All-digital radio-frequency signal distribution via optical fibers

Magnus T L Hsu*, Yabai He, Daniel A. Shaddock, Richard B. Warrington, Malcolm B. Gray

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We present a radio-frequency (RF) signal distribution system via optical fibers. We utilize an all-digital platform that encompasses a phase-locked loop, numerically-controlled oscillator, and fiber phase noise cancellation system. Our system achieves a fractional frequency transfer stability of 4×10 -13 at 1 s and 6 × 10 -17 at one day for the distribution of RF signals over 70 km of optical fiber. We demonstrate that this performance can be achieved with standard crystal oscillators. Our system is scalable, configurable, and flexible, allowing distribution of signals at different frequencies while maintaining over two orders of magnitude of the fiber phase noise suppression.

Original languageEnglish
Article number6178268
Pages (from-to)1015-1017
Number of pages3
JournalIEEE Photonics Technology Letters
Volume24
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Digital signal processing (DSP)
  • field programmable gate array (FPGA)
  • optical fibers
  • phasemeter
  • radio-frequency (RF) signal distribution

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