Hybrid photonic analog to digital converter using superconducting electronics
US6771201B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 24, 2003 |
| Grant date | Aug 3, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 24, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F7/00
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
This invention discloses a hybrid photonic analog-to-digital converter using superconducting electronics to achieve a high-speeds. This scheme differs from most current designs by combining two systems, photonic and superconducting, to utilize each system for optimal performance. The photonic system performs the optical sampling of the signal with very low aperture and jitter errors. This optically sampled data is then converted to an electronic signal via an optoelectronic switch and quantized in the superconducting system. The high-speed (>100 GHz) superconducting electronic system transforms the quantized signal into a binary output. This invention allows for analog-to-digital conversion at much higher speeds than available with current electronic analog-to-digital converters.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.