Noise Processes and Nonlinear Mechanisms in Optoelectronic Phase-Locked Loop Using a Balanced Optical Microwave Phase Detector

This article analyses the effect of noise and nonlinearity in optoelectronic phase-locked loops (OEPLLs). The OEPLL phase-locks a microwave oscillator on envelope optical pulse train from mode-locked laser (MLL). phase detector this type is called balanced (BOMPD) operates mixed electro-optical domain. main sources BOMPD, such as shot photodiodes, generation-recombination relative intensity laser, bias voltage applied to BOMPD. are discussed. nonlinear behavior BOMPD with respect field amplitude RF An that can lock harmonics interharmonics MLL repetition rate demonstrated. has an in-band below −150 dBc/Hz at 100-kHz offset frequency for carrier 10 GHz. level 10–20 dB better than state-of-the-art commercial synthesizers.