Analysis of nonlinear frequency sweep in high-speed tunable laser sources using a self-homodyne measurement and Hilbert transformation.

We have proposed and demonstrated a novel measurement technique for characterizing nonlinear frequency sweep in high-speed tunable laser sources by using a simple self-homodyne setup and Hilbert transformation. Measurement results, such as the variation in frequency scanning rate during a frequency sweeping process, are presented for a temperature-tuned distributed feedback laser diode and external cavity tunable laser. The time-varying optical phase of the incident light of a laser is calculated from the integration of the instantaneous optical frequency, and the tuning rate is obtained from its derivative.