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US 6,476,956 B1Granted
Fast optical modulator
AssigneeTeraComm Research, Inc.
InventorsWilliam J. Cottrell, Thomas G. Ference, Kenneth A. Puzey
Life of this patent
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AssigneeTeraComm Research, Inc.
InventorsWilliam J. Cottrell, Thomas G. Ference, Kenneth A. Puzey
Estimating the term…
A short pulse of radiation is generated by shining radiation through a magneto-optical material. The material is excited twice to rapidly change a property of the wave, such as the direction of the polarization. The first excitation rotates the polarization in a first direction and the second excitation brings the polarization back to its initial direction before the first excitation. Although the time for relaxation from the excitations may be lengthy, a pulse of light can be produced that is shorter in time than the time for excitation plus the time for relaxation. Light experiencing the pair of lengthy relaxations has each cancelling the effect of the other. The pulse of light has a length that depends on the time difference between the two excitations and the spacing between them. The rapid excitations are provided by pulses of current in a superconductor located near the magneto-optical material.
A method of generating a pulse of radiation, comprising the steps of:
A device, comprising an electrical conductor and a magneto-optical material, wherein said electrical conductor crosses said magneto-optical material in a first location and in a second location, wherein said electrical conductor is positioned to provide a first current pulse stimulating a first excitation of a first population of said magneto-optical material at said first location and said electrical conductor is positioned to provide a second current pulse stimulating a second excitation of a second population of said magneto-optical material at said second location, wherein said electrical conductor and said magneto-optical material are configured to provide said second excitation of said second population to be opposite said first excitation of said first population.
A circuit, comprising a first superconductor, a second superconductor, and a source of a high frequency electrical signal, said source having a frequency sufficient to provide resistance in said first superconductor and in said second superconductor for dividing said signal according to said resistance in each said superconductor.
A device comprising an electrical conductor and a means for generating a change in an optical parameter, wherein said electrical conductor crosses said means in a first location and in a second location, wherein said electrical conductor is positioned to provide a first current pulse providing a first stimulation to said means at said first location and said electrical conductor is positioned to provide a second current pulse providing a second stimulation at said second location, wherein said electrical conductor and said means are configured to provide said second stimulation opposite said first stimulation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.