signals, the known techniques for generating these signals produce unstable signals and require external electronic feedback loops to stabilize the generated signals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a photonic local oscillator signal generator which includes a plurality of parallel optical channel waveguides fabricated in a single substrate such that an evanescent tail of an optical mode field created by laser light generation in each of the plurality of waveguides overlaps with an evanescent tail of an optical mode field created by laser light generation in an adjacent waveguide. The generator also includes a pan-chromatic mirror attached to an end of the substrate. The plurality of waveguides is fabricated within the substrate such that the pan-chromatic mirror delimits one end of a laser cavity of each of the plurality of waveguides. The generator also includes a Bragg grating mirror which has a plurality of grating fringes. The grating mirror delimits a second end of the laser cavity of each of the plurality of waveguides. The grating fringes are spaced apart from each other and traverse the plurality of waveguides such that the spacing between the grating fringes, as the grating fringes traverse each of the plurality of waveguides, is different.

A local oscillator signal is generated by pumping the plurality of optical channel waveguides with a single pumping means, generating an optical mode field in the laser cavity of each of the plurality of waveguides, each of the optical mode fields having a unique center frequency, phase locking the optical mode field of adjacent ones of the plurality of waveguides, and photodetecting an interference signal resultant from the phase locking of the adjacent optical mode fields.

The present invention provides a local oscillator signal generator for generating local oscillator signals ranging in frequency from a few megahertz to several terahertz.

The present invention also provides a local oscillator signal generator with improved resistance to environmental variations.

The present invention further provides a local oscillator signal generator that generates highly stable signals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a photonic local oscillator signal generator of the present invention.

FIGS.

2

(

a

)-

2

(

d

) are graphs representing laser light frequencies producible by the generator of FIG.

1

.

FIG. 3

is a perspective view of another embodiment of a photonic local oscillator signal generator of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the drawings, where like numerals identify like elements, there is shown a local oscillator signal generator generally designated by the numeral

10

. The generator

10

illustrated in

FIG. 1

includes a substrate

12

and at least two optical channel waveguides

14

,

16

fabricated in the substrate

12

. The waveguides

14

,

16

are typically fabricated by doping the substrate

12

with rare earth ions such as erbium, ytterbium, or neodymium. The substrate

12

may also be any optical waveguide material including semiconductor, lithium niobate, glass, or optical polymer. The waveguides

14

,

16

are fabricated parallel to each other in the substrate

12

.

The generator

10

also includes a pan-chromatic mirror

18

. The pan-chromatic mirror

18

is attached to one side of the substrate

12

and forms or delimits a first end

19

a

,

19

b

of a laser cavity

20

a

,

20

b

of each of the waveguides

14

,

16

. The pan-chromatic mirror

18

effectively reflects all wavelengths of light equally. A second end

21

a

,

21

b

of each of the laser cavities

20

a

,

20

b

, opposite to the first end

19

a

,

19

b

of the laser cavity

20

a

,

20

b

, is delimited by a Bragg grating mirror

22

. The laser cavity

20

a

,

20

b

for each of the waveguides

14

,

16

therefore has a length L that is equal to the distance between the pan-chromatic mirror

18

and the Bragg grating mirror

22

. The length L of each of the laser cavities

20

a

,

20

b

is one of the parameters that determines the wavelength/frequency of light generated in a particular laser cavity, as discussed in more detail below.

The Bragg grating mirror

22

includes a plurality of grating fringes

24

. The grating fringes

24

traverse each of the waveguides

14

,

16

. The grating fringes

24

are spaced apart from each other by an amount P. Furthermore, the grating fringes

24

are arranged in a fanned configuration. That is, as the grating fringes

24

traverse the waveguides

14

,

16

the spacing P between the grating fringes

24

will change and will be different for each of the waveguides

14

,

16

. This results in a different center frequency or wavelength for the laser light generated in each of the waveguides

14

,

16

. The difference between the center frequency/wavelength is based upon the rate of the grating fan-out and the lateral separation between the waveguides

14

,

16

. This is based on simple trigonometry. As the rate of grating fan-out is increased, the greater the separation between center frequencies for adjacent waveguides. Additionally, as the lateral separation between adjacent waveguides increases so will the difference between center frequencies. The center frequency of the waveguides may be tuned by modifying the refractive index of the grating area of the waveguides

14

,

16

. The refractive index may be changed by using any one of well-known techniques including thermal-optic, electro-optic, acoustic-optic or optical-optic effects.

