Optoelectronic Phase Tracking and Electrooptic Sampling of Free-Running Microwave Signals up to 20 GHz in a Laser-Diode-Based System

Abstract

We report optoelectronic phase-tracking and electrooptic sampling of microwave signals from a free-running oscillator in a laser-diode-based system. A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) in a photoconductive harmonic mixer based phase-lock loop is utilized to gain switch a 0.8 µm laser diode for phase-tracking of the microwave signal at frequencies up to 20 GHz. Phase and amplitude of the microwave signal in a microstrip line is also measured using another 1.3-μm laser diode driven by the VCO. © 1995 IEEE. All rights reserved.