System and method for photonic analog-to-digital conversion

A method for analog-to-digital conversion, the method comprising:

• receiving an analog input signal and a first optical carrier;
• based on the analog input signal, modulating a phase of the first optical carrier to generate a phase-modulated optical signal;
• at a photonic circuit, receiving the phase-modulated optical signal and a second optical carrier;
• at the photonic circuit, generating a spatially-separated plurality of optical outputs based on the phase-modulated optical signal, comprising, at a coupler of the photonic circuit, interfering the phase-modulated optical signal with the second optical carrier;
• at a detector bank comprising a plurality of detectors, receiving the spatially-separated plurality of optical outputs, wherein each optical output of the spatially-separated plurality of optical outputs is received by a different detector of the plurality of detectors;
• and
• at the detector bank, generating a set of binary outputs, comprising, for each optical output of the spatially-separated plurality of optical outputs:
• generating, based on the optical output, a respective binary output of the set;
• wherein the set of binary outputs is indicative of a value associated with the analog input signal.