The output frequency/wavelength of an optical waveguide is defined by a combination of the laser transition line of the gain medium, i.e., material within the laser cavity, laser cavity resonance condition, and laser cavity mirror reflectivity.

FIG. 2

illustrates the role each of these individual factors plays and the resultant laser spectra that result from the combined effect of these factors. The laser transition line spectrum is defined by the dopant and substrate materials. This spectrum, as shown in FIG.

2

(

a

), defines the complete range of optical frequencies the laser waveguide is capable of generating. The laser cavity

20

is that part of a waveguide that is capable of resonantly accumulating optical gain, i.e., located between the pan-chromatic mirror

18

and the grating mirror

22

. The length L of the laser cavity

20

determines the allowable optical field modes. The laser cavity can produce laser light of multiple frequencies separated by c/2L. These frequencies define the available modes that can be produced in the laser cavities. In this formulation “c” is the speed of light. These discrete modes are illustrated in FIG.

2

(

b

). The combination of the transition line and cavity spectra reveals that there is a finite range of discrete laser frequencies that the laser can generate.

Selection of single frequencies from among the several that can be generated from the cavity

20

is achieved by using a mirror or mirrors that reflect light only in very narrow frequency bands. FIG.

2

(

c

) illustrates a graph showing the pan-chromatic mirror

18

as reflecting all optical frequencies substantially identically. FIG.

2

(

c

) also illustrates the frequency bands for the Bragg grating mirror

22

for the waveguides

14

,

16

. These bands are the results of the preselected intersection of the Bragg mirror

22

and the waveguides

14

,

16

. The Bragg mirror

22

is highly frequency selective and allows only a single optical mode to exist in each laser cavity

20

. By fanning the grating fringes

24

, it is assured that the frequency for the laser light generated in each laser cavity is different without limiting the offset, S, between the frequencies of laser light generated in each laser cavity

20

. As discussed above, the center frequency of the grating mirror

22

for each of the waveguides

14

,

16

may be adjusted or tuned by modifying the refractive index of the grating area. The offset, S, between the frequency of laser light generated in adjacent laser cavities

20

will be the local oscillator signal generated upon photodetection of the combined waveguide signals. As discussed below, the local oscillator signal is equal to the heterodyne beat frequency or beat signal resulting from the interference of the laser light generated in adjacent laser cavities

20

. FIG.

2

(

d

) illustrates the composite frequency spectrum of the output signal of the waveguides of the local oscillator generator

10

. As illustrated in FIG.

2

(

d

), laser light having a unique center frequency is generated in each laser cavity

20

a

,

20

b.

The waveguides

14

,

16

must be located within the substrate

12

to enable the evanescent tail of the optical mode field generated in each of the laser cavities to overlap with the evanescent tail of the optical mode field generated in an adjacent laser cavity. The size of the optical mode field and the concomitant evanescent tail is a function of the frequency/wavelength of the laser light generated in the laser cavity

20

. Therefore, the lateral separation between the waveguides

14

,

16

is a function of the frequency/wavelength of the laser light generated in the laser cavities

20

. As a result, the desired center frequency or range of center frequencies for tunable devices for each waveguide

14

,

16

must be preselected prior to fabrication. Once the center frequency for each waveguide

14

,

16

has been preselected. the lateral spacing between adjacent waveguides can be determined based upon the optical mode field generated by the preselected center frequency.

The generator

10

includes an optical combiner/splitter

26

that couples the waveguides

14

,

16

. The generator

10

may also include an optical fiber

28

. The optical fiber

28

couples light from a pumping element (not shown) to the optical combiner/splitter

26

and into the waveguides

14

,

16

. The pump light excites the gain medium i.e., the material of each of the laser cavities

20

a

,

20

b

, to generate laser light. Pumping both the waveguides

14

,

16

with the same pump element promotes phase locking of the laser light generated in the waveguides

14

,

16

. This process is commonly known as injection-locking. As the pumping element supplies pumping light to the laser cavities

20

a

,

20

b

, they generate laser light. An optical mode field is created for each laser cavity

20

upon the generation of the laser light. Each optical mode field includes an evanescent tail. The optical mode field created within one of the waveguides

14

includes an evanescent tail

30

that occupies the space delimited by circle

32

along the laser cavity

20

a

. The optical mode field created within another one of the waveguides

16

includes an evanescent tail

34

that occupies the space delimited by circle

36

along the laser cavity

20

b

. The evanescent tail

30

of one waveguide

14

overlaps with the evanescent tail

34

of another waveguide

16

in the area

37

defined by the overlap of circle

32

and circle

36

along the laser cavities

20

a

,

20

b

. This overlap enables cross-coupling between the laser cavities

20

a

,

20

b

. The cross-coupling between the laser cavities

20

a

,

20

b

produces mutual optical coherence between the laser light generated in one waveguide

14

and the laser light generated in the other waveguide

16

.

