Photonic precision delay component for high dynamic delay range

An electronic-photonic integrated precision delay-control component, comprising:

• an optical input interface for receiving and internally forwarding a pulsed optical input signal;
• a coarse-delay switching unit that is configured to assume one of a plurality of selectable switching states and to feed, in a given one of the switching states, the pulsed optical input signal forward to at least one of a plurality of selectable optical coarse-delay paths to subject the pulsed optical input signal to one or more respective coarse group-delay amounts from a plurality of discrete coarse group-delay amounts that includes a group-delay amount of zero, wherein the coarse-delay switching unit receives an electronic coarse-delay switching signal indicative of the one or more respective coarse group-delay amounts to be selected in the given switching state;
• a controllable optical fine-delay unit that is configured to subject the pulsed optical input signal to a selectable fine group-delay amount that is tuneable between zero and a maximum fine group-delay amount which suitably amounts to a smallest of the coarse group-delay amounts, wherein the optical fine-delay unit receives an electronic fine-delay-selection signal, which is indicative of a selected fine group-delay amount to be tuned to;
• and wherein
• the coarse-delay switching unit and the optical fine-delay unit are arranged in a series connection to control application of a respective total group-delay amount to the pulsed optical input signal on any selectable total delay path including the coarse-delay switching unit and the optical fine-delay unit, the respective total group-delay amount corresponding to a sum of the respective coarse group-delay amount and of the selectable fine group-delay amount that are selectable via the coarse-delay switching signal and the fine-delay-selection signal, respectively.