An optical link for microwave clock distribution using optical carrier suppression and DC drift compensation

Bias electrode DC drift of LiNbO3 optical modulators becomes a critical problem when these devices operate over a long time period. This article presents a novel system of DC drift compensation for optical microwave transmissions using optical carrier suppression technique. In our case, such a system is dedicated to the optical distribution of high spectral purity microwave signals in future satellite payloads. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.