The size of the evanescent tail generated by each of the waveguides

14

,

16

is dependent upon a variety of factors, including the substrate material, the center frequency selected and the pumping light. These factors are well known to those skilled in the art. Once the waveguide parameters have been selected and determined, the size of the evanescent tail for each of the waveguides can be determined. Once the size of the evanescent tail is determined, the spacing between the waveguides in the substrate can be determined. As discussed above, the waveguides should be spaced to allow overlap of adjacent evanescent tails.

Each waveguide produces self-coherent laser light. Typically, laser light generated in two different waveguides will not be mutually coherent. In order for mutual optical coherence to occur between laser light generated in different waveguides, additional circumstances need to be present. These may include evanescent tail cross-coupling of the waveguides and pumping of both laser cavities with a common pumping element. When mutual optical coherence is obtained, it causes interference between the laser light of different wavelengths generated in the waveguides

14

,

16

upon photodetection. In contrast to two incoherent laser beams, which generate two independent signals when photodetected (because there is no interference between them), two coherent laser beams produce three signals when photodetected: two signals that are independent and correspond to the incoherent case, and a third signal at a frequency equal to the offset, S, between the center frequencies of the two, mutually coherent beams. The third signal is commonly referred to as the heterodyne beat frequency or beat signal.

Once the laser cavities

20

a

,

20

b

generate the laser light, the laser light is output through the optical combiner/splitter

26

to the optical fiber

28

and fed to a photodetector

38

.

Locating the waveguides

14

,

16

in a single substrate reduces the effect of environmental variations. For example, if the refractive index of the entire substrate changes, then any center frequency drift that results in one waveguide will also occur in the other waveguide. This, in turn, preserves the offset frequency between the two waveguides.

By fabricating additional waveguides in the substrate additional local oscillator signals may be generated from a single generator. Due to waveguide properties, if all of the adjacent waveguides have overlapping evanescent tails, once light generated in two of the waveguides is mutually optically coherent than cross coupling will be present between all adjacent waveguides and light generated in all of the waveguides will be mutually optically coherent. This commutation extends to any number of waveguides so long as each adjacent pair is mutually optically coherent.

An alternate embodiment, illustrated in

FIG. 3

, implements an example of such a generator. The generator

10

′ includes an array of waveguides

39

. In this embodiment the generator

10

′ has four waveguides

40

,

42

,

44

, and

46

. The number of waveguides fabricated in the substrate is limited only by available technology and economic concerns. Each of the waveguides

40

,

42

,

44

, and

46

is fabricated and positioned in accordance with the description of the embodiment illustrated in FIG.

1

. The waveguides

40

,

42

,

44

, and

46

are mutually optically coherent due to the evanescent tail coupling between the adjacent waveguides as illustrated by the overlap

48

,

50

, and

52

of the evanescent tails

54

,

56

,

58

, and

60

of the waveguides

40

,

42

,

44

, and

46

, respectively, as delimited by circles

62

,

64

,

66

, and

68

, respectively. The generator

10

′ also includes two optical combiner/splitters

70

,

72

that couple pumping light into each of the waveguides

40

,

42

,

44

, and

46

and couple generated laser light to the optical fibers

76

,

78

or a pair of photodetectors (not shown). The generator

10

′ also includes a cross-connect switch

80

(also known as an optical space switch) that selectively couples generated laser light from any one of the four waveguides, for example

42

, into one leg of one of the optical combiners, for example

70

, and couples generated laser light from another one of the four waveguides, for example

46

, into the other leg of the same optical combiner, for example,

70

. This enables the generator

10

′ to generate multiple local oscillator signals (one from each combiner/splitter) having a variety of center frequencies by selecting two waveguides, for example

40

and

42

or

42

and

46

, wherein each generated local oscillator signal will have a frequency equal to the offset between the center frequencies of the selected waveguides. The generator may have as many combiner/splitters as is necessary and practical to produce as many local oscillator frequencies as desired.

The switch

80

and the optical combiner/splitters

70

,

72

may be integrated with the generator 10′ or may be discrete elements.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.