Techniques for multichannel data transmission using a multisection laser in millimeter-wave fiber-radio systems

We present two techniques for the transmission of multiple modulated millimeter-wave (MM-wave) frequencies using a multisection laser and demonstrate both methods in the upstream path of a MM-wave fiber-radio system. In these modulation schemes, the laser is stabilized separately from the data modulation. Stabilization of the laser is achieved using hybrid and synchronous mode-locking techniques while the MM-wave radio channels are applied directly to the laser gain section. We implement a fiber-radio system incorporating the multisection laser at the antenna base station and demonstrate error-free transmission of two radio channels at 37 GHz over 20 km of fiber using each stabilization scheme.