ALMA Memo # 440

Photonic Techniques for Local Oscillator Generation and Distribution in Millimeter-Wave Radio 
Astronomy

10/31/2002

John M. Payne, William P. Shillue
National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Keywords: photonic, LO,  photomixer

Abstract

{Note: This memo was an invited talk at the 2002 International Topical Meeting on Microwave 
Photonics, a conference held in Awaji Japan, and also appears in the conference digest.  It repeats some 
information that has already been presented in previous ALMA memos, and is included here in the memo 
series because the conference proceedings are not widely distributed} 

A number of photonics techniques are being used for Local Oscillator (LO) generation and distribution 
for millimeter-wavelength radio astronomy. Many of these are being implemented or considered for use 
on the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) project.