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dc.contributor.advisorFranz X. Kärtner and Erich P. Ippen.en_US
dc.contributor.authorPeng, Michael Yungen_US
dc.contributor.otherMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2016-03-03T20:30:21Z
dc.date.available2016-03-03T20:30:21Z
dc.date.copyright2015en_US
dc.date.issued2015en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/101467
dc.descriptionThesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2015.en_US
dc.descriptionThis electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.en_US
dc.descriptionCataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.en_US
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (pages 150-154).en_US
dc.description.abstractPrecise timing distribution is critical for realizing a new regime of light control in next-generation X-ray free-electron lasers. These facilities aim to generate sub-femtosecond (fs) X-ray pulses with unprecedented brightness to realize the long-standing scientific dream to capture chemical and physical reactions with atomic-level spatiotemporal resolution. To achieve this, a high-precision timing system is required to synchronize dozens of radio frequency (RF) and optical sources across kilometer distances with sub-fs precision. Since conventional RF timing systems have already reached a practical limit of 50 fs, next-generation systems are adopting optical technology to achieve superior performance. In this thesis, an optical timing distribution system (TDS) is developed using ultrafast mode-locked laser technology to deliver sub-fs timing stability. Optical domain components of the TDS are first presented. The timing jitter of commercial mode-locked lasers is characterized to confirm their viability as optical master oscillators for timing distribution. Stabilization of a 1.2-km dispersion-compensated polarization-maintaining fiber link is demonstrated as a proof-of-concept for eliminating polarization-induced timing drifts. The link is then enhanced to achieve state-of-the-art timing distribution across a 4.7-km fiber network with 0.58 fs RMS residual drift for over 52 hours. For a complete end-to-end TDS, a remote laser is stabilized at the output of a 3.5 km fiber link with 0.2 fs RMS residual drift. All demonstrations depend critically on the balanced optical cross-correlator for high-precision optical timing measurements. Second, the coverage of the TDS is extended into the RF domain using balanced optical-microwave phase detectors (BOMPD). Two generations of BOMPDs are developed to achieve sub-fs noise performance with MHz-level bandwidth capabilities and robust AM-PM suppression ratios (>50 dB). Optical-to-RF synchronization is demonstrated with 0.98 fs RMS drift for over 24 hours, while RF-to-optical synchronization is demonstrated with 0.5 fs RMS. Lastly, an Erbium Silicon Photonics Integrated OscillatoR (ESPIOR) based on optical frequency division (OFD) is developed for ultralow-noise microwave generation. Since f-2f interferometry is unavailable on-chip, an alternative fCEO control scheme called quasi-OFD is proposed to improve stabilization of an integrated frequency comb. The ESPIOR concept is demonstrated in a discrete testbed to achieve low-noise RF generation with -63 dBc/Hz phase noise at 10 Hz offset for a 6-GHz carrier frequency. This corresponds to an OFD ratio of 85 dB, which is close to the ideal OFD ratio of 90 dB.en_US
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityby Michael Y. Peng.en_US
dc.format.extent154 pagesen_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherMassachusetts Institute of Technologyen_US
dc.rightsM.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.en_US
dc.rights.urihttp://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582en_US
dc.subjectElectrical Engineering and Computer Science.en_US
dc.titleSub-femtosecond optical timing distribution for next-generation light sourcesen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.description.degreePh. D.en_US
dc.contributor.departmentMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
dc.identifier.oclc940777677en_US


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