Design and simulation of a tunable parity-time symmetric optoelectronic oscillator utilizing integrated components

Abstract Non-Hermitian photonics, relaying on parity-time (PT) symmetry, have shown promise in achieving mode selection for optical or microwave single-mode oscillation. Typically, a PT-symmetric system is constructed using two coupled loops with identical geometry. This article utilizes the PT-symmetry property to select a single frequency mode in an optoelectronic oscillator (OEO). However, traditional OEO implementations often involve discrete components, limiting widespread adoption due to factors such as size, weight, power consumption, and cost. Our aim in this paper is to leverage integrated components within the OEO loop. The proposed structure incorporates an integrated micro-ring resonator (MRR) with a high-quality factor (Q-factor) that serves both as a modulator and a resonator. Additionally, we suggest employing an adjustable integrated power splitter utilizing a micro heater to balance the gain and loss of two mutually coupled OEO loops. In this configuration, two integrated photo detectors (PD) are also utilized. In this setup, the single-frequency mode can be easily identified by simultaneously utilizing the properties of PT-symmetry and an integrated high-Q-factor resonator, obviating the need for a narrowband microwave filter. By adjusting the center frequency of the microwave photonic filter (MPF), the frequency of the generated signal can be tuned over a wide range. For instance, setting the generated frequency of the microwave signal to 11.5 GHz results in a measured phase noise of − 76.5 dBc/Hz at a 10-kHz offset frequency, with a side mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of 40 dB.