Photonic digital-to-analog conversion (DAC) based on RSOAs
US8441383B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 2011 |
| Grant date | May 14, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 14, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F7/00
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a photonic digital-to-analog converter (pDAC) system. The system may include a mode locked laser, an optical splitter connected to the laser, and a plurality of reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers connected to the splitter. The mode locked laser transmits a digital optical pulse train to the splitter. The splitter splits an optical pulse of the digital pulse train into multiple optical pulses and provides the multiple optical pulses to the amplifiers via a plurality of optical paths, at least two of the optical paths having different path lengths. The amplifiers amplify the multiple optical pulses and provide the amplified multiple optical pulses to the splitter. The splitter outputs an analog optical pulse train derived from the amplified multiple optical pulses. The system provides for faster sampling rate and lower jitter than Electrical Digital-to-Analog converter (eDAC) systems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.