Open AccessStepped-heterodyne optical complex spectrum analyzer
Author(s) -
Douglas A. Reid,
Stuart G. Murdoch,
Liam P. Barry
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.019724
Subject(s) - heterodyne (poetry) , optics , local oscillator , spectrum analyzer , heterodyne detection , physics , optical modulation amplitude , modulation (music) , signal (programming language) , phase modulation , amplitude , phase (matter) , optical communication , amplitude modulation , frequency modulation , phase noise , laser , optical amplifier , telecommunications , radio frequency , computer science , acoustics , quantum mechanics , programming language
We present a heterodyne measurement of the spectral amplitude and phase of periodic optical signals. In contrast to previous techniques this measurement requires no optical modulation of either the signal or the local oscillator, places much relaxed tunability requirements on the optical local oscillator, and requires no electronic clock to be passed to the receiver. We present measurements of the spectral amplitude and phase of 20 GHz 33% return-to-zero, and 66% carrier-suppressed return-to-zero optical signals, as well as a passively modelocked optical source with in excess of 100 modes.