Method and apparatus for optical sampling
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsChristophe J Dorrer, Inuk Kang
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Abstract
An optical sampling method and apparatus are provided for modulating an optical signal using a first electroabsorption modulator (EAM) driven by a sinusoidal RF voltage signal to provide substantially jitter free temporal gating of the optical signal. The gated optical signal from the first EAM is routed through a second EAM to provide an optical output signal having a reduced repetition rate. The second EAM is driven using an electrical pulse train having a repetition rate that is a subharmonic of the frequency of the sinusoidal RF voltage signal driving the first EAM.
Claims13
An optical sampling method, comprising the steps of:
- modulating an optical signal using at least one first electroabsorption modulator (EAM) driven using at least one sinusoidal RF voltage signal to provide substantially jitter free temporal gating of the optical signal;
- and
- routing a gated optical signal from the at least one first EAM through at least one second EAM to provide an optical output signal having a reduced repetition rate, the second EAM being driven using an electrical pulse train having a repetition rate that is a subharmonic of the frequency of the sinusoidal RF voltage signal driving the first EAM.
An optical sampling apparatus comprising:
- at least one first electroabsorption modulator (EAM) for modulating an optical signal to provide a gated optical signal;
- at least one second EAM optically coupled to the at least one first EAM for receiving the gated optical signal from the at least one first EAM and providing an optical output signal having a reduced repetition rate;
- and
- drive circuitry adapted to 1) drive the first EAM with at least one sinusoidal RF voltage signal to provide substantially jitter free temporal gating of the optical signal, and 2) drive the second EAM with an electrical pulse train having a repetition rate that is a subharmonic of the frequency of the sinusoidal RF voltage signal driving the first EAM.
An optical sampling apparatus comprising:
- a means for modulating an optical signal using at least one first electroabsorption modulator (EAM) driven using at least one sinusoidal RF voltage signal to provide substantially jitter free temporal gating of the optical signal;
- and
- means for routing a gated optical signal from the at least one first EAM through at least one second EAM to provide an optical output signal having a reduced repetition rate, the second EAM being driven using an electrical pulse train having a repetition rate that is a subharmonic of the frequency of the sinusoidal RF voltage signal driving the first EAM.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.