The role of optical filtering in microwave phase shifting.

We highlight the importance of the delay arising from optical filters in slow-light-based microwave phase shifting systems. We calculate the filter delay numerically from the measured amplitude response by using the well-known Kramers-Kronig relations. The complex filter transmission response is then incorporated within a numerical model with which we explain phase shifting results obtained from experiments employing semiconductor optical amplifiers as slow light elements.

Signal-to-noise ratio of a semiconductor optical-amplifier-based optical phase shifter.

We report an experimental characterization of additive noise from a single-stage phase shifter based on slow and fast light propagation in a bulk semiconductor optical amplifier. We examine the influence of redshifted sideband suppression and optical input power on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the detected signal. We conclude that in spite of the up to a 6 dB reduction in the detected noise, the SNR remains dominated by the decrease in the detected signal power.

Self-starting ultralow-jitter pulse source based on coupled optoelectronic oscillators with an intracavity fiber parametric amplifier.

A self-starting optical pulse source based on mutually coupled optoelectronic oscillators is described. The system employs a phototransistor-based microwave oscillator that is coupled to a fiber cavity optoelectronic oscillator with an intracavity fiber parametric amplifier. It self-starts and exhibits 3 ps pulses at a rate of 10 GHz with extremely low jitter of 30, 29, and 40 fs (for integration bandwidths of 100 Hz-15 kHz, 500 Hz-1 MHz, and 100 Hz-1 MHz, respectively).