Theoretical study of implementing an all-optical analogue-to-digital conversion based on the Mach–Zehnder interferometric configurations

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• 作者：Alex ; re S. Shcherbakov ; Ivan Hern ; ez Romano
• 关键词：Analogue-to-digital (A-D) converter ; Self-phase modulation (SPM) ; Cross-phase modulation (CPM) ; Mach– ; Zehnder interferometric configuration
• 刊名：Optik - International Journal for Light and Electron Optics
• 出版年：2010
• 出版时间：August 2010
• 年：2010
• 卷：121
• 期：14
• 页码：1330-1336
• 全文大小：254 K

文摘

A new technique of ultrafast analogue-to-digital (A-D) conversion for an all-optical data processing is proposed. This technique is based on the Kerr nonlinearity-induced cross-phase modulation in single-mode Mach–Zehnder interferometer configurations arranged in a specific way. Two schemes, capable of realizing both sequential and parallel A-D conversions of optical signals are considered. The potential for an extremely high-bit-rate processing, up to 1 THz in each converter, is due to a femtosecond time response of Kerr effect in fused silica glass. Optical schemes of proposed devices are presented and algorithmically estimated; their functional capabilities are discussed.