Optical frequency comb-locked signal generation
Optical frequency comb-locked signal generation
The demand for stable, tunable, and cost-effective laser sources is growing rapidly across applications such as Terahertz signal generation, and precision metrology. This thesis presents the development and characterization of a field deployable, low-cost system for phase-locking telecom-grade tunable lasers to an Optical Frequency Comb (OFC), enabling scalable and high-performance photonic systems.
The research addresses the limitations of conventional OFC-based systems, which typically rely on laboratory-grade lasers, optical amplification, and filtering. Instead, this work demonstrates a compact and field-deployable solution using commercially available tunable lasers and a fully digital feedback loop implemented on a Red Pitaya FPGA platform. A novel PI⁴ (proportional–double-integrator) controller architecture was developed to enhance loop bandwidth and suppress phase noise, outperforming traditional PI² controllers.
The system achieves stable phase-locking with per-tone OFC powers as low as 1 nW, without the need for optical filtering, making it suitable for multi-laser configurations via passive optical splitting. Experimental results show integrated phase jitter as low as 10 milliradians and long-term frequency stability, measured using Allan deviation, reaching 2 × 10⁻¹⁴ at 1-second averaging time. These experiment setup measurement prove the technique for field deployment by matching or exceeding those of more complicated systems.
Additionally, the thesis examines the system's scalability, showcasing its potential for multi- channel applications and exhibiting steady performance throughout the C-band. Comparative analysis with state-of-the-art THz sources confirms the system’s competitive performance, particularly in terms of tunability and spectral purity.
This work establishes a foundation for accessible, energy-efficient, and scalable OFC-locked laser systems. Future directions include FPGA optimization, multi-laser locking demonstrations, and integration with photonic THz platforms, paving the way for next- generation optical technologies.
University of Southampton
Indra, Win Adiyansyah
28721603-4da6-4ce2-8f73-a877e9d13cc8
March 2026
Indra, Win Adiyansyah
28721603-4da6-4ce2-8f73-a877e9d13cc8
Slavik, Radan
2591726a-ecc0-4d1a-8e1d-4d0fd8da8f7d
Ding, Meng
4ce864fb-eb5c-47d6-8902-7b3785a162d7
Indra, Win Adiyansyah
(2026)
Optical frequency comb-locked signal generation.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis, 102pp.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
The demand for stable, tunable, and cost-effective laser sources is growing rapidly across applications such as Terahertz signal generation, and precision metrology. This thesis presents the development and characterization of a field deployable, low-cost system for phase-locking telecom-grade tunable lasers to an Optical Frequency Comb (OFC), enabling scalable and high-performance photonic systems.
The research addresses the limitations of conventional OFC-based systems, which typically rely on laboratory-grade lasers, optical amplification, and filtering. Instead, this work demonstrates a compact and field-deployable solution using commercially available tunable lasers and a fully digital feedback loop implemented on a Red Pitaya FPGA platform. A novel PI⁴ (proportional–double-integrator) controller architecture was developed to enhance loop bandwidth and suppress phase noise, outperforming traditional PI² controllers.
The system achieves stable phase-locking with per-tone OFC powers as low as 1 nW, without the need for optical filtering, making it suitable for multi-laser configurations via passive optical splitting. Experimental results show integrated phase jitter as low as 10 milliradians and long-term frequency stability, measured using Allan deviation, reaching 2 × 10⁻¹⁴ at 1-second averaging time. These experiment setup measurement prove the technique for field deployment by matching or exceeding those of more complicated systems.
Additionally, the thesis examines the system's scalability, showcasing its potential for multi- channel applications and exhibiting steady performance throughout the C-band. Comparative analysis with state-of-the-art THz sources confirms the system’s competitive performance, particularly in terms of tunability and spectral purity.
This work establishes a foundation for accessible, energy-efficient, and scalable OFC-locked laser systems. Future directions include FPGA optimization, multi-laser locking demonstrations, and integration with photonic THz platforms, paving the way for next- generation optical technologies.
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Published date: March 2026
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 510218
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/510218
PURE UUID: 873997e5-597d-427c-94ea-ca10b8e3cba2
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Date deposited: 23 Mar 2026 17:48
Last modified: 24 Mar 2026 03:08
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Contributors
Author:
Win Adiyansyah Indra
Thesis advisor:
Radan Slavik
Thesis advisor:
Meng Ding
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