Optically sampling, demultiplexing, and A/D converting system with improved speed

An analog-to-digital converter comprising:

• a) two or more electrooptic modulators, each modulator having an optical input adapted to receive an incident light beam and an electrical modulation input, each of the two or more electrooptic modulators generating a modulated light beam from an incident light beam in response to a modulation signal applied to the electrical modulation input;
• b) two or more optical demultiplexers, each of the two or more optical demultiplexers having an optical input and a plurality of optical outputs, a respective one of the two or more optical demultiplexers being positioned to receive a modulated light beam from a respective one of the two or more electrooptic modulators, each two or more optical demultiplexers generating a plurality of demultiplexed modulated light beams;
• c) a plurality of photodetectors, each photodetector having an optical input and an electrical output, wherein the optical input of a respective one of the plurality of photodetectors is optically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of demultiplexed modulated light beams, each of the plurality of photodetectors generating an electrical signal at its electrical output in response to an intensity of the demultiplexed modulated light beam that is coupled to its optical input;
• and
• d) a plurality of charge comparators, each charge comparator having a first input electrically coupled to a threshold signal source and a second input, the second input of each of a respective one of the plurality of charge comparators being electrically coupled to the electrical output of each of a respective one of the plurality of photodetectors, wherein the plurality of charge comparators generates a digital representation of the incident light beam.