Millimeter Wave Generation for 6G Applications in a Ring Cavity Laser System formed using SOA

Enhancements in technology pertaining to millimetre-wave (mm-wave) signals, operating at carrier frequencies between 30 and 300 GHz, have emerged as a pivotal area of research. Due to the inherent challenges in generating and transmitting such high-frequency signals purely through electronic means, photonic techniques that convert signals into the optical domain offer a promising solution to overcome the limitations of conventional electronic components. This paper presents the optimization of a Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) integrated within a ring cavity structure for efficient mm-wave generation. In this configuration, an optical fibre is incorporated into the ring cavity to enhance nonlinear effects, particularly self-phase modulation (SPM), which is instrumental in producing the high-intensity optical pulses required for mm-wave generation. The proposed method eliminates the need for bulky microwave sources, thereby significantly reducing system complexity and cost. Utilizing this self-sustained architecture, wideband signals ranging from 1 GHz to 2.5 THz have been successfully generated with high output power, all without the reliance on an external laser source.