Toward a widely tunable narrow linewidth RF source through heterogenous silicon photonic integration

By mixing two lasers together it, is possible to generate RF signals from near DC to hundreds of GHz. Through the use of a narrow-linewidth low-frequency oscillator, optical modulator, and injection locking, much higher frequency outputs can be produced that still retain the narrow linewidth of the low frequency oscillator. Here we focus on the design and implementation of an integrated device including photonic sources and modulators to realize the system described above. Specifically, we report on the creation and mixing of two tunable lasers on a silicon platform with a heterogeneously integrated gain medium realized in a III-V material system.