A Photonic Frequency Divider using a DO-MZM-based Optoelectronic Oscillator

A novel photonic frequency divider with a ratio of 1/2 is proposed and successfully demonstrated, utilizing a DO-MZM-based optoelectronic oscillator. The unique feature of this system lies in the utilization of complemental intensity modulation realized by the dual-output Mach-Zehnder modulator (DO-MZM), which enables effective suppression of common mode noise at the output of a balanced photodetector (BPD) in the optical loop. the differential detection of the BPD, the signal-to-noise ratio of the loop is improved while the frequency-divided signal’s noise floor is decrease. In a proof-of-concept experiment, we have achieved successful frequency division ratio of 1/2 on an injection signal ranging from 8 to 26 GHz down to 4 to 13 GHz. Moreover, the proposed frequency divider exhibits superior phase noise characteristics compared to a commercial electrical frequency divider.