Photonic (sub)millimeterwave local oscillators

Optical heterodyne millimeter-wave (mm-wave) generation using traveling-wave photodetectors (TW-PDs) is examined both experimentally and theoretically. Ultrahigh-frequency (110 GHz, 160 GHz and 460 GHz) InP-based 1.55 /spl mu/m TW-PDs were fabricated and employed in experimental set-ups for optical heterodyning. For the first time a 1.55 /spl mu/m photonic sub millimetre-wave (460 GHz) local oscillator (LO) module has been developed and demonstrated.