REDUCED LOSS MICROWAVE FIBEROPTIC LINKS BY INTRACAVITY MODULATION ANDCARRIER SUPPRESSION

Fiber-optic links are limited by the large V-pi of commercial modulato rs and by nonlinearities in the photodiodes used to demodulate the RF signals. Intracavity modulation and carrier suppression is shown to en hance the received microwave power in a fiber-optic link for a given o ptical power at a receiver. The carrier wavelength is automatically lo cked to the intracavity reflective notch filter that suppresses the ca rrier relative to the modulation sidebands. Link loss reductions excee ding 10 dB were measured for frequencies from 1 to 25 GHz. Harmonic di stortions can be decreased by combining this technique with above-quad rature biasing.