Optical single-clock-pulse generator using a photoconductive sample-and-hold circuit for processing ultrafast asynchronous optical packets

摘要

A scheme is proposed for generating a packet-level optical single-clock-pulse that uses an InP metal-semiconductor-metal photodiode-based sample-and-hold circuit and a gain-switched laser diode. A 3.3-ps single-pulse generation synchronized to the first bit pulse of an incoming ultrafast burst optical packet is demonstrated. The generated pulse has constant timing, intensity, and polarization; hence, it is suitable for use as the control pulse of an all-optical switching device used in a photonic packet-switched network node operating at over 40 Gbit/s.