Portable Atmospheric Transfer of Microwave Signal Using Diode Laser with Timing Fluctuation Suppression

doi:10.19729/j.cnki.1673-5188.2018.04.008

ZTE Communications ›› 2018, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (4): 52-56.DOI: 10.19729/j.cnki.1673-5188.2018.04.008

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Portable Atmospheric Transfer of Microwave Signal Using Diode Laser with Timing Fluctuation Suppression

CHEN Shijun¹, BAI Qingsong², CHEN Dawei¹, SUN Fuyu², HOU Dong²

Received:2017-12-11 Online:2018-12-11 Published:2020-04-28
About author:BAI Qingsong (baiqingsong@std.uestc.edu.cn) received his B.Sc. degree from Changchun University of Science and Technology, China in 2013. Since 2013, he has been studying at University of Electronic Science and Technology of China for his Ph.D. degree. His current research interests include femtosecond optical combs and highly stable frequency transfer on free-space link. He has published more than 10 papers.|CHEN Dawei (chen.dawei2@zte.com.cn) received his B.Sc. and master’s degree from Harbin Institute of Technology, China. He is an algorithm engineer at ZTE Corporation. His research interest is indoor orientation. He has been in charge of and participated in two National Science and Technology Major Projects. He has published three papers.|SUN Fuyu (fysun@uestc.edu.cn) received his B.Sc. degree from Chengdu University of Technology, China and M. S. degree from University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. He is currently studying at University of Electronic Science and Technology of China for his Ph.D. degree. His current research interests include femtosecond optical combs and atom-based measurement technology. He has published more than 10 papers.|HOU Dong (houdong@uestc.edu.cn) received his B.Sc. degree in electronic engineering from North China University of Technology, China in 2004 and Ph. D. degree in electronic engineering from Peking University, China in 2012. From 2004 to 2007, he worked in the E-world and Lenovo Corporations respectively, as a senior electronic engineer. From 2012 to 2014, He worked at Peking University as a postdoctoral fellow. From 2014 to 2016, He worked at University of Colorado Boulder, USA, as a postdoctoral fellow. Now, he is an associate professor at University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. His current research interests include stabilization techniques for mode-locked laser/optical combs with high repetition frequency, highly stable frequency transfer on fiber link, and radio frequency circuit design. He has published more than 30 journal papers and 20 conference papers.

Abstract

Abstract:

We demonstrate an atmospheric transfer of microwave signal over a 120 m outdoor free-space link using a compact diode laser with a timing fluctuation suppression technique. Timing fluctuation and Allan Deviation are both measured to characterize the instability of transferred frequency incurred during the transfer process. By transferring a 100 MHz microwave signal within 4500 s, the total root-mean-square (RMS) timing fluctuation was measured to be about 6 ps, with a fractional frequency instability on the order of 1 × 10-12 at 1 s, and order of 7 × 10-15 at 1000 s. This portable atmospheric frequency transfer scheme with timing fluctuation suppression can be used to distribute an atomic clock-based frequency over a free-space link.

Key words: atmospheric communication, frequency transfer, diode laser, timing fluctuation suppression

CHEN Shijun, BAI Qingsong, CHEN Dawei, SUN Fuyu, HOU Dong. Portable Atmospheric Transfer of Microwave Signal Using Diode Laser with Timing Fluctuation Suppression[J]. ZTE Communications, 2018, 16(4): 52-56.

Figures/Tables 4

Figure 1. Schematic of atmospheric frequency transfer with timing fluctuation suppression.

Figure 2a) The actual experimental setup for portable atmospheric frequency transfer with the timing fluctuation suppression. The local and remote sites are located on a long avenue in UESTC. The distance between them is 60 m and the total free-space transmission distance is 120 m; b) the diode laser with a low-power current driver; c) the telescopes for launching and receiving beams.

Figure 3. Timing fluctuation results for the atmospheric microwave transfer. Curve (i) is the result for 120 m free-space transmission link without timing fluctuation suppression; Curve (ii) is the result for 120 m free-space transmission link with timing fluctuation suppression; Curve (iii) is the result for a short link at local site as a measurement floor.

Figure 4. Instability results for the atmospheric microwave transfer: (i) relative Allan Deviation between the transferred microwave and reference signal without timing fluctuation suppression; (ii) relative Allan Deviation with timing fluctuation suppression; (iii) Allan Deviation for a short link as the measurement floor.

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Portable Atmospheric Transfer of Microwave Signal Using Diode Laser with Timing Fluctuation Suppression

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