A study in OCS millimeter-wave generation using two parallel DD-MZMs

Abstract

This study highlights a particular form of optical millimeter-wave (MMW) generation by using a dual-drive Mach-Zehnder Modulator (DD-MZM) and demonstrates a new method to generate an optical carrier suppression (OCS) MMW signal with frequency quadrupling of the local oscillator via two parallel DD-MZMs based on this form. Theoretical derived equations and numerical simulation verified that two strong optical sidebands, centered at the optical carrier and separated by four-fold the RF drive frequency can be generated when the extinction ratio (ER) of the DD-MZMs is 30 dB.