Proposal for distribution of a low-phase-noise oscillator signal in forthcoming fifth-generation mobile network by radio-over-fibre technology

This article presents a solution that needs only one low-phase-noise oscillator for many cellular network base-stations. The proposed approach can provide a solution that is especially suitable for the forthcoming fifth-generation (5G) high-capacity radio system based on millimetre-wave (mmW) frequency bands, where the phase noise is one of main limiting parameters. The stable and low-phase-noise signal, which can be generated by an advanced opto-electronic oscillator (OEO), is distributed to remote antenna units over a passive optical network infrastructure by radio-over-fibre (RoF) technology. Besides the cost effectiveness, this solution can decrease the size and complexity of base-stations, the number of which will increase in 5G cellular networks due to a reduction in the cell size. This article also presents the key building block for such a RoF system, which is a high-stability OEO.