GHz repetition rate tunable optical pulses generation using a SBS-based coupled optoelectronic oscillator

An optical pulse generator with a tunable repetition rate of GHz is proposed employing a coupled optoelectronic oscillator (COEO). The tunability is achieved with an equivalent tunable RF bandpass filter which is realized through phase modulation and stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in a high nonlinear fiber. An injected seed laser is applied to stabilize the central wavelength of the mode-locked loop. The repetition rate of the generated optical pulses is the frequency difference between the Stokes wave and the seed laser. It is adjusted by changing the wavelength of the pump laser for SBS effect. In the experiments, optical pulse trains with a repetition rate of 7.3 GHz-9.3 GHz are generated, and RF oscillating signals at the corresponding frequency are simultaneously produced. The side-mode suppression ratios (SMSRs) of the generated RF signals are all higher than 50 dB, and the phase noise is lower than -80dBc/Hz @10-kHz offset frequency. The tunable range of the optical pulse rate is limited by the bandwidth of the used RF phase shifter in the oscillating loop.