Letter abstract
Nature Photonics 3, 581 - 585 (2009)
Published online: 27 September 2009 | doi:10.1038/nphoton.2009.169
Ultrafast waveform compression using a time-domain telescope
Mark A. Foster1, Reza Salem1, Yoshitomo Okawachi1, Amy C. Turner-Foster2, Michal Lipson2 & Alexander L. Gaeta1
Abstract
Photonic systems provide access to extremely large bandwidths, which can approach a petahertz1. Unfortunately, full utilization of this bandwidth is not achievable using standard electro-optical technologies, and higher (>100 GHz) performance requires all-optical processing with nonlinear-optical elements. A solution to the implementation of these elements in robust, compact and efficient systems is emerging in photonic integrated circuits, as evidenced by their recent application in various ultrahigh-bandwidth instruments2, 3, 4. These devices enable the characterization of extremely complex signals by linking the high-speed optical domain with slower speed electronics. Here, we extend the application of these devices beyond characterization and demonstrate an instrument that generates complex and rapidly updateable ultrafast optical waveforms. We generate waveforms with 1.5-ps minimum features by compressing lower-bandwidth replicas created with a 10 GHz electro-optic modulator. In effect, our device allows for ultrahigh-speed direct 270 GHz modulation using relatively low speed devices and represents a new class of ultrafast waveform generators.
- School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
Correspondence to: Alexander L. Gaeta1 e-mail: alg3@cornell.edu
