METHODS FOR MEASURING RELATIVE NOISE INTENSITY (RIN) OF LASER RADIATION

Abstract

Over the past decades, in the field of ultra-wideband receiving and transmitting systems, there has been a process of replacing “electronic” systems with “photonic” ones. This transition is primarily due to the fact that the photon, by its nature, has no charge and mass, unlike electrons. As a result, photonic systems are not affected by electromagnetic fields and also have a wider signal bandwidth. In modern fiber optic technologies, the requirements for optical transmitters and lasers are constantly increasing, since they are one of the main components of the fiber optic communication system. The signal-to-noise ratio in optical communication lines depends significantly on the instability of laser radiation power. In this regard, it is necessary to know the features and characteristics of this instability. The results of a study of the relative noise intensity of laser radiation for an optical signal transmission system are presented. An analysis of typical methods for measuring RIN was carried out by conducting a series of measurements of the parameters of the radio over fiber (ROF) transceiver optical system. Based on a comparison of the results of various methods for measuring RIN, it is shown that the most effective measurement method in laboratory conditions is a method based on subtracting noise of different origins from the total value.