Photonic digital-to-analog converter employing a plurality of heterojunction thyristor devices
US6995407B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 19, 2002 |
| Grant date | Feb 7, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 11, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D62/85
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A photonic digital-to-analog converter employing a plurality of heterojunction thyristor devices that are configured to convert a digital word encoded by a parallel digital optical signal (e.g., a plurality of synchronous optical bits) to an output analog electrical signal whose magnitude corresponds to the digital word. Each heterojunction thyristor device is configured to convert an optical bit in the digital word to a corresponding digital electrical signal. The voltage levels (e.g., magnitudes) of the ON state of the digital electrical signals produced by the heterojunction thyristor devices may be supplied by voltage divider networks coupled between the cathode terminal of the devices and ground potential or voltage reference sources coupled to the input terminals of the heterojunction thyristor devices. In this manner, electrical signals whose magnitude corresponds to contribution of each optical bit in the digital word are produced. These electrical signals are summed by a summing network to generate the output analog electrical signal corresponding to the digital word.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.