Method and apparatus for stretching an optical pulse

An etalon, comprising:

• means for introducing a base pulse into a cavity defined by the etalon;
• means for partially reflecting the base pulse;
• and
• means for fully reflecting the partially reflected base pulse, the fully refelcting means being spaced apart from the partially reflective means a distance proportional to the width of the base pulse in operative relationship to the partially reflective means.

An optical pulse stretcher, comprising:

• a port through which a base pulse may be introduced;
• a partially reflective surface against which the base pulse may impinge;
• a fully reflective surface spaced apart from the partially reflective surface a distance proportional to the width of the base pulse in operative relationship to the partially reflective surface;
• an optical collector capable of collecting a plurality of base pulse components propagating through the partially reflective surface;
• and
• a combiner capable of combining the collected base pulse components and outputting a stretched pulse.

An optical system, comprising:

• an optical receiver capable of receiving an optical signal;
• an optical pulse stretcher, including:
• a port through which a base pulse of the optical signal may be introduced;
• a partially reflective surface against which the base pulse may impinge;
• a fully reflective surface spaced apart from the partially reflective surface a distance proportional to the width of the base pulse in operative relationship to the partially reflective surface;
• an optical collector capable of collecting a plurality of base pulse components propagating through the partially reflective surface;
• and
• a combiner capable of combining the collected base pulse components and outputting a stretched pulse;
• and
• a detector capable of processing the stretched pulse.

A method for modeling an optical pulse stretcher, comprising:

• assigning a transmission factor value to each one of a plurality of taps;
• assigning a reflection factor value to each one of the taps, excepting only one tap;
• and
• assigning a transport delay for each tap to which a reflection factor value was assigned, wherein the transport delay is proportional to the width of a base pulse.

A method for shaping a stretched pulse, comprising

• introducing a base pulse into the etalon, the etalon including a graded, partially reflective surface;
• collecting a plurality of portions of the base pulse propagating through the graded, partially reflective surface;
• and
• combining the collected portions to generate the shaped, stretched pulse.

A method for stretching an optical pulse, comprising:

• introducing a base pulse into an etalon, the etalon including a fully reflective surface spaced apart from a partially reflective surface a distance proportional to the width of the base pulse;
• collecting a plurality of portions of the base pulse propagating from the etalon;
• and
• combining the plurality of portions to generate a stretched pulse whose width is proportional to the width of the base pulse.