Photonic generation of stable microwave signals from a dual-wavelength Al₂O₃:Yb³⁺ distributed-feedback waveguide laser

We report the fabrication and characterization of a dual-wavelength distributed-feedback channel waveguide laser in ytterbium-doped aluminum oxide. Operation of the device is based on the optical resonances that are induced by two local phase shifts in the distributed-feedback structure. A stable microwave signal at ∼15 GHz with a −3 dB width of 9 kHz was subsequently created via the heterodyne photodetection of the two laser wavelengths. The long-term frequency stability of the microwave signal produced by the free-running laser is better than 2.5 MHz, while the power of the microwave signal is stable within 0.35 dB.