Optical frequency comb generation scheme using a novel Mach–Zehnder modulator with four arms

Li, Bo, Yang, Yong, Kuang, Xin, Shang, Lei

Publication in Journal of Optical Technology

For Russian citation (Opticheskii Zhurnal):

Bo Li, Yong Yang, Xin Kuang, Lei Shang Optical frequency comb generation scheme using a novel Mach–Zehnder modulator with four arms (Генерация оптической частотной гребенки с использованием новой схемы модулятора Маха-Цендера с четырьмя плечами) [на англ. яз.] // Оптический журнал. 2016. Т. 83. № 3. С. 15–19.

Bo Li, Yong Yang, Xin Kuang, Lei Shang Optical frequency comb generation scheme using a novel Mach–Zehnder modulator with four arms (Генерация оптической частотной гребенки с использованием новой схемы модулятора Маха-Цендера с четырьмя плечами) [in English] // Opticheskii Zhurnal. 2016. V. 83. № 3. P. 15–19.

For citation (Journal of Optical Technology):

Bo Li, Yong Yang, Xin Kuang, and Lei Shang, "Optical frequency comb generation scheme using a novel Mach–Zehnder modulator with four arms," Journal of Optical Technology. 83(3), 150-153 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1364/JOT.83.000150

Abstract:

We propose a simple and cost-effective ultra-flat optical frequency comb generator based on a novel Mach–Zehnder modulator which employs a 1×4 multimode interference coupler and four optical phase-modulator waveguides. A 25-tone optical frequency comb with flatness within 0.2 dB and an unwanted-mode suppression ratio of 27 dB is obtained. This approach may provide a new generation of combs that enable planar integration and may permit a direct link from the radio frequency to optical domain on a chip.

Keywords:

optical frequency comb, multimode interference coupler, radio-overfiber, optical communications

Acknowledgements:

This work was supported by 111 project (under grant: B08038), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (K5051301010).

OCIS codes: 060.2330, 060.5625, 190.4160

References:

1. Morioka T., Mori K., Saruwatari M. More than 100-wavelength-channel picosecond optical pulse generation from single laser source using supercontinuum in optical fibres // Electron. Lett. 1993. V. 29. P. 862.
2. Okamoto K., Kominato T., Yamada H., Goh T. Fabrication of frequency spectrum synthesiser consisting of arrayed-waveguide grating pair and thermo-optic amplitude and phase controllers // Electron. Lett. 1999. V. 35. P. 733.
3. Bennett S., Cai B., Burr E., Gough O., Seeds A.J. 1.8-THz bandwidth, zero-frequency error, tunable optical comb generator for DWDM applications // IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 1999. V. 11. P. 551.
4. Fontaine N.K., Geisler D.J., Scott R.P., He T., Heritage J.P., Yoo S.J.B. Demonstration of high-fidelity dynamic optical arbitrary waveform generation // Opt. Exp. 2010. V. 18. P. 22988.
5. Jiang Z., Huang C.B., Leaird D., Weiner A.M. Optical arbitrary waveform processing of more than 100 spectral comb lines // Nature Photon. 2007. V. 1. P. 463.
6. Jiang Z., Leaird D.E., Weiner A.W. Spectral line-by-line pulse shaping on an optical frequency comb generator // IEEE Quantum Electron. 2007. V. 43. P. 1163.
7. Fujiwara M., Kani J., Suzuki H., Araya K., Teshima M. Flattened optical multicarrier generation of 12.5 GHz spaced 256 channels based on sinusoidal amplitude and phase hybrid modulation // Electron. Lett. 2001. V. 37. P. 967.
8. Wu R., Supradeepa V.R., Long C.M., Leaird D.E., Weiner A.M. Generation of very flat optical frequency combs from continuous-wave lasers using cascaded intensity and phase modulators driven by tailored radio frequency waveforms // Opt. Lett. 2010. V. 35. P. 3234.
9. Dou Y., Zhang H., Yao M. Improvement of flatness of optical frequency comb based on nonlinear effect of intensity modulator // Opt. Lett. 2011. V. 36. P. 2749.
10. Dou Y., Zhang H., Yao M. Generation of flat optical-frequency comb using cascaded intensity and phase modulators // IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 2012. V. 24. P. 727.
11. Shang L., Wen A.J., Lin G.B. Optical frequency comb generation using two cascaded intensity modulators // J. Opt. 2014. V. 16. P. 035401.
12. Ulrich R., Ankele G. Self imaging in homogeneous planar optical waveguides // Appl. Phys. Lett. 1975. V. 27. P.337.