Thyristor-based optoelectronic oscillator with tunable frequency and optical phase lock loop employing same

摘要

An optoelectronic circuit for producing an optical clock signal that includes an optical thyristor, a waveguide structure and control circuitry. The waveguide structure is configured to split an optical pulse produced by the optical thyristor such that a first portion of such optical pulse is output as part of the optical clock signal and a second portion of such optical pulse is guided back to the optical thyristor to produce another optical pulse that is output as part of the optical clock signal. The control circuitry is operably coupled to terminals of the optical thyristor and receives first and second control signal inputs. The control circuitry is configured to selectively decrease frequency of the optical clock signal based on the first control signal input and to selectively increase frequency of the optical clock signal based on the second control signal input.

主权项

1. An optoelectronic circuit for producing an optical clock signal, the optoelectronic circuit comprising:
an optical thyristor defined by an epitaxial layer structure that includes a bottom n-type cathode region, an intermediate p-type region formed above the bottom n-type cathode region, an intermediate n-type region formed above the intermediate p-type region, and a top p-type anode region formed above the intermediate n-type region, wherein the optical thyristor includes an anode terminal electrically coupled to the top p-type anode region, an n-type injector terminal electrically coupled to the intermediate n-type region, a p-type injector terminal electrically coupled to the intermediate p-type region, and a cathode terminal electrically coupled to the bottom n-type cathode region; a waveguide structure that is configured to split an optical pulse produced by the optical thyristor such that a first portion of the optical pulse is output as part of the optical clock signal and a second portion of the optical pulse is guided back to the optical thyristor to produce another optical pulse that is output as part of the optical clock signal; and a control circuitry, operably coupled to the optical thyristor, that receives first and second control signal inputs, wherein the control circuitry is configured to selectively decrease a frequency of the optical clock signal based on the first control signal input and to selectively increase the frequency of the optical clock signal based on the second control signal input.