Plural frequency oscillator employing multiple fiber-optic delay line
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorJing-Jong Pan
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Abstract
Stabilization of an oscillator, particularly an RF oscillator, is achieved by an arrangement employing a fiber optic delay line. The delay line has a Q defined by the relationship Q=2.pi.f.tau., where f is the oscillator operation frequency and .tau. is the length of the delay line. Opto/electronic and electro optic transducers are coupled between the electrical oscillator circuitry and the optical delay line for interfacing the electrical section of the RF oscillator with its optical section. This optic delay line may be configured as a single optical fiber where a single output frequency is desired, or it may be configured of a plurality of optical fibers of respectively different lengths, where plural output frequencies are to be produced.
Claims7
An oscillator comprising:
- first means for generating an electrical output in response to an optical input applied thereto;
- second means, coupled to said first means, for amplifying said electrical output;
- third means, coupled to said second means, for producing an optical output in response to the amplified electrical output applied thereto from said second means;
- and
- fourth means, coupled to said first means and said third means, for optically transmitting the optical output produced by said third means to said first means as the optical input thereto, said fourth means including a plurality of optical fibers having respectively different phase delays therethrough through which said optical output produced by said third means travels to said first means, each of said optical fibers having a respectively different prescribed length for defining a respective effective loop phase delay of 2n.pi. at respective frequencies of said electrical output, where n=0, 1, 2, . . . so that a plurality of different oscillation frequencies are simultaneously produced by said oscillator.
An oscillator comprising:
- a gain producing element having an input and an output;
- a plurality of feedback paths connected between said input and said output of said gain producing element;
- and
- frequency determining means within said feedback paths comprising an electrical-to-optical transducer producing a light signal in response to the output of the gain producing element, a plurality of optical fibers responsive to light signals from said transducer, each respective optical fiber having a respectively different phase delay, an optical-to-electric transducer responsive to the outputs of said optical fibers, means for causing the light signals from said electrical-to-optical transducer to be coupled simultaneously through each of said optical fibers, and means for coupling light signals from each of said optical fibers simultaneously to said optical-to-electric transducer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.