Analysis of Phase Noise in Waveguide-integrated Optical Test Structures in Silicon Photonics

This paper experimentally investigates and interprets the e®ects of noise and non- linearity in a silicon photonic optical test structure. For the analysis di®erent optoelectronic phase noise measurement techniques are used. Our tests focuses on the performance of integrated opti- cal test structures using femtosecond pulses in the 1550nm spectral range. A primary objective is to understand the behaviour of silicon photonic waveguides that can be further employed in the implementation of an optoelectronic phase-locked loop (OEPLL) in silicon photonics technology. A comparison of our results, as well as a discussion on the di®erent optoelectronic phase noise measurement techniques are presented. Our ¯ndings provide insights that can be leveraged to optimize the design and performance of ultra-low phase noise on-chip OEPLL systems locking to mode-locked laser (MLL) signals. In the future such systems can be essential for advanced communication and sensing applications.