Tunable, Integrated Electro-optic Frequency Comb for Space-based Communications and Precision, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Applications

Under this proposal, SRICO shall develop a chip scale tunable EO optical frequency comb technology based on an ultra-high-density integrated photonic device technology. The technology has potential to drastically reduce RF power requirements and increase circuit density, enabling high performance tunable EO combs to be implemented at the chip scale. Technical efforts in Phase I shall focus on developing an RF photonic device platform that can satisfy project metrics called out in the request for proposal, including: tunability of phase and amplitude to support frequency comb generation and control with 1 - 10 GHz line spacing, Vpi < 1 V,  minimum RF power requirements across the 1 - 10 GHz tuning range supporting 5 nm broad  electro-optic comb generation at 1 GHz repetition rate within the 1540 - 1560 nm band, and low waveguide to modulator coupling losses. Component level design efforts shall include polarization maintaining fiber-coupled interconnects for coupling onto and off from the integrated chip-scale modulator platform and high optical power handling > 500 mW of input power.